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Damaged sway bar bushing


Dick R

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I recently replaced my sway bar bushings.   I just noticed that only one of the rubber pieces has come apart.  The picture shows it better than trying to describe it.  The new bushings only have about 300 normal driving miles on them and they seem to work just fine (no strange noises).

 

Anybody ever seen this before?  Any ideas about what might cause it?

IMG_3411.jpg

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What brand bushings?

 

It looks like the bushings were made out of 2 pieces of rubber glued together and they separated, Bad design.

 

I would suggest replacing them with polyurethane bushings, they are stiffer but you won't notice it on the swaybars.

 

I would also clean up all that rust and paint it with some rust inhibiting paint.

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Thanks for your speedy response. 

The bushing brand is Rein.  All the metal parts on the bushing were sanded or brushed down to shiny metal when I installed them.  Surprisingly, after 300 miles of driving in only totally dry conditions, they started to rust.  I had thought about giving them a coat of paint, but didn't bother due to expecting to only drive in dry conditions - and that's not too difficult to do in SoCal this year. 

  • Haha 1
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These guys sell them

https://www.energysuspensionparts.com/products/bmw_2002_1976

 

They list the dimensions for the rear, but not the front.  The bushings for the front cost twice as much.  Aren't they the same size front/rear?

 

Rear Sway Bar Endlink Bushings
PART NUMBER: 3401
MANUFACTURER: PROTHANE

Inside Diameter - 7mm
Outside Diameter - 28.5mm
Height - 18.30mm


Red Only: (?)
Red

     DISCLAIMER -- I now disagree with much of the timing advice I have given in the past.  I misinterpreted the distributor curves in the Blue Book as timing maps for our engines.  I've also switched from using ported-vacuum to manifold, with better results.  I apologize for spreading misinformation. 

(3-28-2024)  

 

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7 minutes ago, '76mintgrün'02 said:

These guys sell them

https://www.energysuspensionparts.com/products/bmw_2002_1976

 

They list the dimensions for the rear, but not the front.  The bushings for the front cost twice as much.  Aren't they the same size front/rear?

 

Rear Sway Bar Endlink Bushings
PART NUMBER: 3401
MANUFACTURER: PROTHANE

Inside Diameter - 7mm
Outside Diameter - 28.5mm
Height - 18.30mm


Red Only: (?)
Red

I think the front ones use a slightly larger bolt and are a little bigger.

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Used to go to Zumiez and buy skateboard truck bushings. The large cup washer also works.

Urethane, several colors and 3 firmness levels to choose from. They worked pretty good and at the time were cheaper.

80B103CB-2CCA-4714-B7F2-B8003CE2C6E8.jpeg

F0D57BE6-840F-43D5-B00B-4FD6979FFF60.jpeg

Edited by tech71
  • Haha 1

76 2002 Survivor

71 2002 Franzi

85 318i  Doris

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RealOEM only shows the front sway bar in a diagram, not the rear.  However, they double the number of bolts and rubber "rings".  4 x 8mm bolts and 16 x rubber rings.  Might that imply that the ones in the rear are the same? 

 

The ones in the link I posted above say the ID is 7mm, not 8mm; so, perhaps you are correct.  But why would they say 16 needed? 

 

(Never mind me.  Going back to minding my own business now.)

 

 

Stabilizer 
Sponsored links
 
No. Description Supp. Qty  From   Up To  Part Number Price   Notes
01 Stabilizer, front   1 03/1966 07/1977 31352454000     ENDED
  For vehicles with
Air conditioning

=Yes
 
01 Stabilizer, front D=15MM 1 01/1968 07/1976 31351100841     ENDED
02 Fillister-head screw M8X18 4     07119919935 $0.30    
03 Rubber Mounting D=15MM 2 03/1966 07/1977 31352454010 $5.60    
04 Stabilizer support   4     31352654112 $9.36    
05 Spring washer B8 8     07119933096 $0.18    
06 Hex nut M8-ZNS 12   07/1977 07119922856 $0.56   ENDED
06 Hex nut M8-8-ZNS3 12   07/1977 07119904032 $0.16    
06 Hex nut M8-8-ZNNIV SI 12     07119905515 $0.16    
07 Hex bolt M8X160 4     07119912595 $3.47    
08 Spacer sleeve   4     31352654108 $4.68    
09 Plate   16     31351114570 $3.59    
10 Rubber Ring   16     31351125712 $1.37    
11 Stabilizer D=16MM 1     33553454000 $153.61   ENDED
12 Hex bolt M8X18 4   07/1977 07119913627 $0.24   ENDED
12 Hex bolt M8X18-8.8-ZNS3 4     07119904146 $0.65    
13 Stabilizer rubber mounting D=16MM 2     33551103492 $11.60    

 

     DISCLAIMER -- I now disagree with much of the timing advice I have given in the past.  I misinterpreted the distributor curves in the Blue Book as timing maps for our engines.  I've also switched from using ported-vacuum to manifold, with better results.  I apologize for spreading misinformation. 

(3-28-2024)  

 

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7 minutes ago, '76mintgrün'02 said:

RealOEM only shows the front sway bar in a diagram, not the rear.  However, they double the number of bolts and rubber "rings".  4 x 8mm bolts and 16 x rubber rings.  Might that imply that the ones in the rear are the same? 

 

The ones in the link I posted above say the ID is 7mm, not 8mm; so, perhaps you are correct.  But why would they say 16 needed? 

