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73-87 Chevy _ GMC Trucks => Brakes, Frame, Steering & Suspension => Topic started by: firefighter on October 07, 2011, 06:37:41 pm

Title: Sway bar rubber bushings
Post by: firefighter on October 07, 2011, 06:37:41 pm
Quick question,

I am replacing the sway bar bushings on my 1976 Chevy 3/4 ton 4x4. Should the sway bar bushings (the ones directly below the radiator) be tight on the sway bar, or should they be not so tight so the sway bar can easily rotate within them?

Thank you guys.
Title: Re: Sway bar rubber bushings
Post by: Blazin on October 07, 2011, 11:21:47 pm
They should be tight. Don't worry when you through the weight of a 6,000 lb truck into a corner the bar will move in them!
Title: Re: Sway bar rubber bushings
Post by: beastie_3 on October 08, 2011, 12:06:56 am
torque them properly.
Title: Re: Sway bar rubber bushings
Post by: firefighter on October 08, 2011, 06:03:04 am
That's exactly the information I needed.
I'm up at 6AM in the morning on a Saturday, and I'm getting ready to go finish my lift kit installation.
Have a great weekend.
Title: Re: Sway bar rubber bushings
Post by: Sodium Duck on October 18, 2011, 07:05:20 pm
What's the right way to torque them? Are you talking about a pattern, or just the right torque spec? Mine are loose, I may as well fix it right.

http://www.chuckschevytruckpages.com/chevy_front_suspension_torque_specs.html

Looks like 130 foot pounds.

In my search I also found that you could use the German torque spec, Good'n'tight. lol

I also read something about tightening the nut until the bushing is compressed to the same size as the washer?
Title: Re: Sway bar rubber bushings
Post by: bake74 on October 19, 2011, 11:43:05 am
     As a general rule of thumb, with any bushing you want to tighten enough so the bushing starts to compress. (unless they are designed to sit in a cradle with no torque on them)  Any less and the bushing will wear out from excessive movement, also over tightening will flatten the bushing out to much and cause it loose it's absorbent qualities.