Polyurethane sway bar bushings- here's how and cheap

[zebswiss]

Polyurethane sway bar bushings- here's how and cheap

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2000 Boxster 83k. After searching (without luck) to find a simple, cheap, polyurethane sway bar bushing replacement to firm up my Boxster, I decided to be creative... I measured the bars and bought universal bushings off the shelf with the intent to modify if necessary to make them work... If you ask (Autozone) for bushings for a Porsche they will say "sorry, not available, go to your dealer". So ask them for the I.D. size you want (inner diameter) or for the part numbers below or just go to

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• Author
  zebswiss
• Category
  Boxster (986) - Mods
• Submitted
  08/02/2008 04:45 PM

 

Edited February 20, 2010 by zebswiss

[ondafly]

Good post - excuse my ignorance though - would this be the same part as the Front Anti roll bar bushing ?

[zebswiss]

Good post - excuse my ignorance though - would this be the same part as the Front Anti roll bar bushing ?

Well yes, but there are technically two types of anti roll bar bushings- "end link" and "frame mount". The ones I'm referring to are the frame mount.

The end links on a Porsche (and most European cars) are not the conventional 4-"doughnut" bushings end links (that Energy suspension sells) but are bolted to the link then bolted to the control arm... You can spend a lot trying to replace those with poly... and the don't really need any stiffening, they usually last a long time... you'll know if they are worn if they feel loose. I would expect 150k miles or track days every weekend to wear those out.

Have a great day.

Zebswiss

[ondafly]

Thanks Zeb - I'm guessing the part you are referring to is the "bush part" in this pic ? This particular part on my boxster has started squeeking recently, a quick spray of lubricat and the noise goes away - must pick up a replacement !

[zebswiss]

Thanks Zeb - I'm guessing the part you are referring to is the "bush part" in this pic ? This particular part on my boxster has started squeeking recently, a quick spray of lubricat and the noise goes away - must pick up a replacement !

You got it my friend. Just remember, use the new bush and new bracket for the front, and the for the rear use the poly bush with the stock Porsche bracket. Grease 'em good! (I used Lucas green axle grease). Please let me know how you like the handling when you're done!

Zeb

P.S. nice diagram

[ondafly]

excellent - Cheers Zeb - just need to find a european supplier now :)

[ondafly]

sorry Zeb - I had huge trouble finding a supplier that wouldn't cost and arm and leg to ship to me. So I ended up going with the stock parts (see pic attached).

I guess loads of copper grease will suffice for the bushings - and will I need to remove the wheels ?

[zebswiss]

Sorry you couldn't get the poly's to you cheaper, Your new Porsche bushings should make a nice difference anyway...

To answer your questions:

Grease- It looked to me like Porsche used a canvas type insert inside the bushing to reduce friction, so I'm not sure grease is necessary.

Tire removal- no, I did not remove my tires or the "end-links", just the actual bushing mounts.

Good luck, Zeb

[ondafly]

Thanks again Zeb - the inner of the bushings actually do have a canvas ribbing all around the inside of them. I'll be giving it a go on Friday !

[ondafly]

Sorry to keep annoying you Zeb !

I got to point 4 on the front sway bars - i.e. bent down the metal bracket etc. But for the life of me I couldn't remove the old bushing and u-bracket, it just wouldn't budge. Any tips on removing it ?

[ericinboca]

Sorry to keep annoying you Zeb !

I got to point 4 on the front sway bars - i.e. bent down the metal bracket etc. But for the life of me I couldn't remove the old bushing and u-bracket, it just wouldn't budge. Any tips on removing it ?

I just replaced my front and rear sway bars and bushings with bigger H&Rs. On my front (an '04 986S), there where two metal braces that made a "V" shape with the pointy end of the V toward the front and covering the bar in the middle. I had to remove those two bolts AND loosen the two on the other end of the braces some to get everything to wiggle out. I'm sure you have already disconnected the sway bar ends from the drop links.

Further, to get to the bolts in the back of these braces, I had to remove some of clips on the front plastic cover to be able to bend it down some and get my wrench in.

With the drop links disconnected, the braces well clear, and the bolts out of the U shaped bushing holders on boths sides, it should come out - maybe with a little aggression, but it shouldn't be too hard.

BTW, I did not grease my bushings - teflon fabric or some such thing on the inside.

