Sway Bar Link bushings

[xb3lialx]

I just purchased new sway bar links and the links came with their own bushings, but I also bought new "performance" bushings. The "performance" bushings don't fit snug as the link bushings fit. Does this matter or its no big deal?:shocked:

 

[xb3lialx]

The BLUE bushings are the bushings the links came with

 

[4everun22]

If they're tightened down I don't see the problem. Maybe keep the ones they came with somewhere if a problem occurs.

 

[jeremyc74]

What brand are the blue ones? The ones I put on my truck look very similar, and they're junk. They've been on about a year and they're already cracked as bad as the 15 year old ones I took off.

Edit: Found a pic I took while doing the tie rods that shows what I'm talking about.

 

[xb3lialx]

The blue bushings are Mevotech came with the sway bar links. The red bushings are Prothane. I was thinking once I tighten up the nut there would be enough pressure holding down the bushings in place.

 

[foo]

The blue bushings are Mevotech came with the sway bar links. The red bushings are Prothane. I was thinking once I tighten up the nut there would be enough pressure holding down the bushings in place.

How did that job work out for you?
Did you ever re-order the correct bushings?

Today I measured my stock original sway bar and endlink rods with calipers to be:
1. Sway bar midpoint diameter was 1.042 inches (roughly 26.5mm)
2. Endlink bar midpoint diameter was 0.395 inches (roughly 10.0mm)

I called both companies to get sizes, and I was disappointed that they both seemed to be wholly unaware of the mismatched size problem.
1. Energy Suspensions 8.5118{R,G} kit: 888-913-6374 (the problem is apparently the swaybar body bushing size at 27mm is too big by 1mm)
2. Prothane #18-1115 kit: 888-776-8426 (the problem is apparently the endlink bushing size, at 0.600 inches is huge with roughly 5.5mm of slop!)

Domenic at Prothane told me the bushings should be undersized by 20 thousandths of an inch (0.5mm) for a proper fit.

Given that and the diameter of my positively stock OEM sway bar and endlinks, the size of the bushings should be:
1. Sway bar body bushings should be 26mm (1.024 inches)
2. Endlink rod bushings should be 9.5mm (0.375 inches or 3/8-inch)

I'm still confused about what sizes are actually shipped in the two kits, but it seems that the right sizes can only be obtained by getting
1. The 26mm (1.024 inch) swaybar body bushing from Prothane
2. The 9.5mm (3/8th-inch) endlink rod bushings from Energy Suspensions

Since it's unfair to have to purchase both kits just to get one fit, does anyone suggest a DIFFERENT kit manufacturer who has the part sizes right?

Lots more detail in this thread:
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-g...er-part-under-my-4runner-makes-noise-now.html

Here is a relevant edit of your excellent pictures!

 

[mtbtim]

If they're tightened down I don't see the problem. Maybe keep the ones they came with somewhere if a problem occurs.

This is what Prothane told me. But, I still have a problem with such a sloppy fit. The inside diameter of the OEM bushings is 3/8". The red ones in the picture are 6/10". Almost a 1/4" difference. I've got the same problem with the Prothane 18-1115 kit and I'm not accepting this sloppy fit as "Good Enough". I plan on getting end link bushings from the Energy Suspension kit #8.5118 and get the correct fit.

 

[foo]

This is what Prothane told me. But, I still have a problem with such a sloppy fit. The inside diameter of the OEM bushings is 3/8". The red ones in the picture are 6/10". Almost a 1/4" difference. I've got the same problem with the Prothane 18-1115 kit and I'm not accepting this sloppy fit as "Good Enough". I plan on getting end link bushings from the Energy Suspension kit #8.5118 and get the correct fit.

Thanks for the update as it's rare that people spend the time to help everyone by posting the details of their proposed and working solutions.

After having spent a few hours on this, I would NOT recommend the Energy Suspension #8.5118 kit. I would recommend the (new) #8.5141 kit instead.

At least that's what I'm gonna get.

On the sloppy fit, it's potentially even worse than sloppy, when you take "preload" compression into account.

Given my positively stock endlink 0.395-inch 10.0mm OD midpoint measurement ...
1. With a 20 thousandths tight fit (which you get with the 0.375-inch 9.5mm ID Energy Suspension endlink bushings), you get preload from both the diameter compression and the height compression.

2. With the whopping 5mm sloppy fit (which you get with the 0.591 15.0mm ID Prothane endlink bushings), you only get preload from the diameter compression.

If we assume the same polyurethane materials, the preload has to be different between the two "fits".

Whether that matters or not is unknown to me; but logic says that the preload will definitely be different if the heights and materials are similar.

More details in this thread today:
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-g...er-part-under-my-4runner-makes-noise-now.html