Help installing sway bar bushings - Toyota GR86, 86, FR-S and Subaru BRZ Forum & Owners Community

Windycitystig · 04-18-2020, 06:12 PM

I bought an 18 mm Whiteline rear sway bar. I need to install the new bushings on the bar. I can’t get the one-piece bushings to open enough to place them over the bar. Does anyone have any tips?

motosteveo · 04-18-2020, 11:11 PM

I had the same problem with my exhaust hangers when I put them on. A little WD40 did the trick

norcalpb · 04-21-2020, 01:00 PM

Oh man this is the worst part of any sway bar install lol.

What I do is is lube the inside of the bushing channel, and then take a really wide flat head screw driver and keep prying the bushing opening to give it a bit more play. Once it frees up I’ll put the screwdriver in the corner of the bushing (so only part of the bushing opening is pried open), and then take that narrow/lubricated opening and force it onto the bar.

sneaky_pete · 04-23-2020, 11:35 AM

getting anything into a tight space just requires a bit of lube...

you could try putting them in near boiling water for a couple of minutes to soften them up a bit.

Ernest72 · 04-23-2020, 02:12 PM

Yeah. I had the same issue. I eventually manhandled it on. A lot of cursing.

04-18-2020, 06:12 PM	#1
Windycitystig Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Drives: Posts: 53 Thanks: 57 Thanked 18 Times in 12 Posts Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Help installing sway bar bushings I bought an 18 mm Whiteline rear sway bar. I need to install the new bushings on the bar. I can’t get the one-piece bushings to open enough to place them over the bar. Does anyone have any tips?

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04-18-2020, 11:11 PM	#2
motosteveo Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Drives: 2013 WRB 6MT Location: Minneapolis, MN Posts: 30 Thanks: 18 Thanked 28 Times in 17 Posts Mentioned: 2 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	I had the same problem with my exhaust hangers when I put them on. A little WD40 did the trick

04-21-2020, 01:00 PM	#3
norcalpb Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Drives: 2013 BRZ, 2023 Model 3 Location: SF Bay Area Posts: 2,345 Thanks: 1,256 Thanked 902 Times in 590 Posts Mentioned: 15 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Oh man this is the worst part of any sway bar install lol. What I do is is lube the inside of the bushing channel, and then take a really wide flat head screw driver and keep prying the bushing opening to give it a bit more play. Once it frees up I’ll put the screwdriver in the corner of the bushing (so only part of the bushing opening is pried open), and then take that narrow/lubricated opening and force it onto the bar.

04-23-2020, 11:35 AM	#4
sneaky_pete Member Join Date: Jun 2018 Drives: MY14 86 GTS Manual Velocity Orange Location: Australia Posts: 83 Thanks: 4 Thanked 52 Times in 29 Posts Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	getting anything into a tight space just requires a bit of lube... you could try putting them in near boiling water for a couple of minutes to soften them up a bit.

04-23-2020, 02:12 PM	#5
Ernest72 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2016 Drives: 16 Silver BRZ, 04 Silver WRX wagon Location: Rockland county, NY Posts: 1,429 Thanks: 186 Thanked 776 Times in 446 Posts Mentioned: 1 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Yeah. I had the same issue. I eventually manhandled it on. A lot of cursing.

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