How to Install Sway Bar Bushing

The sway bar on your vehicles connects the left side of your front suspension to the right side. Also known as an anti-roll bar, the sway bar applies torsion to the suspension and helps it maintain control under duress, especially when steering and the weight of the vehicle is converted to one side more than the other. Some vehicles have a front and a rear sway bar for extra stability. Sway bars are attached to the suspension components by the tires onto sway bar links. The sway bar itself is mounted to the body of the vehicle with two brackets and sway bar bushings. After time, the bushings may wear out and allow movement in the sway bar. Replacing the bushings will optimize the handling of your vehicle.

Things You'll Need

• Floor jack
• Jack stands (2)
• Wheel chock
• Creeper
• 1/2 inch drive ratchet
• 1/2 inch drive extension (10 inches long)
• 1/2 inch drive socket set
• 1/2 inch drive universal swivel
• Medium pry bar
• Safety glasses

Instructions

1. Park the vehicle on a flat paved surface and apply the parking brake. Release the hood latch. Place a wheel chock behind one of the rear tires and open the hood. The sway bar bushing(s) will be located on the sway bar under the vehicle around the lower firewall of the engine, so opening the hood will allow some light down into the vehicle.

2. Lift one front side of the vehicle with the floor jack and place the jack stand under the front frame rail, rocker panel or lower control arm. Repeat the procedure for the other side to lift the entire front axle of the vehicle.

3. Put on the safety glasses, grab the creeper and tools and crawl under the front of the vehicle.

4. Locate the sway bar from behind one of the front tires located where the sway bar links attach the bar to the suspension. Follow the sway bar to the metal bracket(s) mounted to the firewall or undercarriage of the vehicle.

5. Determine which side you're replacing. It would be recommended to replace both, but it would be easier to remove both sway bar bushing brackets even if you're only replacing one. Some of the bushing brackets are simple to remove. Some are two-bolt brackets that can be removed by taking out the bolts with a ratchet, extension and socket. Some have one bolt and a hinge. Remove the one bolt and swing the bracket out. Some of the brackets (particularly on the driver's side) may be somewhat challenging to get to and require the removal of other shields or components to get at. Eliminate the extension and use the swivel with a socket if necessary. Remove both the brackets so you can manipulate the sway bar up and down.

6. Pry the sway bar bushing off of the bar using a medium pry bar to open the slot in the bushing and convince the bushing off of the bar. The bushings are rubber coated with reinforced steel internal frames and can be hard to remove and replace from the thick sway bar. Place the new bushing(s) onto the sway bar, again convincing it with the pry bar.

7. Replace the bracket(s) and tighten with the ratchet, extension and socket. Crawl out from under the vehicle with all the tools. Lower the vehicle, remove the wheel chock and close the hood.

Tips & Warnings

• If you're replacing the rear sway bar bushing(s), the procedure is the same, except for the placement of the wheel chock and which axle of the vehicle to elevate. You could also skip opening the hood, since it won't allow you any light through the engine compartment at the back end of the vehicle.