# Front Sway bar bushings?



## SentraBoy (Jun 19, 2002)

Hey Guys,

I have to replace the front sway bar bushings. Any suggestions?

Should I buy OEM or aftermarket? My Car is lowered using Suspension Techniques 1.5" springs & KYB GR2's.


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## sentrapower93 (May 11, 2002)

Get the energy suspension sway bar bushing kit, their made of polyurethane which performs way better than the stock rubber bushings. I have these on my car and i felt an improvement over stock. Try www.suspension.com that's where i got mine from, btw the kit comes with 4 endlinks and the 2 U-shaped center bushings...


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## 92 Sinatra (Jul 9, 2002)

*Requesting more info on polyurethane vs. rubber bushings*



sentrapower93 said:


> Get the energy suspension sway bar bushing kit, their made of polyurethane which performs way better than the stock rubber bushings. I have these on my car and i felt an improvement over stock. Try www.suspension.com that's where i got mine from, btw the kit comes with 4 endlinks and the 2 U-shaped center bushings...


Is this really worth the extra expense? The polyurethane looks to cost slightly more than twice as much as rubber.

When you say that polyurethane "performs" better than rubber, can you give me a more specific idea of what you mean, please? I gather you mean it feels better--but exactly how?

I'm at the point where I need to replace one of mine, so I figure I'll do 'em all.


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## sentrapower93 (May 11, 2002)

The poly bushings perform and feel better imo, because they don't flex as much as the stock rubber ones do. They also last much longer...


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## SentraBoy (Jun 19, 2002)

I'm putting my Energy Suspension kit on next week, 

I let you know how it feels.


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## 92 Sinatra (Jul 9, 2002)

*65 bucks vs. 157 = probably an easy decision this time*

I can get a full set of Perfect Circle rubber bushings for my front sway bar at Auto Zone for 65 dollars. Or I could get them to special-order the Energy set for $157 (which includes tax--very close to the price I'd pay with shipping tacked on if I had to get them by mail-order). The fancy polyurethane jobs are almost 2.5 times as expensive.

So I'm probably going to stick with the Perfect Circles.

Then again: Payday is Thursday, and if I'm gonna be messing around under there getting dirty this weekend anyhow. . .maybe go the deluxe route? Because it is possible (at this rate) that I'll never buy another new car--so I want my Sentra to last at least another 75,000 miles.

I could benefit from some more feedback on the difference in feel between rubber & polyurethane. From what you guys have said, I gather the steering feels tighter with polyurethane. How much harsher is the ride (if at all)? Is the difference worth the extra 82 bucks?


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## 92 Sinatra (Jul 9, 2002)

*Then again: You do get what you pay for*

 

Well, with the Energy bushings, you get a complete set (both front & rear). So there's a definite value in that, all right.

Let's see here:

1. Beginning of the month = money in the bank (better spend it quick, huh? and an automotive upgrade is almost as vital as a medical expense);

2. I intend to keep the car a long time yet;

3. Energy set includes both ends of the car.

Yup. Gotta go with the polyurethane.

Big decision now is black vs. red. Since I'm really not into flash (personally, I think guys with all kinds of banners all over their cars with high-dollar brand names like Alpine & Hotshot & all that are practically begging for some idiot to bust into the vehicle, or maybe key the paint when they're coming out of a movie or a concert all drunk), we'll probably go with black.

Except of course with the stud-looking red ones, at least I'll leave some visible evidence that I was down there working away at it & I can smile about that. And red bushings are a fairly subtle touch. You'd have to know what to look for to recognize them. They don't exactly scream "Hey--this is a car you'd better look at & consider stealing!"

Decisions, decisions. . . .


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## 95 SentraB13 (Jun 14, 2002)

*More affordable than you thought*

Ongoing GB price:

http://www.sr20forum.com/showthread.php?t=65575


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## toolapcfan (Jul 10, 2002)

I don't know where you guys are getting your pricing info. The ES bushing master kit the B13 is only $124 for the B13. It has all bushings for the car, front and rear control arms, swaybar bushings and endlinks, shifter stabilizer bushing and mount inserts for two of the motor mounts. The swaybar bushings alone are $30 for the front and $60 for the rear. I have both front and rear ES swaybar bushings and endlinks that I'll sell for $50 total, shipping included. I didn't use them from my master kit because I have Progress swaybars which don't use endlink bushings and come with poly bushings for the mounts.


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## 92 Sinatra (Jul 9, 2002)

*After more research, a slight change of plans*

Here is a terrific website that leads you through a complete front & rear bushing replacement:

http://www.se-r.net/suspension/energy_susp.html

My hat is off to the person(s) responsible for putting that site together. :cheers: Superb DIY instructions.

