Greasing Sway Bar Bushings

[Art Garcia]

This winter my bushings dried out so every bump id go over id hear a squeaky noise. For a while there i thought it was my shocks until i went under the ST to look around for anything abnormal and heard the bushings squeaking. especially the drivers side bushing. How do you go about doing this? pretty simple to do ive heard.

 

[Kevin Lang]

I'm in the same boat as you. I was planning on just taking the bar off and blasting a tube or so of White Lithium Grease into those suckers.



I have the upgraded sway bars though, where the bushings are easily removed.



Not sure if this is the best approach, but I'm tired of the durn squeak. :angry:

 

[swshawaii]

Remove them and lube, or replace with the EE or Energy Suspension greasable brackets.

 

[EddieS'04]

Todd z,,,sells these for the rear. I made my own. Someday I will do the fronts.

 

[Art Garcia]

yeah it doesnt seem hard. just takin the end links off and the brackets then greasing them and reverse processes. so whats the best grease to use

 

[swshawaii]

Use the ES Prelube. Comes in a three pack of 1/2 ounce tubes under $5.

Made for suspension bushings and very sticky. A little goes a long way.

[Broken External Image]:

 

[Art Garcia]

thank you all.

i will probably do this this comin sunday or monday.

i want a wrench so bad so i would make this a project but theres one about installing the EE sway bar which is basically the same steps.

 

[Jerry Gerner 2]

You don't have to remove the endlinks to remove and grease the sway bar bushings.

 

[Kevin Lang]

You don't have to remove the endlinks to remove and grease the sway bar bushings.

Wait, I was talking about putting grease between the rubber/polyurethane "hoojit" and the bar itself. (#1)



Are you talking about that, or putting the grease between the rubber "hoojit" & the metal bracket that holds the "hoojit" (and the bar) to the frame? (#2)



Here's a crummy mod of Todd's pic to clarify:

[Broken External Image]:



I'm confused, as I don't see how you could do what I was thinking about (#1) without removing the bar.



If what you're saying will kill the squeak alone, then hallelujah, that only takes 10 minutes :banana:

These brackets will not fit and are not needed for the Zabteck Performance Sway Bar

as it comes with premium polyurethane bushings

Well, either I need the grease, or I have a different problem, but I'm going with option one as switching out the bar kills the squeak.



BTW, where can I get that ES grease?

 

[Ed Fenwick]

I crawl under there a couple of times a year and spray everything rubber with Armorall. 'could be in my head but the truck did seem to ride better and no squeaks.

Ed

 

[Art Garcia]

when i mentioned removing the end links and the bushings.. i would also be removing the sway bar as to my understanding there i no way of doing this without the removal of the sway bar.



i thought with the OEM sway bar you had to remove the endlinks and the sway bar itself to grease the bushings on the inside where it makes contact with the bar. now if i have to grease the outside of the bushing where it meets contact with the bracket then i will.



having the EE sway bar all you need to do is remove the brackets that are attached to the frame and you can have access to remove the bushing without any removal of the endlinks and the whole sway bar.



no my question being.....do i even need to take the sway bar off at all or can i simply remove the brackets and grease the bushing without taking it off. im guessing just sliding it side to side as you grease it up.





whats the best way to approach this

 

[swshawaii]

Arturo- Do you have the stock or aftermarket sway bars?

IIRC stock bars did not have split bushings like the Addco or EE for removal.

I recommend replacing both with Energy Suspension Greasable Bushings.

You will never have to remove them again. Under $20 pair shipped from Amazon.



P.S.- See Todd Z's project in Ride and Handling (Greasable Sway Bar Bushings) to add zerk fittings.

 

[Art Garcia]

thanks Steve!



i have the OEM sway bar so, therefore, since the bushings dont have the split i have to remove the sway bar to grease them right?



i might look into that site for the bushings. any idea OEM sway bar diameter is?

 

[swshawaii]

Arturo- Stock Rear is 3/4" (19mm) #9.5156 (R-Red or G-Black)



4x2 Stock Front is 1 1/8" (28.5 mm) ES #9.5164R/G



4x4 Stock Front is 1 1/4" (31.5mm) ES #9.5165R/G







Nice truck, really surprised you are still on stock shocks and sway bars!

Appears you off road though. (Use end link disconnects should you upgrade bars)

 

[EddieS'04]

Steve, I have used the ES pre-lube in the past, on other cars. It didnt last. That is why when I put the explorer express sway bar on. I put the zerts in the brackets. Then I moded the bushings as below.

Here's a crummy mod of Todd's pic to clarify:

KL, you have drill a hole in the bushing also. I sujest getting zerts with threads long enough to protrude into the bushing. Another sujestion is. Use a dremel or something to put a groove inside the bushing. One groove at the zert location around. Then a couple more crossways inside. This way the grease diperses better.

I only have to grease them once a year with, whatever hapen to be in my grease gun.

 

[swshawaii]

Thanks Eddie, good to know. My ST has zerks front and rear, much easier to lube.

Interesting that the ES Prelube isn't available in grease cartridge form anyway, only tubs!

 

[Art Garcia]

Turns out Autozone just started carrying Energy Suspensions end links. bushings. sway bar bushings etc. Im gonna buy the sway bar bushings for 20 bucks. since i dont have a grease gun can the dealer grease them for me through the zerts. and do they need to be greased when first put on?