Poly swaybar bushings worth it?

[Skibum1989]

hey,

I plan on replacing the swaybars and shock absorbers on my explorer. Plan on using EE front and rear bars with monroe reflex shocks. EE also offers polyurethane bushings for these swaybars, does anyone have these? Do they make any difference in handling compared to stock? Would you say it is worth spending the extra 50 bucks or so to put these bushings on? And is installation difficult with these poly bushings?

thanks

 

[celly]

I had them briefly on my '00 Sport then moved them to my '99 Eddie Bauer. They work as advertised.

 

[Skibum1989]

thanks celly,

for some reason EE wants an additional $30.29 in shipping just to include the bushings with the swaybar. According to their site, it increases the shipping weight by 50 lbs to add the bushings...

 

[celly]

thanks celly,

for some reason EE wants an additional $30.29 in shipping just to include the bushings with the swaybar. According to their site, it increases the shipping weight by 50 lbs to add the bushings...

You've got to be kidding. The bushings weigh next to nothing. I scored the bushing set locally. They also included poly end-links, but definitely not that heavy!

 

[Skibum1989]

Without bushings:
"Shipping summary - Box 1: 45.00 lbs. Shipping: $18.30"

With bushings:
"Shipping summary - Box 1: 95.00 lbs. Shipping: $48.59"

Its gotta be some sort of glitch, a stockboy probably recorded the weight incorrectly or something...

I understand the poly bushings are much firmer than the rubber ones, are they one solid piece (per bushing) or are they slit in order to slip it around the bar easier? what is the basic procedure for getting them on in the first place?

 

[dreamr]

they have a slit.

personally I wouldn't run anything but poly......

 

[celly]

Sorry, cant help with the install. I had them done while the tire guy was doing something else to my old Ex then moved them over to my Eddie Bauer in pretty much the same way. I'm not much of a mechanic.

 

[dreamr]

what is the basic procedure for getting them on in the first place?

Sorry i didn't answer this in my original post
I was guilty of skimming your post I suppose

Quite quick and easy ......

There are two brackets holding the sway bar to the frame. The bolts in these are 1/2"
After removing the two brackets the sway bar may fall on you if there is not a stand under it.
The end links are basically a through bolt. Hold the head and twist the nut free. The E.S. links are a 9/16.
Pop the old bushings off.
Clean the bar.
Lube the new bushing with the supplied silicone grease and slip over the swaybar.
Squeeze the brackets over the new bushings on the bar and align with the mounting surface. It makes it easier to hold it in place with the jackstand. Thread the new endlinks on and bolt the upper bracket into place loosely. Torque the links down to the number specified in the haynes out in the garage somewhere.
Tighten the frame mounting bolts. Careful not to strip these.
All Done.
It sounds like a lot of steps but it won't take more than a half hour. After a few dozen times it takes about 4-5 minutes to drop it and toss it in the back for a bit more travel while wheeling.

 

[Skibum1989]

no worries, thanks for the quick replies.

How long do you think it would take a first timer to replace 4 shocks, 2 sway bars, and put on poly bushings? I'm mechanically inclined and have read most of the procedures.

 

[dreamr]

Hour to an hour and a half.

Both are relatively straight forward processes.

 

[Skibum1989]

ok sweet, so do I just use the stock end links or do I need to buy them seperate somewhere?

 

[dreamr]

ok sweet, so do I just use the stock end links or do I need to buy them seperate somewhere?

Mine came as a kit with both the end links and the sway bar bushings. I picked them up at the local Central 4wd in Everett.

 

[unclemeat]

The advantage of poly bushing is also the diadvantage of poly bushings. The are much more rigid than rubber. Sway bar bushings do two things. First they resist movement of the bar, poly is far superior for this. Second they allow torsional rotation of the sway bar, poly is bad at this. In order to overcome the lack of torsional rotation with a poly bushing they must be lubricated. Typically that means that the come with a grease fitting and require frequent lubrication.

Poly bushings are superior to rubber, but require maintence. A believe that a 95 X has no grease fittings. So you would need to get a grease gun simply to maintain the sway bar bushings. If you are good with your vehicle maintence then poly is definately the way to go, if not rubber is better.

 

[Skibum1989]

Interesting,
How much does the grease gun cost? and how often should it be lubed under normal driving conditions?

 

[dreamr]

I hit mine spring and fall when I do everything else.

 

[unclemeat]

A grease gun is not expensive. But it is just something else to do as regular maintenance. It should also be noted that the poly bushings are better for street performance.

 

[toypaseo]

The advantage of poly bushing is also the diadvantage of poly bushings. The are much more rigid than rubber. Sway bar bushings do two things. First they resist movement of the bar, poly is far superior for this. Second they allow torsional rotation of the sway bar, poly is bad at this. In order to overcome the lack of torsional rotation with a poly bushing they must be lubricated. Typically that means that the come with a grease fitting and require frequent lubrication.

Poly bushings are superior to rubber, but require maintence. A believe that a 95 X has no grease fittings. So you would need to get a grease gun simply to maintain the sway bar bushings. If you are good with your vehicle maintence then poly is definately the way to go, if not rubber is better.

Poly bushings require a different type of grease though. Energy Suspension Formula 5 prelube works great.

 

[410Fortune]

I only put grease on my energy bushings when I have them out which is often on teh drop links, but never on the sway bar mounts.

Never had any issues, teh sway bar rotates just fine, I can rotate it by hand quite easily.

Now I am not disputing what you said, I am sure it is true, in theory at least.
I have seen grease zerks used but you cant get grease with a zerk to the bar side of the ford style bushings.

 

[Skibum1989]

So do need to remove the swaybar each time I need to lube it up? or do I just hit the bushings with the gun without taking them off the brackets?

 

[vandon]

where do you get these poly bushings? got a 4" superlift kit on my truck