Worst luck ever during sway bar bushing replacement

[EvilMole]

Same thing happened to me. I still have not replaced it, so far the bracket has not bent, but have not gone hard wheeling yet. Mine was on the rear bracket.

Drilled out the broken stud with a 5/16" bit and threw in whatever 1/4" bolt and nut I had on hand. Problem solved!

 

[dakrause]

Thanks, this was helpful to fix my 1997 4Runner.
In case it is helpful to anyone else, my cost breakdown was as follows:
Two Moog K90681 Sway Bar Link Kit-$12.84 each(Amazon "used"/repackaged)
One Prothane 18-1115 Red 26 mm Front Sway Bar Bushing Kit-$15.10 (Amazon)
Installation $80 cash
All in cost: $120.78

 

[foo]

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

The summary is that 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?

 

[foo]

Also, did you try fitting the bushing with the actual sway bar in it? Try that before you buy new bushings.

I'm not sure whom that was directed at, but it's crazy to have to jack up the truck, disassemble the sway bar, measure, reassemble with perhaps destroyed parts, and then order the new replacement parts, just so that we can repeat the process all over again.

It should be as simple as a lookup engine, based on the VIN or make/model/options.

If it's not that simple, it should STILL be as simple as measuring the midpoint on the swaybar and on the endlink, and extrapolating the sizes from there.

For example, in the thread I previously referenced, we show that this seems to be a reliable measurement technique which can be done without disassembling anything.

Further details are at that thread, where we have found a solution already, and are working on a second solution:
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-g...er-part-under-my-4runner-makes-noise-now.html

 

[Black & Tan 98T4R]

Have you sanded and painted your sway bar now? I’m planning on replacing my bushings like you and I’d like to do the same to my sway bar. I found this thread helpful- thanks!

 

[hoksibish]

Great info, thank you all for this