Sway bar bushings - OEM or aftermarket?
 

I was inspecting my sway bushings and noticed that they looked worn out. The car is a 2013 w/ 140k miles. My question is if I should buy OEM bushings or aftermarket. From past experience and research, it seems like most PU bushings will start squeaking after a year or so. Are there any must have aftermarket bushings that won't squeak or degrade faster than OEM? Are aftermarket or new OEM end links going to make a difference?

I would recommend OEM bushings or the Moog “problem solver” bushings.

It’s pretty surprising the NVH that poly sway bar bushings introduce to the car. The poly bushings also effectively increases the overall stiffness of the bar.

I’ve put poly bushings on the stock 16mm and 14mm rear bars and I noticed a difference that made me eventually switch back.

However, some poly bushings like on the TRD sway bar kit are super soft. Like I’m talking 60a durometer soft. I could force the bushing’s slit open with just 2 fingers. I don’t know any other companies that offer these soft-style bushings.

Moog and OEM also don’t require lubrication like the poly bushings do, as they are self lubricating.

You may feel a difference with aftermarket endlinks but it’ll be minor. With your mileage I’d go ahead and replace those as well with OEM or any other of your choice. I use the Moog front endlinks, and the Racer-X rear endlinks.

Hmm. How less compliant bushings may change swaybar spring rate?

Extra NVH, very possibly, but spring rate? :/

“ Popular replacements for factory rubberized bushings are polyurethane bushings. Polyurethane is much more durable than rubber, it doesn’t dry out because of its hydrophobic properties, and the sway bar won’t deflect as much as it would if it was mounted with rubber bushings. Knaus explained, “In our testing we find about a 20-percent loss of rate in our polyurethane bushings. So if your sway bar has a rate of 200 lb/in, once installed on the vehicle you will only be using 160 lb/in of the bar. Different materials and even durometers of polyurethane will have different losses and can change the handling significantly. Also, different materials wear differently and have different amounts of friction. Since the bar is constantly rotating in the bushings, you want it either well lubricated or in a material with low friction, both for feel and bushing life.”

My aftermarket poly bushings are fine and squeak free after 3 years. Just grease the shit out of them.

Regular greasing would be too difficult. If it was one and done I'd consider it.

teflon tape on the bar works for a long time.

- andrew

It was one and done. I COVERED them in the energy suspension grease and haven’t touched them in 3 years. And I’m in Florida, and the car is parked 1 block from the beach 90% of the time.

Just to clarify, rubberized bushings don't need lube but I have had 0 problems/noises with bar bushings I have had to lube.

On my car I have had poly bushings on my TRD, Hotchkis, Perrin, and Mann setups and they never squeaked at all.

Now someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe you only need to lube the inside of the bushing, and not where the bushing bracket clamps over. I always add a little lube to the point on the bar where the bushings go too.

Like RCE said, teflon tape is something to look at as well.

The Mann bar uses a teflon tube in place of lube, but it is a 9/16" bushing (.5625") over a 13mm bar (.5118"), and the teflon tube fills in the .0507" gap between the 2 measurements.

I think I'll go with OEM. They'll get me through the next 3 or so years. Although the dealership wanted $200 for front/rear end links and bushings :eyebulge:
I'm so used to maintaining a Honda. Usually whatever coins are stuck in my couch are enough to buy part XYZ for my Hondas :bellyroll:

Dealerships way too often ask for insane markup. I usually just find part numbers myself and then search online where to get cheapest.

I ended up buying online and saving $50ish dollars. Only bummer is each part is coming from random places in the US.