Thread: Rear Sway Bar Bushes

It’s as simple as that - once you work out how to get to the bolts..

Yep its just 2 bolts for each bush, the access to the bolts is the hardest bit

Atlantic British has a video on it from memory.
Interesting note though, if you use ratchet ring spanners, don't back out the bolt too far or you wont get you spanner off the bolt head (you wont be able to reverse the spanner after the bolt gets too close to the body) - something like that.

Okies,
Job Done!
Not to difficult but.....a little time consuming.

For the masses:
My bolts were not corroded and I was able to break the tension with a short cheater bar.
Access is dicky but I was able to remove the rear bolts about 1/12 turn each swing of a ratchet spanner but the front ones are quicker at about 1/6 turn.

I found it difficult to release the tension of the bar to my liking and found a sweetish spot when the hub is jacked up toward the chassis until it just starts to impede the spanner swing.

I did one side at a time which is not ideal as the sway bar has to be just so in order for both mounting shackles to line up. Also new bushes don't have much slack. Once you've tightened one side it's to late to align the other. I had to beat the sway bar across about 3-5 mm to line up the holes on the second side. It's ok, I used a soft blow. As a result, there were no free threads of the last two bolts.

All in all, about 2.5 or 3 hrs work at an easy pace.

Wear gloves if you can, my office hands are too delicate and there are all manner of sharp bitey bits under there.
Results are pretty astonishing. Most of the clunking is gone, including seemingly random ones and the rear seems more responsive and firm.
Yippee. Easy job for a change.

Ralph

Good job Ralph...

What diameter sway bars did you have in the end?

Originally Posted by Tombie

Good job Ralph...

What diameter sway bars did you have in the end?

Didn't know they came in different sizes so never bothered finding out!
From memory and feel, maybe 20mm? I'm guessing they be standard fair.

Who knew I could get fatter ones!

Ralph

Front: 28/31/34mm
Rear: 22/23/34mm

Originally Posted by Tombie

Front: 28/31/34mm
Rear: 22/23/34mm

Lol. I may have dodged a bullet then!
I bought them from Island 4x4 in the UK, I just clicked away on the first genuine set they had.
Fitted perfectly.

Apart from measuring, how does one tell? Where they fitted by model or trim?
Mines TDV6, HSE 06 build.

Cheers
Ralph