Is the long bolt, maybe 8" long, just a regular bolt, or do I need to buy a special "sway bar bolt"? This is the long one that holds the four bushings and goes through the lower a-arm.. One of mine is bent and has a good portion of the material worn away where one of the bushings pretty much collapsed. Good timing finding those bushing for sale on here last week. Also, anyone have the torque settings for that nut, and the ones holding the bracket to the frame?
new bolts came with my bushing kit...i tightened them untill they ran out of thread..:Handshake ... ...
I got mine at Lowe's. It's a 3/8 x 6-inch grade-5 bolt with a nylock. As for torquing; you're supposed to tighten them until the bushing is the same diameter as the washer. No more or less than that...
OK, I bought my bushing 2nd hand and didn't get all the other stuff. I am reusing the washers and the spacer sleeve. My old bushings were worn down so much that there was flop and metal-to-metal contact wearing into the bolt. About half the diameter of the bolt in one area is gone and the threaded section is bent. So, it sounds like torque is "as tight as you can get it" The ones on there looked to be tightened until there was no thread left. What about the larger bushings at the front. Same thing? there is a square part that pushes the bar away from the frame and It will take a bit of torque to compress it. So, I should just go until the bracket and frame connect? I had to use grease to get the big bushing onto the bar, is it OK to leave some for freer movement, or should I get it all off? Thanks for the help, guys
If you want to PM me your addy, I have some new spare end link bolt/washers/poly bushing assemblies left over from past sway bar installs. I'd be happy to throw a couple in the mail for ya.
Oh, were you serious for once This is my first time, is it possible to get them that squished? The ones I am taking off are all kinds of shapes and sizes, so I have nothing to compare it to... Oh, and thanks Max, but I already have all I need except those two bolts, and I can have it all put back together tomorrow morning.
OHOHOH...same DIAMETER as the bushing...I was thinking you said same THICKNESS as the bushing (third time I did this today...:16suspect ). I thought you were making a funny by saying I had to squish it almost flat...
T.L. is right. Deal with it like you would a shock mount. Replace your damaged hardware its not that unique, hard to get or expensive. If it still seems not right, just crank it till it strips and then back it off a quarter turn.
So is that the correct procedure for shocks also...flatten the bushings to match the washer? I have always just run them up to firm and a little squish...just by hand...
