[woodsnake]

When replacing a front sway bar, with an aftemarket thicker one? Do you compress the rubber bushings a little, or a lot? Or to a specific value?

 

[towcat]

If the bushings came with the bar tighten them up until metal meets metal, if no bushings came with, then buy correct ones and do the same.

 

[woodsnake]

If you go that tight though, how will the bushings be able to compress/decompress? Isnt' that part of their job?

 

[doctordesoto]

in the old days , with soft rubber bushings , you would tighten the nut until the rubber expanded to the diamwter of the washer-----with urethane , i just tighten them up until you can't rotate the bushing with your fingers
i put urethane bushings on my old '47 sedan and they promptly tore the brackets off the lower control arms---i went back to rubber and have had no issues in 13k miles---i order the orig rubber for any installation from the mustang resto shops
doctordesoto

 

[woodsnake]

I got a deal on a 'big block' sway bar from a guy who had put it on his car for fitment only. It came with the black rubber bushings, instead of the red super tough ones. When I go to put it on the car, does it need the weight of the engine, or can I do it while the engine is out?

 

[towcat]

woodsnake, when I answered your question before, I was talking about the bushings that attach the bar to the frame, the end bushings you just tighten till the rubber compresses to the size of the washer and quit. It is best to install with engine in the car and with weight on the front end.