Swaybar Bushing Types

[l008com]

A long time ago on one of my posts - no idea which one - the topic of swaybar bushing material came up. I replaced my front and rear bushings (not links, although them too) with stiffer aftermarket bushings. They worked well but they would squeak, so I'd have to remove them every year to grease them.

Years later and now the rear bushings are very loose, and I haven't checked but I assume the front probably are too. So time for a new set.

What are the different options for materials? I want stiff ones, I like when the truck handles nice and tight. But if possible I also want to go with a material that doesn't need greasing.

 

[l008com]

I guess I was being a little too ambitious worrying about material. I'm having trouble just finding a size that fits. I'm looking through the million of them on rockauto. The front bars seem to come in 34mm, 36mm, 43.7mm, 46.7mm and possibly others. I measured mine to 1 + 3/8" which is right around 35mm. I'm thinking that means I want a 34mm so its a snug fit?

As for the rear, I have the hotchkis upgraded rear swarbar that is 1 + 1/8" or about 28.5 mm which appears to be much better than any rear bushing I can find. Not sure what to do here.

Although when I google up my swaybar, the official specs say its 27mm. Is there a way to determine the "official" size of my stock front swaybar? Should I get a 23mm rear bushing and just force it down? I imagine thats not going to work too well. I don't think hotchkiss bushings exist anymore though so this might be quite a pickle.

I just sent hotchkis an email through their website, hopefully they have a box of these left over somewhere. In case you were thinking of asking, I do NOT still have my original swaybar. It is LONG gone.

 

[Mooseman]

On the V8 equipped trucks, they have the bigger front bar so I would assume at least the 36mm. The I6 got the smallest unless it was the EXT. I would rather assume that yours is the 36mm. The even bigger ones are probably for the EXT and the SS.

I don't know how you measured it but I'd use a caliper to measure it precisely in mm.

 

[l008com]

Oh I wish I knew the EXT has a thicker front swaybar back when I did my original upgrade, I definitely would have gotten one of those when I upgraded my rear.

But yeah I did use a caliper, and got exactly 35mm lol. I'm inclined to go with the 34mm bushing so that it will be even tighter. But if I can't bolt the clamp on over it, I will regret that choice, if I go that way.

Any thoughts on what to do about the rear? No word back from hotckis yet.

 

[Mooseman]

The rear bars are actually all the same, even on the SS. Only the fronts were different sizes. And because they are captured in the frame, you can't swap them. Thought of that too when I scrapped the 9-7x with the 5.3.

 

[Zaab]

I have a somewhat related question on bushing but not for sway bar, since OP is discussing about bushing, I think it might help appending my question in here as well.

For the Saab gmt360, lots of bushings are stiffer than what we can find on other vehicles. From my research, at least the rear upper/lower trailing arms bushings and steering gear mount bushings are different. Now if I would like to replace them, how can I find these special ones? Everything listed on RA, even ACDelco ones are compatible cross the platform, so I assume they must be the regular one.

Should we just go straight to polyurethane bushings for handling upgrades?

 

[l008com]

So I finally heard back from hotchkis and they have their bushings in stock, just not on their website. So I'll have to call to order.

 

[l008com]

All bushings on the way. The front ones are blue moog, and the back ones I assume are black like the set that came with the swaybar.

Does that mean anything? Like do the blues not need grease, are they stiffer, something like that? Or is color just color?

Also I'm going to take detailed measurements of the new rear before I install and see if I can find a perfect match as a stuck bushing for another vehicle. $14.50 EACH plus shipping. Those are some pricey bushings!

 

[Mooseman]

Does that mean anything? Like do the blues not need grease, are they stiffer, something like that? Or is color just color?

AFAIK, no. It's just blue to be different than stock.