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DIY - Replacing Sway Bar Bushings

62K views 20 replies 15 participants last post by  Ghondaodyssey 
#1 ·
DIY - Replace Sway Bar Bushings



1. Jack up the car

2. Remove front wheel(s)

3. Locate Sway bar and the 2 (12mm) bolts holding the bushings together.
Using a wrench and a socket, remove the top nut. The bushing assembly should "pop" loose. Pry off all the rubber bushings.

4. Get new bushings. See how much nicer they look compared to the old.




5. Reinstall in reverse order. Once you have the lower and middle 2 bushings in place, slide the long bolt from the bottom up.

6. Place a second jack, (I used my OEM scissor jack) under the lower control arm and jack it up until the sway bar bushing bolt pokes through the top bushing so you can twist on the top nut. Tighten everything up on the bushing, and let the lower control arm back down.



7. Put the wheel back on, and go to the next side.
 
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#4 ·
cpoups said:
Looks like you really cranked down the nut on the top. I would be scared of splitting a bushing.
I have always cranked mine down til the nut stops.
 
#6 ·
hey excellent post. looks like it 'shouldn't' be so difficult to remove my old dried out and shredded sway end link bushings.

I've also got the energy ones waiting to be installed but in red. How did it feel for you guys that replaced them with the polyurethane ones? Big difference?

I don't know if it's going to be necessary but i also have the strut center bushings as well, do they really make that much of a difference overall?

Is there a need to dab a bit of grease on the bushings while doing the install?
 
#7 ·
I didn't use any grease.

Suspension feels much better. I took a short drive immediately after installing and there is a much more firm feel going over bumps and in turns than with the old worn-out bushings.

I can't wait to do all of my control arms/ball joints next. That will complete my suspension maintenance (at least until I install air ride)...
 
#9 ·
yakuza said:
I didn't use any grease.

Suspension feels much better. I took a short drive immediately after installing and there is a much more firm feel going over bumps and in turns than with the old worn-out bushings.

I can't wait to do all of my control arms/ball joints next. That will complete my suspension maintenance (at least until I install air ride)...
When you do actual suspension bushings, grease those bushings, or else you will get bind and/or noises.
 
#10 ·
thanks for the DIY instructions Yakuza. I had a friend put them in. The old ones were shredded beyond cookie crumb stage, hence, the constant rattling noise.
The feel is much better obviously but not as tight as I had imagined. At least these polyurethane ones will do their supposedly job without issues.
 
#15 ·
I'm about to replace my sway bar bushings too along with all the other bushings in the Energy Hyperflex master kit,has anyone else done all these bushings?Any tips to get the job done without complications.Oh yeah,I'm also putting in Moog front lower ball joints and upper and rear SPC adjustable ball joints to get rid of my camber issue,alignment and new tires right after all this.Any tips or comments welcome,thanks!
 
#16 ·
I love your post and am going out right now to purchase a replacement set.

I'm getting a really bad high speed vibration. I had my tires rotated and balanced. Still happening. I replaced the brake pads and had the rotors turned. Still happening. The half axles were replaced 2 years ago. (maybe this is the issue?) I looked under there today and the sway bar bushings are completely crushed and partially missing.
I'm really hoping this is what is causing all the problems.
 
#17 ·
Just did mine tonight noise is gone and feels a little tighter.I used energy suspension bushings:accord/odyssey end bushings30mm u bushings for inside sway for stock odysseyReused the 4 12mm bolts for the u bushings, end pieces came with new hardware.Make sure on the ends the sway bar is above the lower mounting bracket and youuse the cylinder spacer in between each bushing set to prevent crushing of bushingwhen tightening. I used a 14mm socket and 9/16 wrench on top to tighten them.I did this without jacking it up and on stock suspension.Just adding to yakuzas DIY from my personal experience.
 
#19 ·
These are sway bar bushings. Up front above the tire there is a u shaped metal piece that has a ball joint and that is an upper control arm (may have bushing in back and ball joint closest to you) and in the rear I am not yet familiar with the ody suspension but on civics there are lower control arms (google civic lca) and there are bushings inside those. I assume the ody is somewhat similar but not 100% sure yet.
 
#20 ·
Just changed my sway bar bushings. Coupled with a new set of Goodyear Eagle GT tires in stock size 205/65-15 on stock EX wheels, the handling is much better. The bushings coupled with the stiffer sidewalls of the Eagle GTs (compared to the old Big-O brand all season tires) makes the Ody's handling a little bit more confidence inspiring. The trade off is a slightly more firm ride.
 
#21 ·
CUSTOM REAR SWAY BAR 1999-2004 Honda Odyssey - HELLO EVERYONE.. If someone lives in the Oregon Area. Johnny Spiva is willing to make a Rear Sway bar for you and possibly offer it as an New Product. All he needs is your car to take measurements and to make the bar and hardware! He is a racer and makes his own swaybars and bushings. I put one on my old van and worked great!

Here's his contact # Johnny Spiva
63104 Daniels Creek Road
Coos Bay, Oregon 97420
------------------------------
Welcome to Poly Bushings.com
Phone: (541) 266-0890
Cell phone is (503) 869-6156
or e-mail at glhs289@hotmail.com
 
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