Poly swaybar bushings - anyone tried some "universal" ones?

**AAIIIC** · 02-08-10 02:45 AM

Today I was under the car to install some Hotchkis adjustable swaybar endlinks. I ended up failing in that endeavor, as my 1/2" drill bit wasn't up to the task of doing so much drilling.

So, I ended up leaving the passenger side front endlink off and lo and behold, the clunking I've been getting from the front suspension disappeared!

From what I could see on the driver side, the swaybar mounting bushing is pretty tired, so I think that's where the noise is probably coming from.

I know someone had posted a thread encouraging people to get Energy Suspension to manufacture various bushings for us, but it looked to me like the swaybar bushings up front are pretty much the universale style. (The brackets are a little weird, but the bushings themselves didn't look like a special design.) Searching around here it appears the front swaybar is 26.5mm. Energy's universal bushings skip from 25mm to 27mm, but Prothane makes 26mm (in black or pimpy red).

So, before I buy a set, has anyone tried a set of universal poly bushings for the swaybars? I'd hate to waste the money if someone else has already done the homework and figured out they don't fit the stock brackets properly.

**deedubb** · 02-08-10 03:02 AM

Subscribed. I just found set of 8 of these universal sway bar/endlink urethane bushings in my garage that I've never used

I'd like to use them if I can.

**AAIIIC** · 02-08-10 10:39 AM

If I can find a vendor with them in stock I think I'll be ordering some today. For $20-25 shipped it can't hurt to experiment. Summit and Jegs both have them on back order, so I need to find some place else.

The ones I'm looking at are Prothane 19-1182.

**CadiBlk** · 02-08-10 01:48 PM

I am lowered via eibach, z06 endlinks and stock sways. I don't have any clunk in my suspension. My sway bushings looked alright when I put the endlinks in. It might be a possibility that putting poly bushings in might increase a clunk if it isn't coming from the sway bushing itself. Just a thought.

As for a squeaky suspension which some guys have, a poly bushing might help there. I think (don't quote me) that the hotchkis sways have a bushing that can be lubed, need to find some pics that I believe that lollygagger posted. I can see the rubber bushing when torqued down on the sway might give some squeaks.

**AAIIIC** · 02-08-10 02:41 PM

Rubber bushings are used by the OEMs because they don't squeak. The poly bushings are much more likely to squeak - you have to keep them lubed to prevent that from getting annoying.

And I'm hoping that the Hotchkis endlinks will help reduce/eliminate the clunking I've been hearing. I imagine the stock endlinks are at or beyond their normal range of motion with my lowered ride height, so that's probably a big part of the clunking.

**CadiBlk** · 02-08-10 02:58 PM

Good heads up on the poly squeaking, didn't think of that. There is a lot of items moving in the suspension as it travels on bumps, so narrowing down a clunk can be tiring experience. I hope the endlinks work out for you.

Deedub, you getting any clunk or squeak in your suspension? Or do you just want to utilize some parts that you bought but haven't had a reason?

**deedubb** · 02-08-10 03:25 PM

No clunk or squeak here, just curious if I could use them or not.

**CadiBlk** · 02-08-10 04:06 PM

For some reason I feel that you have too much time on your hands and your car is feeling that outlet...

Wish I had that, oh and the cash to support it would help.

**AAIIIC** · 02-08-10 06:23 PM

Bushings are on order, I should have them by the middle of next week. Hopefully they'll fit (or I'll be able to make them fit).

**AAIIIC** · 02-10-10 03:37 PM

The Hotchkis endlinks are installed up front and have taken away probably 75% of the noise. I think the stock endlinks were probably at the limits of their range of motion with the car lowered ~1", so that probably degraded them and made them noisy.

**rjoffe** · 02-10-10 04:04 PM

What part number did you get ?

**lollygagger8** · 02-10-10 04:28 PM

Use grease in between the bar and the bushing when you install em. Also around the tops of the bushings where they meet the brackets as well. <-that's the part that will be interesting to see if these bushings fit the OEM brackets or not.

I suppose you could drill a hole in the tops of the new bushings and OEM brackets and tack weld a zerk on.....then you'd have the ability to grease them at will. (if they end up fitting)

**AAIIIC** · 02-10-10 09:34 PM

I ordered 19-1182 (26mm) for the front, and 19-1164 (21mm) for the rear. I haven't even looked at the stock rear bushings to see what they look like, so that may have been a waste to order those. Honestly, I'm not too hopeful on the fronts, either, but I figured it couldn't hurt to place the order and see what I get.

**soflarick** · 02-10-10 10:20 PM

I'm interested in your results. I have a huge tube of Amsoil synthetic marine grease if you want some. I can put some in a plastic baggie and mail it if you need it. How much were the endlinks? I've seen adjustables from powergrid, but they aren't cheap.

**AAIIIC** · 02-11-10 01:29 AM

The Hotchkis C5 endlinks are a little cheaper than the Powergrid ones. They run about $270 for a set of 4 from Summit or Jegs (it's part #1797). I've only installed the fronts so far:

They're beefy - 1/2" studs. I'm assuming the Power Grid endlinks use stock diameter studs, as I haven't read anything about people having to drill out the controls and swaybars to install them.