How do I get the bushings on the end of the sway bar out? Is there a special tool for that? Seems like you need a hydraulic press or something like that ...

Use a propane torch, ignite the bushing and let it burn until you see the rubber oozing out. Then put out the fire, use a stick or something of the sort to push it out, the bushing will pretty much fall out. If it has a metal outer jacket still in the sway bar, a chisel and hammer will deal with that farely easily. For installation of the new bushings, stick the new bushings in the freezer for about 8 hrs. Thoroughly clean the bushing hole of the sway bar during this time. I'll get some pics up here to show ya how to do it from there with just a long bolt, a couple of sockets, couple of washers, and a nut.

OOPS, camera is dead, gotta recharge

Uhh ... Yeah, I was thinking about setting it on fire, but there should be a better way ... I don't have a torch, anyway, not even a vise bench.

I'm getting the idea about squeezing it in with a bolt, too bad that the idea doesn't work easily to get it out ...

buy a propane torch, its all it took to get mine off

Yeah, either that, or a vise bench. The vise would be more useful ...

The old bushings come out easily in the vise bench. But the new ones aren't going in.

The rubber bulges up when I try to squeeze them in. I've put them in the freezer and will try again tomorrow, but I don't think they will go in.

Did they make different sizes? The diameter of the bushing is quite a bit larger than the diameter of the hole on the end of the sway bar ... the hole is 34mm in diameter, the bushings are 39mm, that's about 0.2" difference.

Can I drive without the sway bar installed?

There are two different sizes I do believe for those sway bars.I bought a energy suspension polyurethane kit from ebay a few years ago and it stated two sizes were available.

I burned mine out with a torch and they just fell out.

Can't see a real problem driving without the sway bar.

If you heat load bearing parts of the suspention above 400'F you can alter the steels hardness or ability to flex and return to its orginal shape.

Could take it to a shop and have them put em in, shouldnt cost much either. I had sway bars off my blazer for years without issue. My jeep doesnt even have sway bars.

The old bushings come out easily in the vise bench. But the new ones aren't going in.

The rubber bulges up when I try to squeeze them in. I've put them in the freezer and will try again tomorrow, but I don't think they will go in.

Did they make different sizes? The diameter of the bushing is quite a bit larger than the diameter of the hole on the end of the sway bar ... the hole is 34mm in diameter, the bushings are 39mm, that's about 0.2" difference.

Can I drive without the sway bar installed?
This is why you use the long bolt, a couple of sockets, a nut, and some washers. You need to apply the pressure to the outside race of the bushing, not the rubber. Trying to get the bushing in by pushing on the rubber will never, ever work. There should be a metal lip around the outside of the bushing. Use a socket that just fits tight around the rubber but makes contact squarely on the bushing lip. Now put the dang thing in the bench vise with the socket and you'll get somewhere. If ya need pics lemme know.

There should be a metal lip around the outside of the bushing.


Hm, they don't have a metal lip around the rubber. I was thinking I might have to put a hose clamp around, but I didn't think that would work.

But I got them in --- I squeezed the metal pipe that is inside of the bushing out a bit so that the side without the pipe went into the hole on the sway bar end. From there, I managed to squeeze both the rubber into the hole and the pipe back into the bushing.

For the next time, I know I'm better off taking it to a shop that has some special tool for this. It doesn't work well, the bushing can be damaged, and it's a PITA. It's better to pay someone and have it done right, can't cost much if they have the tools needed.

What did your old bushings look like?

The ones on my A-arms are rounded out a bit and can see light through the hole.

Did they even have a metal sleeve around the outside of the bushing Lee?

did you get the factory rubber bushings or the neoprene?

What did your old bushings look like?


The ones on the crossmember on the front looked very thin and not sitting tight, one of them fell apart in two pieces.

The new ones are pretty tight.


The bushings on the ends of the sway bar had the rubber that was sticking out cracked and mushroomed. The part sitting inside the holes wasn't cracked, but they didn't sit in there as tight as the new ones do. I cut off the cracked part and they were easy to get out. The parts that came out were somewhat hardened and look worn.

It's a lot more stable with the new bushings, the sway bar now actually prevents swaying. Like when driving through the small ditch at an intersection while turning 90 degrees to the right, I'm driving through the ditch in an angle. Before the bushings were replaced, I turned the wheels to the left at the right moment in the ditch because that would help prevent the truck from swaying (or call it jerking) to the left and then to the right. With the new bushings, I can just drive through the ditch and remind myself not to turn the wheels to the left because it doesn't sway/jerk anymore. I'll have to get used to that ...

That's an extreme example ... overall, it just drives much better because it's more stable. I'm surprised how much difference it makes, I'd never have expected that much. The suspension on these trucks is actually very good when everything is in good shape.


The ones on my A-arms are rounded out a bit and can see light through the hole.

You mean light between the rubber inside the holes at the ends of the bar and the hole/ring the rubber sits in? If it's that bad, I'd recommend to replace all of them.

You'll have to measure the diameter of the sway bar to get the front ones in the right size. Make sure new brackets are included because the old brackets will probably not fit for the new bushings.

Did they even have a metal sleeve around the outside of the bushing Lee?

No, they are just like the bushings that are used on shocks: Round pieces of rubber with a metal tube through the center, but of different size. The inner diameter of the rubber pieces is a lot smaller than the outer diameter of the tubes so that the tubes sit very tight, just like the bushings sit very tight in the holes at the end of the sway bar.


Diaric, the end bushings are rubber, the ones for the front are some sort of plastic, PU or whatever.

No, they are just like the bushings that are used on shocks: Round pieces of rubber with a metal tube through the center, but of different size. The inner diameter of the rubber pieces is a lot smaller than the outer diameter of the tubes so that the tubes sit very tight, just like the bushings sit very tight in the holes at the end of the sway bar.


Diaric, the end bushings are rubber, the ones for the front are some sort of plastic, PU or whatever.
For future reference Lee, liquid dish washing detergent works well for installing rubber bushings, I thought they were the steel jacketed type or I'd have thrown that out there before. Just coat the outside surface of the rubber with the detergent. Makes a night and day difference on how easy they go in.

Thanks! I used grease to make them slide in easier, but it didn't really help.