What I have decided: No way do I want to get involved with swapping out all my rear bushings unless I have to. Maybe in the future--but not now.

For 18 bucks plus tax at the Zone I can get the parts I actually need: Energy Suspension's polyurethane bushings for the front sway bar. Period.

:thumbup: 

That $145 + tax set was an ES master set: all the bushings needed for the front & rear suspension members (the control arms, etc) and the sway bars, too.

This will be easier, quicker, Chimay time comes sooner & I save myself a wad of cash, too.


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## 92 Sinatra (Jul 9, 2002)

*Polyurethane bushings from Energy = Mas finos!*



Man, I put the car up on ramps over the weekend, and the hour or so I spent replacing my sway bar bushings with Energy Suspension's 7.115R kit (the one for a 28mm front bar--and yep I got the red ones, what the hey) was definitely worth it!

Oh, yes.

Way back (see thread titled "Mystery noise: 'Knuckle-pop'") when I first realized I had a problem down in front & eventually identified it as worn-out ball joints (which I replaced), I'd also been hearing some unauthorized activity from right down near the base of the steering column. Almost a quiuck little drumbeat, say, when I went over railroad tracks or whatever. I didn't like it.

Now it's gone! And the handling may be a tad stiffer, but I am NOT complaining.

I've never driven my car hard (and I don't want to, because I want to keep it), but on my way to work there's a section of concrete pavement about a quarter-mile long that's in fairly sad shape because it's right out in front of a fire house where they keep three big engines ready to roll 24/7. Wish they'd re-pave that damn stretch but maybe there's an egress issue with the fire trucks.

This morning coming over that section of road there was NO chatter from down underneath. This pleases me.

As time passes, as part of my overall preventive maintenance I may try knocking out all my old rubber bushings & replacing them with poly-u one step at a time. From what I've read, doing the back ones will be no easy job (in fact, quite a hassle). But I like the initial effect here. A lot.

----------> One question maybe somebody can help me with: This kit includes two inboard bushings that wrap all the way around the straight middle section of the sway bar with some simple u-brackets that snug the wraparound bushings up against the bottom of the uniframe--as well as four washer- or grommet-type bushings (two on each side) that go on the upper & lower ends of what my Haynes manual calls the "stabilizer connecting rods," securing those little pups & the outer ends of the sway bar to the lower control arms.

How critical is the torque on the bottom nut that tightens up the stabilizer connecting rod & its stacked bushings? I made this adjustment without a torque wrench but with the front wheels supporting the weight of the vehicle (so as to pre-load 'em), and I got those nuts tight enough that I could see some visible bulging of the new lower bushings. Might that be too tight?

As I 've mentioned, she drives great & feels great--but I wonder if I should get back under there in a week or two & re-seat the nuts, maybe backing off just a hair on the torque.


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## SentraBoy (Jun 19, 2002)

Got the ES bushings in yesterday...The ride is alot firmer, I like it. 
Also got rid of some noises underneath.


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## 92 Sinatra (Jul 9, 2002)

*The whole kit?*



SentraBoy said:


> Got the ES bushings in yesterday...The ride is alot firmer, I like it.
> Also got rid of some noises underneath.


Did you do the whole shebang?

If so:

1. Did you burn out the pressed bushings front & rear? The ones in back look like a HASSLE.

2. How long did the whole thing take you?

3. Do you have a pro lift for the entire car or just a floor jack?


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## SentraBoy (Jun 19, 2002)

92 Sinatra said:


> Did you do the whole shebang?
> 
> If so:
> 
> ...


I did the front end parts, Sway Bar bushings, end links etc...It took like 15mins and I used a hoist.


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## 91 SR20 (May 17, 2003)

so the kit form suspension.com comes with all the new bushings for the front sway bar. i dont wanna buy it it it dosent.


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## sentrapower93 (May 11, 2002)

91 SR20 said:


> so the kit form suspension.com comes with all the new bushings for the front sway bar. i dont wanna buy it it it dosent.


Yup you get the 4 endlinks plus the 2 center u-shaped poly bushings. Might as well get the rear sway bar kit too while your at it, this is a nice upgrade imo. You'll feel a difference i sure did...


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## 91 SR20 (May 17, 2003)

so its not hard to change them? do i have to drop the whole front swaybar to put the two big u-shaped bushings or can i just slide them on?


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## sentrapower93 (May 11, 2002)

No you don't have to remove the bar, just remove the center brackets and slide the new bushings over the sway bar then mount the brackets back on. As for the endlinks remove the lower nut slide the old top/bottom ones out and install the new ones. Took me about 45 min. taking my time...


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## 91 SR20 (May 17, 2003)

cool thanks man


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