I was wondering what i should do. I bought the bushings with the metal frame. But as I dont have a press it might be easier to just buy the rubber and push it into the bushing frame, once i grind out all the rubber.. I'm just not sure how those work.

I dont want to drop the axle(I know its not an axle because there are no gears, but im unsure what its called).

I imagine if I torch the previous bushing it would pop out. I can only hit one side, as the radius arm is in the way. but if its heated, I imagine it would come out.



Any ideas as far as replacing stabilizer bushings would be appreciated.

 

What year van do you have?
Are you talking about these bushings?

 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ba-XMJsFqKM

Similar to that. My van has the regular suspension. And is a 93 rwd

 

OH,, cant help you out here.. My 85 is much different then yours..

 

unbolt the 4 bolts that hold the "loops around the sway bar and let it drop down and pull it forward and out of the bushings in the beams/axles.


can burn out the bushing inside the rubber sleave if you are daring.......... or find a big socket that pushes on the steel outer sleave and drive them out of each I beam, clean any burrs from the beam bore and drive the new bushigns in. lots of lube in the beam and outside of the bushing sleave.


then stick the sway bar ends in the beam and bolt up the loops again.


easy job...........
my 2003 has pretty badly won bushings, but until the make a rattle sound I won't touch them!


good luck
cheers James

 

I'm assuming we're talking about the front sway bar bushings, those that are in the I-Beams, sway bar stabbing into them?

My best advice based on doing this chore at least three times so far......ditch or return the metal-shelled versions in favor of Prothane or Energy Suspension parts---those without the metal shells. Much better bushing, don't really require much more tooling than long bolts, washers and nuts. This is what I use: http://www.energysuspension.com/parts-search.html, p/n 4.8101R, red so people notice them.

First remove the OEM bushings including the rather soft steel shell---various ways to do this from using a hammer and long chisel or air chisel---anyway that safely removes just the sleeves, assuming the inner rubber stuff is gone.

Lightly scuff the I-Beam holes with Emery cloth or something semi-abrasive. The urethane bushings can be "pulled" into the I-Beams via a homemade system where the back side is totally supported by a metal washer or plate thick enough to withstand maybe 100 lbs pulling force. Lube the bushings before pulling on them.

Insert a threaded rod with nut (3/8" minimum) that's long enough to go through both the as yet uninstalled bushing with metal backing plate and I-Beam on the opposite side with another backing plate or thick washer. When all this is aligned tighten one of the nuts while watching the progress of the bushing as it goes into and through the I-Beam. That's basically all there is to it.

The Energy Suspension sway bar bushing kit should include the U-Bracket bushings too---use them but don't over tighten the mounting bolts into the frame---they WILL strip out fairly easily.

If you need more info please let us know!

 

Thanks for your responses. I already unbolted the sway bar. And tried hammering it out of the i-beam. but it wont come out. In the youtube link i shared it seems like the bushing frame is still inserted in the ibeam and he uses the method jwa mentioned to insert replacement rubber.

Would a torch and hammer get the old metal bushing frames out? And them maybe i can just find a socket and pop the new ones in as
68Mercury250Ranger mentioned.

Thank you both for your advise.

The reason why i am looking to replace these. Is because i would hear pretty good metal sound everyime i go over a bump. And i noticed that, one of the rubber pieces would pop out of the drivers side, and the passenger side, looked like it was extremely worn. It turned out I also had a bad radius arm bushing. So I tackled that. It took me a long time, but i think it was worth it for the experience, and money saved. The catalytic converter is in the way of the bolts coming out. So I needed to drop it. Overall 6 or so hours of fun. I know I'm slow, but having to get the bolts in and out with the cat in the way, was still a pain after dropping it. As i left the back bracket from the exhaust attached, for what ever reason.

Here is what i bought online. And if it works I will return the After Market OEM bushings.

 

If the OEM bushing sleeves are all that remains they can be "crushed" by a large punch or chisel forced against the small lip protruding from the I-Beam. Simply line up the punch/chisel, swing away until it deforms inward. These sleeves are rather soft so it doesn't take a lot of force to move them.

Once you have a bit of a foothold or crease forming begin another one close by. After one or two of these you should be able to tap the sleeve out of the I-Beam.

Radius arm bushings can be "easily" replaced by removing the three bolts holding the brackets to the frame. This eliminates the need to remove the radius arm from the I-Beam. I've seen this done a number of times by professional spring shops so know its a labor saving process if nothing else.

Axle pivot bushings are a whole other ball game so please do that only on a lift. Too much weight and spring loaded bits up front---better to be safe than sorry. IF you do tackle that pay close attention to the aftermarket bushing's installation directions----some require you to keep those steel sleeves in place---quite different from the sway bar bushings. Once again I use Energy Suspension parts here----and the radius arms too.

 

Yeah it was labor intensive. I just replaced one. It is pretty straight forward. Although lining the bracket up is somewhat difficult. I just hope its installed right lol. I used common sense. It seemed alittle different than the OEM. But i think its aright.

I'll let you know how it goes with hammering out that bushing frame. And I might just use the after market stabilizer bushings

I use the cheapest parts

 

I think I need some thing else. I used a light hammer and a screw driver as I don't have a chisel.

 

You need a torch and an AIR chisel....that's it ...you heat it up and hit it with the air chisel....OR hit it out from the back side with a hardwood drift ....aluminium works too ..you need to hit it real hard...

 

You don't need a torch, just the air chisel. Collapse the sleeve and it will fall out.

 

Well my issue is i dont have a an air compressor. I will see if i can find some kind of drill bit. to go on my hammer drill

 

here is what i found. just gota head over to the home depot. and hopefully this ordeal will be over soon.

Bosch 18 in. Narrow Chisel-HS2462 - The Home Depot

 

NO that is the wrong style you want to cut through it ...you need a flat blade... heat it up with a torch and buy a Masonry Chisel ( 14-16 inch) and get a good Lump hammer and hit it as hard as you can ...Or find a Mason around you and get him to hit it for you..You need a dead blow shot....You have to hit it real hard...