Swaybar Bushing Install Gone Wrong.

HighMileage

Albany,NY
Joined
Jul 24, 2010
I knew something simple like this was gonna go horribly wrong.

The original bushings were making that rubber on metal squeaking sound so I decided to replace them.

Now I have stripped threads in the frame. Hardened bolts threaded into a few threads in a soft steel frame. Yeah.

Plus the cap won't sit flat on the frame even if I have the front corner of the car supported by a jack under the cap.

Please tell me these are the right bushings.

Ohhhhh... Here we go again with the bs.

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That's a bummer, but don't be too distraught! You can drill and tap it one size larger. You'll likely have to drill the sway bar mount hole just a little larger too.
 
I did the same thing it's common. Either have a cage nut welded in or weld the bracket to the frame. Its not like you have to change these bushings all the time. I did not even bother with trying to retap it because it's only a couple of threads anyways.
 
Here's my solution. Just took it to a welding shop and had them weld a couple of steel plates over the original holes. Then I drilled and tapped them.


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There are rivet-like nuts out there. I have a stripped one on my frame as well, but I tapped to a larger size. But, as a more permanent fix, I want to get these and repair all four holes. Should never have an issue again. You can get the correct thread size and use stock bolts I believe, if anyoe knows the ocrrect size.

Here is what I mean: https://www.fastenal.com/products/f...roducts"|~ ~|categoryl3:"602457 Rivet Nuts"|~

Rivnuts are fine for many things, but I'm not so sure they will hold up to such stresses for a long time.
 

That's what I figured. I was thinking a smoother ride and weight savings as well. Roads up here in NY are nothing but potholes.

Yours looks like such a neat,perfect fit. I can't even get the cap to sit on the frame. Something isn't right.

I was thinking of welding a stud into the stripped bolt hole.
 
Here's my solution. Just took it to a welding shop and had them weld a couple of steel plates over the original holes. Then I drilled and tapped them.


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Best solution, would also work for the larger diameter swaybar and clamp as pictured.
 
Well,something is wrong with the situation I have. I've got a scissors jack under the drivers side cap. The wheel is off the floor.

The whole corner of the car is supported by the cap and I still have 5/16 gap between the cap and frame at each bolt hole.
 
Rivnuts are fine for many things, but I'm not so sure they will hold up to such stresses for a long time.

I think they would work well. Your fix is obviously optimum, if not overkill. But the rivnuts should be more than plenty. That area does not see THAT much stress. We would see those holes stripped out before we ever took them off, no?
 
Well,something is wrong with the situation I have. I've got a scissors jack under the drivers side cap. The wheel is off the floor.

The whole corner of the car is supported by the cap and I still have 5/16 gap between the cap and frame at each bolt hole.
That means nothing. Your applying the force in the wrong place to simulate the two bolts securing the bracket. If you put the two bolts in, it will bolt up flush.
 
Had the same thing happen to me. Stripped hole in frame. I just drilled it out and welded a grade8 nut into the frame because that was my option at the time. I would suppose a good nutcert or rivet type nut would also work.


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I just can't imagine the bolts clamping down this cap to the point where it squeezes the bushing to where the caps tabs sit flush on the frame. After all,we are on day 3 here and the entire weight of the front corner of the car is resting on the cap with a jack under the cap.
You'd figure the weight on it would squeeze that cap to the frame.
Nope...

I wonder what type of robotic device installed these things on the assembly line.

For now it sits until I decide what the next step is. It looks like the threaded steel plates idea is what I will go with.

You know... It figures.. I can do a complete body-off-frame/poly body bushing change on this car in the dead of winter on a garage floor and everything turns out perfectly.

But changing a simple swaybar bushing turns into a sour,stripped bolt hole,physics project.
 
Looking at the picture again, I'm wondering if you maybe don't have the correct bushing? The sway bar is definitely stock right?


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Idk. Maybe just the way the picture is. Is the back part of the cap bolted down? If so maybe if you haven't already, try loosening it, get both bolts started and tighten down a little on each side till you get it tight. Or try getting the energy suspension ones with the grease fittings in them. Just make sure you get the correct size. I believe the stock sway bar is 33mm or 34mm from memory.


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Looking at the picture again, I'm wondering if you maybe don't have the correct bushing? The sway bar is definitely stock right?

Everything is stock. I got the bushings from nos4gn. I took them to a knowledgeable parts guy (tough to find one of those) who I have been dealing with in my local parts store. He looked them up and brought out bushings that his computer sez are correct. They match the nos4gn ones.

The bushings fit well around the bar. It's just that they seem like they are too fat.
 
Idk. Maybe just the way the picture is. Is the back part of the cap bolted down? If so maybe if you haven't already, try loosening it, get both bolts started and tighten down a little on each side till you get it tight. Or try getting the energy suspension ones with the grease fittings in them. Just make sure you get the correct size. I believe the stock sway bar is 33mm or 34mm from memory.


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The back part of the cap has the bolt started but not tight. That one didn't strip. ...yet. The gap in the back is the same as the front. I wanted to tighten it down evenly.

Thanks for the help and replies!
 
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