1g awd front swaybar bushings

steve-o_95_GST · 07-14-2008, 05:26 PM

Ive been working at this for the last few days with no luck and just spent an hour getting even more pissed off at my car. Can someone tell me exactly how they got their energy suspension front sway bar bushings to fit properly. Ive tried using a rather large clamp on a fully greased bushing and bracket. I can not get it to go together for the life of me. After every attempt, the sub frame above the slot bends outward a little bit and I have to tap it back in place. It just doesnt want to go in.

Makes me wonder why couldnt mitsu just have made brackets like the 2g has. Ive checked the part number on the es site to make sure I dont have the wrong bushing. So those of you that have installed them, what was your method of getting these little buggers to fit?

pagosa dsm · 07-14-2008, 07:00 PM

Try some lube on the bushings and a longer bolt. Also don't have the end links attach. They are a hassle.

steve-o_95_GST · 07-14-2008, 07:20 PM

I cant get the bracket at a good enough angle to use a longer bolt. I have liberally lubed the bushing and bracket with the supplied grease. I only have one end link disconnected. The one that is still connected is the one opposite I am working on, does that make a difference?

pagosa dsm · 07-14-2008, 07:38 PM

Check the part #.Make sure you have the right bushing.If you do,it is a bitch to install them.I think I used a punch of a pair of plyers to help them get aligh. Try that

mhuffman · 07-14-2008, 07:44 PM

they were the hardest car thing ive ever done, and ive done complete engine rebuilds.

i trimmed and filed them strategically to prevent binding when rotating the bracket down. use grease / wd40 at every contact point.

steve-o_95_GST · 07-14-2008, 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pagosa dsm

Check the part #.Make sure you have the right bushing.If you do,it is a bitch to install them.I think I used a punch of a pair of plyers to help them get aligh. Try that

I have verified the part number, so that isnt the problem. Ill give that a try and see if it works.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mhuffman

they were the hardest car thing ive ever done, and ive done complete engine rebuilds.

i trimmed and filed them strategically to prevent binding when rotating the bracket down. use grease / wd40 at every contact point.

Im in the same boat, Ive done everything you could think of to a car and this is really kicking my ass. Can you possibly get me a picture of where you trimmed the bushing? That would be prime. If you dont have a pic, could you try to describe as best as you can where and how you trimmed it?

drivemusicnow · 07-14-2008, 10:50 PM

This is undoubtedly one of THE hardest things to do. And I know cause i've done almost everything else.

Here's what worked for me.

Completely disconnect the sway bar. get a buddy to hold the opposite side in about the right place, but don't have him try to bolt it in yet, press the metal clamp over the bushing, slide it into the subframe.

It's at this point that you have to awkwardly rotate the bar/metal mount down. This requires a fair amount of force, and your buddy has to make sure to allow enough rotation, but not let it pull away from the subframe.

Once you get the first one in, the second one is easy.

Come to think of it, I think I did trim the corner of the bushing some as well to help in that rotation move.

steve-o_95_GST · 07-15-2008, 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drivemusicnow

This is undoubtedly one of THE hardest things to do. And I know cause i've done almost everything else.

Here's what worked for me.

Completely disconnect the sway bar. get a buddy to hold the opposite side in about the right place, but don't have him try to bolt it in yet, press the metal clamp over the bushing, slide it into the subframe.

It's at this point that you have to awkwardly rotate the bar/metal mount down. This requires a fair amount of force, and your buddy has to make sure to allow enough rotation, but not let it pull away from the subframe.

Once you get the first one in, the second one is easy.

Come to think of it, I think I did trim the corner of the bushing some as well to help in that rotation move.

Ill disconnect the other side too. I think I had the same idea but I wasnt sure if it would work. You mean but both sides in at the same time with help from a friend, right? Or do you mean put one side in at a time and just have the other person hold the bar and allow it to move a bit? Can you tell me exactly where you trimmed the bushing?

ian7321 · 07-15-2008, 04:05 PM

I trimmed mine as well. The part that you have to trim is the corner that is against the subfream when you are trying to push the bracket down. Go take a look after you read this and it will be clear to you. Hope this helps. Just dont try and pull the bracket on with a longer bolt like I did and crossthread the hole. It sucks have to pull the subframe for one stupid bolt hole.

-Ian

steve-o_95_GST · 07-15-2008, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ian7321

I trimmed mine as well. The part that you have to trim is the corner that is against the subfream when you are trying to push the bracket down. Go take a look after you read this and it will be clear to you. Hope this helps. Just dont try and pull the bracket on with a longer bolt like I did and crossthread the hole. It sucks have to pull the subframe for one stupid bolt hole.

-Ian

Im on my way out to the garage now so Ill have a look. Im not going to use a longer bolt, its not the right way to go about it

Ravenous · 07-15-2008, 04:33 PM

I just did this last month, I didn't trim or anything and I even used the stock bolts. I made a tool out of internally thread tubing and a long adjustable bed frame leg. I imagine this could be replicated with other materials. In short I created a reverse vice. On the end that was tubular I cut out a notch with my die grinder so that would stay on the edge of the bushing bracket without shifting. On the opposite end was the bed frame leg which had a 7/16 nut at the end of the threads. I wedged the foot between the control arm and subframe and then loosened the nut which caused it to spread apart since the foot was on a swivel. This caused the bracket to compress flush against the subframe so that the bolt could be installed.

threads Tube
Bed leg side [)N//////////]||||||||||||[K Notch side

steve-o_95_GST · 07-15-2008, 04:59 PM

Im using a rather large c clamp so its probably ok there. When I use the clamp without trimming it, it starts to bend the metal on the subframe outward, probably because its binding. I know I should not have to put that much pressure on it. Did you have both ends disconnected when you did it?

Im attaching an image just to make 100% sure where you guys trimmed it so I dont end up ruining the bushing. The bolt side of the bracket would go under the yellow and the hook above the green. You can see a small red line, that is the slit in the bushing (hard to see after resize) this is exactly how I have it in the car. Should I trim a bit off the top (green lines, this is where you trimmed, right Ian?) or the bottom (yellow lines)

Ravenous · 07-15-2008, 05:07 PM

Yes I had it completely disconnected, I did all the suspension bushings, sub-frame bushings, and inner and outer tie rods at the same time. So I also had that steering rack out, which made maneuvering the bar a whole lot easier.

steve-o_95_GST · 07-16-2008, 07:09 PM

I still havent assembled it. Can someone let me know if Im on the right track on my last post?

mhuffman · 07-17-2008, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steve-o_95_GST

Im using a rather large c clamp so its probably ok there. When I use the clamp without trimming it, it starts to bend the metal on the subframe outward, probably because its binding. I know I should not have to put that much pressure on it. Did you have both ends disconnected when you did it?

Im attaching an image just to make 100% sure where you guys trimmed it so I dont end up ruining the bushing. The bolt side of the bracket would go under the yellow and the hook above the green. You can see a small red line, that is the slit in the bushing (hard to see after resize) this is exactly how I have it in the car. Should I trim a bit off the top (green lines, this is where you trimmed, right Ian?) or the bottom (yellow lines)

i had the swaybar end links disconnected. i used tons of wd-40. i trimmed those pointed corners completely off to assist the frame bracket in rotating.