Sway bar bushing replacement 'How to'

Sway bar bushing replacement

What exactly are the symptoms of bad sway bar bushings. Is it that they fail over time and that's why people don't notice it?

Sway bar bushing replacement

A clunking sound when going over potholes or driveway curbs. It sounds like a little elf under your car with a hammer banging on the underside

Re: Sway bar bushing replacement

Wingnut. Good description!

You can also look at them. Look behind the front wheel. Where the tie rod comes from the engine compartment there is a rubber boot. Right in front of that is a round bar (Sway bar) with a black rubber bushing around it. If you can see air around the bar, replace the bushing.

Sway bar bushing replacement

I had this a while back, but it went away. Any ideas why that would be? By the way.... thanks for hte EGR!!! I just got back from Montreal about 20 minutes ago.

Sweet, I love this site!

Replace the stock bolts with ones that are threaded all the way out. Why spend 45 minutes of frustration trying to compress the D*** thing when the new bolt makes it a 5 minute job.

BigAl said:

I purchased and installed the poly bushings. I thought it was an easy job for my 99.5 jetta. Two bushings for the sway bar and the other four in the set was for the right and left "dog bone" I cleaned all the metal parts up and greased "supplied with kit" them up good. No more clunks or creeks in the front. Now to find out where the back noise is coming from.

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Update: The new style red replacement ones wear out real fast. I'm going to replace them again in the spring with the original type. This time, the parts in the dog bone wore out and that is where the clunk is coming form.

I don't suppose you have any pics of this dog bone mount? When you say dogbone, I think tranny/motor mount, but I'm guessing you mean something different. Thanks.

tranny mount/ dog bone same thing.

Bump up...spring time is here and the rough winter roads have done a number on many a member's front end. I went with the red poly bushings 2 years and 75k miles ago and JUST had to regrease them a couple weeks ago due to them starting to squeek from lack of lube. One of the cheaper and easier upgrades/fixes that you can do to your car. I also found a noticable tightening up of the front end after install as well.

jasonTDI said:

Replace the stock bolts with ones that are threaded all the way out. Why spend 45 minutes of frustration trying to compress the D*** thing when the new bolt makes it a 5 minute job.

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That's good advice that I somehow missed. As it was I used channel locks and the 45 minutes was about right.

On a positive note, I did this job last week and haven't heard a peep out of them yet. I never heard a clunking noise, just a "scrunch" and squeak especially as they heated up.

Much thanks to Wingnut for the excellent write up.

I get a squeek sound from the left front-when I go over bumps......or just when I push down on left front of car in the driveway (parked)......most people have described this as more of a "thump" (if it is the sway bar bushings)-could my squeek also be the same thing-or is it likely something else??? (2001 Jetta TDI with 133,000+ miles).....

michTDI said:

I get a squeek sound from the left front-when I go over bumps......or just when I push down on left front of car in the driveway (parked)......most people have described this as more of a "thump" (if it is the sway bar bushings)-could my squeek also be the same thing-or is it likely something else??? (2001 Jetta TDI with 133,000+ miles).....

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I think it's likely the sway bar bushes and it's easy and cheap enough to find out. Just make sure you listen to jasonTDI when he say's, Replace the stock bolts with ones that are threaded all the way out. Why spend 45 minutes of frustration trying to compress the D*** thing when the new bolt makes it a 5 minute job.

Replace the stock bolts with ones that are threaded all the way out.

what size/grade of bolt is recommended???

michTDI said:

what size/grade of bolt is recommended???

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The guy at Impex told me it was 8x18. Maybe someone here can tell you the exact kind and length.

If not just remove one, climb into a different car, and take it to the hardware store. Get one a little longer and use it to compress the bushings.

8Mx20 is just right. 16 is too short. Just bought some more today.

I have a 1999.5 Jetta TDI will the MKIV 21mm Poly Sway Bar Bushing Kit from parts4vws fit my car? Also, where can I purchase the longer bolts? I'm looking forward to getting rid of the clunking.

BTW, the bushings at parts4vws are on back order. The guy I talked to at parts4vws said that all the TDI guys are buying them up.

Spaceman_Spiff

spaceman_spiff said:

I have a 1999.5 Jetta TDI will the MKIV 21mm Poly Sway Bar Bushing Kit from parts4vws fit my car? Also, where can I purchase the longer bolts? I'm looking forward to getting rid of the clunking.

BTW, the bushings at parts4vws are on back order. The guy I talked to at parts4vws said that all the TDI guys are buying them up.

Spaceman_Spiff

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Paul, that set is the same set I put on my other TDI...worked like a charm for the clunking problem...After putting another 75k on the car I just had to relube them a few weeks ago as one of them had begun to develop a squeek....but nothing else wrong at all. I might order a set for the one I just bought from you as well once I get the rest of the suspension taken care of. I'm going to ImpexFest this weekend and hope to find the cause of the issue I talked to you on the phone about along with an unusual idle issue. On a lighter note it seems that the wierd turn signal issue has magically disappeared...I'll have to keep an eye on it

Run away from them!!!! if you drive in slop as Paul dose they will squak and make noise in 6 months. Mine did. Others too. They are a PITA. No handling difference and they are all but impossible to put in due to being really hard. Just get the rubber ones. I REFUSE to install them in another car. JUNK.

