Rear sway bar bushings cracked after a few months? Why?

[GreenSwede]

Mounted these in may, I believe. Driven about 350km. Having drive line issues, vibrations.

Was crawling around and noticed this. New sway including bushings mounted in may. Torqued according to specs with weight in car.

So, why? Crap?

(And please don´t just say "GO POLY!", at least not without a real explanation=))

[Cyclone101]

Those rubbers do not look 350km old! I suspect they might have been NOS and could have degraded over time. Maybe send a pic to your supplier and ask for a replacement. That should not happen afaik.

The nice thing about poly in the swaybar is that it lessens the flex, thus transferring more torque through the torsion bar. So your car would roll less, like with fitting a stiffer sway. And it would not cause more vibrations like the other suspension bushes in poly would. So you can replace those and the swaybar end links with poly without negative effects. Kind of win-win. But if you don't mind the body roll, rather stick to rubber, as poly can squeak.

Regards

Jacques

[GreenSwede]

No they don´t. Bought this spring from Walloth & Nesch. Will send them an email.

[gracer]

Poly is not the end all solution. I have had several poly bushings fail with time on both my race car and street car. They crumble like they are made of clay. G

[BLUNT]

did you preload them maybe???

[allbim]

When looking at the picture, it is obvious that the bushing is loaded heavily in one direction. The bar is not centered in the bushing. I have no idea why. You might want to look into that.

[BLUNT]

When looking at the picture it is obvious that the bushing is loaded heavily in one direction. The bar is not centered in the bushing. I have no idea why. You might want to look into that.

Looks to me like the car is on stands

[Mike Self]

that they won't add harshness to the ride like using poly bushing elsewhere in the suspension. Sway bars only come into play during cornering, where you want the bar to start doing its job immediately, not wait for the rubber bushings to compress.

I've had poly sway bar bushings--both mounting and end link--on my car for at least 15 years and they have neither worn out nor crumbled. Didn't notice any difference in harshness when I first installed 'em either.

cheers

mike

[GreenSwede]

When looking at the picture it is obvious that the bushing is loaded heavily in one direction. The bar is not centered in the bushing. I have no idea why. You might want to look into that.

Looks to me like the car is on stands

It does look like that, but it´s on the ground. However, it has been on stands quite a lot lately, due to the drive line issue. But even if that strained the bushing while up, it should center when lowered, right?

[GreenSwede]

that they won't add harshness to the ride like using poly bushing elsewhere in the suspension. Sway bars only come into play during cornering, where you want the bar to start doing its job immediately, not wait for the rubber bushings to compress.

I've had poly sway bar bushings--both mounting and end link--on my car for at least 15 years and they have neither worn out nor crumbled. Didn't notice any difference in harshness when I first installed 'em either.

cheers

mike

Thanks, that´s a real go-poly-answer!=) Will consider.

[mossyboy6]

I agree with blunt.

You sure you didnt preload them?

[GreenSwede]

I agree with blunt.

You sure you didnt preload them?

Well.. The bar was installed with car on jacks, as I recall (my father did it while I installed radius rod bushings up front). Then I torqued to specs with the car on its wheels and weight (my parents) in it.

By preload you mean they were torqued to much before the actual torquing?=)

It is a tight fit, so I guess the bar kind of sat where sat as soon as the bolts were in. Will install new ones, but probably polys, with car on wheel jacks.

[GreenSwede]

By the way, Mike, what polys do you run?

There seem to some not-so-good ones around. Superflex seems trustworthy(?).

[allbim]

Ola, is part of the bend in the sway-bar inside the bushing?

Edit: The only way you can pre-load the sway-bar is to use different length links. Now, if your car is leaning due to unequally sagging springs or other hardware or weight issues, and the sway-bar is constantly trying to level the car, then the bar will be pre-loaded. It makes no difference whether you tightened the links on the ground or up on jacks.

[Mike Self]

where I got 'em. But it was no place fancy--might have been a local speed shop. They're bright red, but no maker's name on 'em.

Sorry that I don't have any more info. I did get some new bushings from Ireland to fit a new 22mm front bar that's been languishing in my attic for two years. They're red too. Ireland has a good reputation.

mike