How-To Replace Front Sway Bar Bushings

[Deathmage]

Re: How-To Replace Front Sway Bar Bushings

you have lots to learn.. its not about the leather seats.. its not about the 18" wheels.. its not about jaw drops or head turns.. what it all boils down to is when you turn your car on, does it return the favor?

Mine does every morning. Amen!

[Deathmage]

Re: How-To Replace Front Sway Bar Bushings

Somebody wouldn't happen to have a part number for these things would they? Everyone at autozone or o'riellys sounded completely clueless on these things.

FYI, get a 19mm to 22mm wrench and save yourself the trouble I went through. My G6 is suppose to have 19mm sway bar but instead GM but the G6 GXP 22mm sway bar on my G6. Just better to be prepared than to have to re-order them.

[Lampoon]

Re: How-To Replace Front Sway Bar Bushings

FYI, get a 19mm to 22mm wrench and save yourself the trouble I went through...

22mm bar was on my 05 GT. But you don't need a wrench that big.
1/2" and 13mm is all you need to change em out.

I'm thinking you meant to say bushing instead of wrench maybe?

[new2g6]

Re: How-To Replace Front Sway Bar Bushings

I believe I am going to do this in the next couple days or so. Its the wife's car and she was saying it was making some funny noises so in the end it has has 2 broken motor mounts a trans axle mount and struts replaced! Now these bushings and maybe I will do the sway bar end links as well.

[Deathmage]

Re: How-To Replace Front Sway Bar Bushings

22mm bar was on my 05 GT. But you don't need a wrench that big.
1/2" and 13mm is all you need to change em out.

I'm thinking you meant to say bushing instead of wrench maybe?

Erg, I meant to say that basically the specification of the mm size of the sway bar for the G6 per trim type isn't always the case of every G6. What I think GM did sometimes is they installed whatever sway bar was laying around in the factory at the time of the assembly. So even though the 2008 GT model called for a particular size as an example it may have a high gauge sway bar or a lower gauge sway bar actually installed.

Hence why when I said to get a wrench between 19mm and 22mm to verify that the proper size is installed. It sucked for me since the Dealership found out that the GXP model sway bar is install on my 3.5 model G6. it was the wrong size, even though it was larger, I told them to keep it since it was a performance increase.

[Deathmage]

Re: How-To Replace Front Sway Bar Bushings

I believe I am going to do this in the next couple days or so. Its the wife's car and she was saying it was making some funny noises so in the end it has has 2 broken motor mounts a trans axle mount and struts replaced! Now these bushings and maybe I will do the sway bar end links as well.

Be careful the wifey might get to aggressive on the highway! that's all we need is a aggressive female driver, lol!!!!!!

[new2g6]

Re: How-To Replace Front Sway Bar Bushings

lol!! She drives that little car pretty damn hard I must say! Everytime something breaks on it she drives my mustang to work and that really makes me a bit nervous. lol

[Deathmage]

Re: How-To Replace Front Sway Bar Bushings

lol!! She drives that little car pretty damn hard I must say! Everytime something breaks on it she drives my mustang to work and that really makes me a bit nervous. lol

more the reason to put performance parts on it then I suppose, then it won't break as much.

I've replaced nearly every body wear item on my suspension with high end components and whenever something makes a noise I replace the item with a higher quality non-GM part.

[new2g6]

Re: How-To Replace Front Sway Bar Bushings

Well, after a closer look the bushings on the a are ok the split I saw was actually the split that is in the bushing for installation! (aka) dumbass I am!! lol so I went ahead and replaced the swaybar end links which were completely shot! Walla drives and sounds like a new car. A very simple install if any one thinks they need this done.

[sabrhawk]

Re: How-To Replace Front Sway Bar Bushings

Cmessick - thank you for this write-up it was a great guide for the installation.

I did end up doing things a little different because my end link on one side was bad so I ended up removing both endlinks before starting the bushings and I think it made the job go a little easier. Especially since I could pull the sway bar out towards the passenger side and work on modifying and testing the fitting on the bushing. I also modified the bushing bracket so I did not have to remove either rear bolt, that really saved time since I could not get my hand in where the rear bolts were very easily.

Overall it took me about 3 hours total but what a world of difference. There is minimal body roll in turns and the creaking/rubbing sounds were gone. I highly recommend this upgrade for anyone considering it.

[Deathmage]

Re: How-To Replace Front Sway Bar Bushings

Cmessick - thank you for this write-up it was a great guide for the installation.

I did end up doing things a little different because my end link on one side was bad so I ended up removing both endlinks before starting the bushings and I think it made the job go a little easier. Especially since I could pull the sway bar out towards the passenger side and work on modifying and testing the fitting on the bushing. I also modified the bushing bracket so I did not have to remove either rear bolt, that really saved time since I could not get my hand in where the rear bolts were very easily.

Overall it took me about 3 hours total but what a world of difference. There is minimal body roll in turns and the creaking/rubbing sounds were gone. I highly recommend this upgrade for anyone considering it.

Do you have BMD Endlinks installed? - if not you'd be amazed by the difference those make...