Thanks for the advice guys. Yes, the roads here are slop. I can't understand how Chicago roads are always under construction, yet never get any better. ;-)

Where is a good place to purchase the rubber bushings, clips and longer bolts? tdiparts.com? worldimpex.com? I have a list of other things I need from Impex. (i.e. Antenna, glove box door, drink holder, front brake pads and rotors)

Thanks,

Paul
(Spaceman_Spiff)

Bushings from anyone. Bolts at the ace hardware on New York St in Aurora. They have one of those HUGE bolt selections. It's near the old VW dealer location. Also make sure what bracket you have for the bushiongs. there is 2. A flat backed one and the updated humpbacked one. If it's flat make sure you get the correct bushing or you will need to replace the bracket.

jasonTDI said:

Run away from them!!!! if you drive in slop as Paul dose they will squak and make noise in 6 months. Mine did. Others too. They are a PITA. No handling difference and they are all but impossible to put in due to being really hard. Just get the rubber ones. I REFUSE to install them in another car. JUNK.

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Wow...that's wierd...I live in the Poconos which generally get's plenty of snow, salt, and cinders and never had any issues with them...of course most of my driving is on the highway...so perhaps I tend to get most of the gunk blown off at highway speeds. I had a lift so getting them on was not that bad...a little elbow grease on the bracket was all.

Not to add unnecessarily to a too-long thread but I did the poly bushings last fall. I swore up a streak trying to get the bolts on with those rigid things in there. All has been good since except one -10F morning when they were a squeeky racket.
I strongly advise the longer bolts. I'm indifferent as to any possible advantage of the poly vs original. BigAl has noted rapid wear with them. Originals are likely a lot easier to install if you don't get longer bolts.

I bought the Energy Suspension kit and a set of updated clamps from World Impex, but I think they sent me the 21mm clamps...the ES bushings get smushed and the sway bar hole turns into an deformed oval. When I go to the Impex site now, they state 21 or 23mm, without letting you define which you want.

http://www.worldimpex.com/item_detail.html?sku=81897

Do you think I can take these to the dealer for a swap? I don't want to wait for impex and I hate returning things.

BigAl said:

Update: The new style red replacement ones wear out real fast. I'm going to replace them again in the spring with the original type. This time, the parts in the dog bone wore out and that is where the clunk is coming form.

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by "dog bone" do you mean the end links? it could be that the stiffer polyurethane bushings were more than the plastic end-links can take. one of mine split at the top when installing the poly bushing, so it wouldn't suprise me. I don't think the problem is the poly bushings but rather the end link itself--VW has redesigned them several times. ECS tuning sells these beefy replacement ones, if you can afford them : http://www.ecstuning.com/stage/edpd/pagebuild_v2.cgi/?html=learnmore.html&productID=3815

Also, I have a shine suspension with rear bar, and I can now say that the car does turn in quite well without the front bar. The front end does lean more, which is to be expected, and the car doesn't "set" into into the line during transitions into the corner as cleanly and precisely--you feel the weight of the front end throwing itself over before settling down and taking the turn. Once it does, though, and you hit the throttle, it almost feels like a rear-wheel drive car with how light the front is and how much the rear pushes the car. Its also more sensitive and squirrelly at highway speeds than I'd like. I see why removing the front bar might be desirable at parking lot/ autocross speeds, but I drive on the highway too often to leave it this way.

Previous post plus another one in this forum seem to be indicating that the correct bushing for Golf is the 23mm one. Is that correct? I have checked my bar, and my caliper measured 21mm OD. I assume the 21mm bushing should go here? Or should I verify my caliper???

Some have 23's some have 21's. Trust your measurements. I didn't and ended up having to go back to Impex to get the right size. My 2000 had a 21mm bar

I just got done putting some poly bushings on my '06 GTO. I have used poly bushings in a few cars over the years and love them. I have seen some misconceptions here, so will add my two cents.
Poly doesn't deflect as much as rubber, so will give better handling.
Poly tends to "flow". This means that over time, it will deform. With sway bars, just check on them and tighten them after a few months, that's all.
Noise- yes, they CAN make noise. They don't squeek. Rather, they can make a creaking sound. The ones on my '96 Impala (a arm bushings) sound like an old mattress when it is freezing. But, sway bar bushings should be quiet if done right.
Some say that using grease will make them quiet. Yes and no. Any grease will make them quiet, but for a short time. Then they get noisy. The ONLY grease that should be used (write this down, kiddos!) that should be used is Energy Suspension teflon polyurethane grease. This will keep them quiet for years. It is thick, sticky stuff. It is pricey (around $5 for a couple of spoonfuls, plenty for sway bars), but it is awesome stuff. I even use it on interior plastic pieces (like door panals) to eliminate squeeking.
So, go ahead and get the poly bushings and install with the grease. Oh, and while poly can help the handling of the car in other areas immensely, keep in mind that there are huge differences in the quality of poly from different manufactors (hardness, noise, etc).

Just changed out my front sway bar bushing yesterday. I should have done this a long time ago. Handling seems to be better. No more klunk over small bumps. Write up was very helpful.