[zebswiss]

Ondafly,

Sorry I haven't been on forum for a day or two... Once I removed the bolts (on both front sides) step 4... my whole sway bar swung down with bushings and brackets attached. I then just worked the brackets and bushes off.

I have a 2000 Boxster 2.7... maybe your car is a little different, or do you have rust in Ireland?

Hopefully you got them on already, if not, I'll help if I can. Zeb

[ondafly]

cheers Zeb - I didn't get it sorted, as I was heading out for a few scoops that night. I'll give it a go next week - my mistake was only undoing the bolts on 1 side ! No rust at all thankfully - car is kept underground and covered over too =) we don't salt our roads either like in the UK so the cars don't rust like they do in that environment.

I'll post up when i get it sorted eventually ! thanks again !

[silver arrow]

Thanks for the tip :renntech:

[chaudanova]

Anyone that has done this mod already, have any pictures of the setup, and perhaps, any of the step-by-step or in-process pictures? I'm interested in doing this also, but I like to run through it all and visualize before getting to work.

Thanks in advance!

[Brad Roberts]

Just quick note on this:

Use BOAT trailer wheel bearing grease. It will not wash off (ever) you will not need much :)

B

[seafeye]

Just quick note on this:

Use BOAT trailer wheel bearing grease. It will not wash off (ever) you will not need much :)

B

Found this link....

http://www.energysuspension.com/pages/swaybbct.html

The part# listed above seems to be for the greaseable type.

Would you recommend one or the other?

[seafeye]

Just quick note on this:

Use BOAT trailer wheel bearing grease. It will not wash off (ever) you will not need much :)

B

Found this link....

http://www.energysuspension.com/pages/swaybbct.html

The part# listed above seems to be for the greaseable type.

Would you recommend one or the other?

Just bought the bushings... the part number 95156R isn't correct. If you look at the energy suspension web page 95156R is for the 3/4" and there isn't any way it would work with this smaller size.

I believe the correct part number for the front is 95161R. 1" size.

[por911]

One aspect I've found with ordering up urethane bushings, is mic every aspect(ID,OD, etc.). Lube with a mix of Wurth antiseize and marine grease. This way you'll never here a squeak or noise out of them. Pic shows a bushing I adapted to the rear of a Audi quattro(had to modify sway bar). Some of the bushings are not exact, and might need reeming. Sway bars sizes vary on the 986 due to suspension set-up, so mic(read: Starrett caliper)first.

Regards

[seafeye]

So i went back to Autozone to get the 1" bushings, they were a bit big. The 3/4" were way too small. So i kinda cut some of the plastic out to make it fit snug. Armed with plenty of grease i put the bushing in.

The sway bar measured 23.45mm. So if i was to do this again i would use the 23mm bushing. Part #95127R for the front. Or #95128R if that is all they had in stock.

I can't tell you if the bushings made any difference at all. I drove it around and if anything i have more roll. Doesn't seem any tighter than before. So long.....$40

Oh and to change the bushings i did the following....

I took out the sway bar completely so i could give it a good cleaning so that is why i removed more items than listed above.

1) Removed the four 10mm plastic nuts on front tray and the 6 or so metal clips, tray will now fall on your head.

2) Removed four 15mm bolts holding the bushing on, (2 on each side), two 18mm bolts holding a control arm (1 on each side), two 16mm bolts holding a cover plate, (You guess it, 1 on each side). Four 15mm bolts holding a cross brace in the center of the car.

3) Removed 15mm bolt holding the sway bar drop link. You willl need a 17mm wrench as well to hold it.

4) Now the sway bar can be removed from car. Grease and replace in reverse order.

5) Drive in the snow....

The rear is just like above.

Edited February 4, 2009 by seafeye

[geoff]

Maybe obvious to most, but what is the advantage of replacing the rubber bushing with polyurethane ones? Does it reduce the inherent give in the rubber ones? Polyurethane doesn't disintegrate over time like rubber? Or something else?

[por911]

seafeye,

bushings

You might check out the bushings in the link. There is a pretty good break down of energy suspension bushings and ones that have a larger base which might provide better support(ie like the #9.5159). Granted, reeming those out to spec, takes some time and a careful eye. I found in some cases, the stops which are tack welded onto the sway bars needed to be removed to fit some of the bushings(depended on application).

Regards

[mikesz]

I am planning on doing this soon. but i dont understand what the aluminium flat stock is for when installing the rear bushings.