Replacing Sway Bar Bushings - Page 2

scatter · 10-13-2014, 05:33 PM

I'm talking about the red sway bar bushings.

BajaSportsmobile · 10-13-2014, 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scatter

I'm talking about the red sway bar bushings.

Ford, NAPA, most parts stores.

JoeH · 10-13-2014, 06:59 PM

Fortuitous thread. While checking the bushings on my sway bars and the different Panhard bar that Deaver installs I noticed the shock mount that Deaver fabricates for the Bilstein shock had sheared off.

Time to place a call to Jeff at Deaver Spring.

The sheared lower mount.

The passenger side for comparison.

Sorry for they thread hijack but it made me look at my suspension parts. Mucho gracias.

**daveb** · 10-13-2014, 07:38 PM

Mine did the same thing while wheeling along the PCT on the driver side shock/spring plate. Limped out and had a new plate fabed up in Tahoe. They suggested I do the same to the other side and sure enough last week SMB noticed that one is cracked as well. Did Deaver's build that??? I thought when Deaver's did the springs they told me it was cracked and re-welded it suggesting SMB replace it with a one that was reinforced with gussets. SMB is fixing the other side this week. Post back what Deaver tells you.

JoeH · 10-13-2014, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daveb

Mine did the same thing while wheeling along the PCT on the driver side shock/spring plate. Limped out and had a new plate fabed up in Tahoe. They suggested I do the same to the other side and sure enough last week SMB noticed that one is cracked as well. Did Deaver's build that??? I thought when Deaver's did the springs they told me it was cracked and re-welded it suggesting SMB replace it with a one that was reinforced with gussets. SMB is fixing the other side this week. Post back what Deaver tells you.

Good to know. As I recall Jeff took the SMB plate for the OME shocks and cut and modified it to fit the Bilsteins. But just looking at it where all the up and down stress is at the weld on the lower mount seems like a weak link (so to speak).

I'm not sure how long I've been driving it like that but I think the shaft on the shock would be bent by now if it's been over an extended period. It's not like I've been doing any major 4wheeling. Deaver did the spring pack last December.

**daveb** · 10-13-2014, 09:15 PM

The guy in Tahoe used a piece of channel and I hope SMB does as good of a job. It's just very hard to torque.

REF · 10-14-2014, 07:20 AM

Try these guys for a mount.
http://www.aa-mfg.com

JoeH · 10-15-2014, 09:18 PM

Well, there doesn't seem to be any more beta on sway bar bushings so I'll finish hijacking the thread.

The U-bolt plate broke at the bend (where it bends from holding/clamping the spring pack) downward to the shock mount. The shock mount itself is what was modified by Deaver. I don't think the modification of the mount by Jeff at Deaver to fit the Bilsteins had anything to do with it. It appears that the plate broke right at the edge of the two holes drilled for the U-bolts. Maybe the simple act of drilling the holes created a stress riser?

Anyhow, I'm sourcing new plates from SMB which apparently now have been improved with a gusset for additional strength. I will send these to Deaver to be modified. Or, I could work locally and have a new plate fabricated but the former choice seems the best alternative since I'm not in a hurry. Thanks for the fabricator reference REF!

Something to look out for

BajaSportsmobile · 10-15-2014, 11:40 PM

Looking at the rust on the shock shaft, it doesn't look like the suspension is bottoming out on the shock so I am guessing that it is topping out on the shock well before the springs are, it is carrying all the load and then some, so the mount ripped off. I'd be looking a shock lengths and even damping.

JoeH · 10-16-2014, 08:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BajaSportsmobile

Looking at the rust on the shock shaft, it doesn't look like the suspension is bottoming out on the shock so I am guessing that it is topping out on the shock well before the springs are, it is carrying all the load and then some, so the mount ripped off. I'd be looking a shock lengths and even damping.

Hmm, interesting speculation.

It's not really rust on the shaft and I was able to clean it off with solvent. But I will "delicately" bring up your hypothesis with Deaver. That indeed would be a serious over-sight on the spring/shock package they sell.

But for the load, the plate itself seems poorly designed to me.