 

(Never mind me.  Going back to minding my own business now.)

 

 

Stabilizer 
Sponsored links
 
No. Description Supp. Qty  From   Up To  Part Number Price   Notes
01 Stabilizer, front   1 03/1966 07/1977 31352454000     ENDED
  For vehicles with
Air conditioning

=Yes
 
01 Stabilizer, front D=15MM 1 01/1968 07/1976 31351100841     ENDED
02 Fillister-head screw M8X18 4     07119919935 $0.30    
03 Rubber Mounting D=15MM 2 03/1966 07/1977 31352454010 $5.60    
04 Stabilizer support   4     31352654112 $9.36    
05 Spring washer B8 8     07119933096 $0.18    
06 Hex nut M8-ZNS 12   07/1977 07119922856 $0.56   ENDED
06 Hex nut M8-8-ZNS3 12   07/1977 07119904032 $0.16    
06 Hex nut M8-8-ZNNIV SI 12     07119905515 $0.16    
07 Hex bolt M8X160 4     07119912595 $3.47    
08 Spacer sleeve   4     31352654108 $4.68    
09 Plate   16     31351114570 $3.59    
10 Rubber Ring   16     31351125712 $1.37    
11 Stabilizer D=16MM 1     33553454000 $153.61   ENDED
12 Hex bolt M8X18 4   07/1977 07119913627 $0.24   ENDED
12 Hex bolt M8X18-8.8-ZNS3 4     07119904146 $0.65    
13 Stabilizer rubber mounting D=16MM 2     33551103492 $11.60    

 

#11 is the rear sway bar they only show part of it. It shows #10 for front and rear swaybar. So they are all the same, that explains the 16.

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2 hours ago, Dick R said:

The bushing brand is Rein. 

I put Reins on Survivor, they did not fit so great. Had to grind off a raised shoulder on the stab bar end to get the nuts started.

They were too tall.

I will replace when I cant take the KYB shocks any more and do what I should have done to begin with, install Bilsteins or Sachs Turbo Gas or Konis, something, anything.

  • Haha 1

76 2002 Survivor

71 2002 Franzi

85 318i  Doris

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16 minutes ago, tech71 said:

I put Reins on Survivor, they did not fit so great. Had to grind off a raised shoulder on the stab bar end to get the nuts started.

They were too tall.

I will replace when I cant take the KYB shocks any more and do what I should have done to begin with, install Bilsteins or Sachs Turbo Gas or Konis, something, anything.

Have had bad experiences with Rein parts.

 

Bought KYB shocks once, first red flag was smaller shaft then OEM shocks, looked smaller then my pinky finger. Second red flag was didn't come with bumpstops or dust boots. I returned them and bought Bilstein's for more money, but they came with bumpstops and dust boots and much larger than oem shafts and have lasted a long time.

 

Having driven cars with KYB shocks I would only recommend them if that's all you can afford. I'm inclined to believe KYB stands for kill your back lol?.

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I installed new OE bump stops and dust boots, that makes them tolerable for now but, in my experience KYBs go soft pretty fast.

Then your car starts “wallowing” through the corners, it’s embarrassing? 

 

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76 2002 Survivor

71 2002 Franzi

85 318i  Doris

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KYBs on my '69's front struts were shot at less than 50K miles;   Bilsteins installed on my '73 are still going strong at 140k +.  Draw your own conclusions...

 

mike

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'69 Nevada sunroof-Wolfgang-bought new
'73 Sahara sunroof-Ludwig-since '78
'91 Brillantrot 318is sunroof-Georg Friederich 
Fiat Topolini (Benito & Luigi), Renault 4CVs (Anatole, Lucky Pierre, Brigette) & Kermit, the Bugeye Sprite

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I believe I have figured out what happened to the sway bar bushing that was coming apart – it was likely a manufacturing defect of that part occurring during the curing cycle.  Based on the way this one so cleanly delaminated indicates that the process for producing these is compression molding.  Much like tire manufacturing, this part appears to be rolled-up uncured rubber that is about the size and roughly shaped like the finished product.   This piece of uncured rubber is then placed into a curing press (it’s mold) wherein in gets shaped by the design of the mold, put under pressure, and heated for some period of time during which it vulcanizes the rubber into a homogeneous appearing final product.   In the case of this defective part, it probably didn’t get fully cured – either by having the mold not hot enough or it didn’t stay in the press long enough.  It kind of resembled a badly done retreaded tire which had the new tread come cleanly off.  I don’t mean to imply that this inexpensive part was “retreaded”; I’m trying to describe it. 

 

I sliced one of the other removed Rein bushings in half.   That one looked like it was supposed to – no obvious evidence of layers because it had all vulcanized together.  Looked like one homogeneous piece. 

 

I replaced all four bushings on side with the defective one with parts that I got from the BMW dealer.  This kind of defect could have shown up after just a few miles of driving because it was really not stuck together at all.  Maybe this means that Rein bushings are crap or I just got a rare bad one. I’m leaving the Reins on the other side because there is no evidence of a defective one at this point.  I’ll keep an eye on it since it is easy to spot in service.  After this experience, I would probably be a little wary of anything Rein manufactured.

 

Pictures below show the delaminated part and a sliced open good one.  Also, there's a picture of the repaired bushing installation including a coat of rust preventative paint on the quickly-rusting metal parts that was recommended by the first commenter.  I just wanted him to know that I took his good advice.

IMG_3432 2.jpg

IMG_3439.jpg

IMG_3428.jpg

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