Rear Sway Bar Drop Link Bushing - What am I doing wrong?! Options

[friethmiller]

I think I'm installing these bushing from 914rubber wrong! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif) I'm burning through one or two a year. I've determined (2nd photo) that heating them up and then pressing them in by hand is cracking the bushing. What's the "proper" way to do this? Or, what's another technique? My way SUCKS!

Thanks in advance!

[friethmiller]

@mikey914 ?

[technicalninja]

Is the powder coat thick?

I've had thick powder coat screw me over a couple of time now.

Bushings don't fit at all or die early...

[ChrisFoley]

I've always installed those cold with a fancy modified vice-grip c-clamp tool I made 38 years ago.

[Ron914]

Hello ,
I found that the drops links were missing on my car when I purchased it . I tried a couple of times to order them but they must be a popular item as the vendors are out of them all the time . I have seen them advertised by AA and 914 Werks sometimes with the bushings already installed and without .I just bought a set from AA and they came without the bushings installed , I think they actually charge more to install them for you .
I suspect that is because they are difficult to install and one might get damaged when installing . I also have another issue you might run into .

I also bought the sway bar rubber bushings that I never installed on the sway bay because I don't want to cut them to install them but there is no way you are going to push those rubber bushings over that ball end on the sway bar but IO will start a new post on this when I replace my rear shocks .

When I removed the sway bar brackets the bushings were already cut maybe that's the only way to install them but I have never seen a post on this .

When I get around to installing the nylon bushings in my new drop links I will probably try to heat them in hot water then with a press (which I don't have) or on a vice or with a pair of good clamps soak them in hot water and then stick the two parts in a vise or clamp and try to squeeze them in .

Im sure I will damage at least one of the four .
Im interested in other members experience with this job .

Below are a photo of those rubber sway bar bushings and my drop links .

[mepstein]

Cut the bushing. It will still do it's job. All the 911 ones we install are slit lengthwise.

[Ron914]

Cut the bushing. It will still do it's job. All the 911 ones we install are slit lengthwise.

Thanks Mepstein
That answers my question of is this normal or not .

[Ron914]

I've always installed those cold with a fancy modified vice-grip c-clamp tool I made 38 years ago.

Thanks
Let's see heat expands(larger) and cold contracts(smaller) - makes sense
don't know why I didn't think of that .

[friethmiller]

I replaced one in May and then noticed another one broke the other day. I don’t like my crosslink (dingle) dangling in the dirt!

I’ll check the powder coating. And, these came from AA, too.

[Montreal914]

Use Lemfoërder ones? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif)

AutohausAZ for $3.09 ea. Hard to beat. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sunglasses.gif)

https://www.autohausaz.com/pn/LF-9013437820...uRp_DDKodmh7vOL

[Dave_Darling]

I used a vise, screwdrivers for poking, and a whole lot of swearing in bad fake German. And some grease on the outside, but not much of that.

I think the swearing was the most useful part.

--DD

[Front yard mechanic]

I ended up running the edge slightly on the grinding wheel to get them to press on. I only did this after ruining two (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smash.gif)

[friethmiller]

Use Lemfoërder ones? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif)

AutohausAZ for $3.09 ea. Hard to beat. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sunglasses.gif)

https://www.autohausaz.com/pn/LF-9013437820...uRp_DDKodmh7vOL

I used a vise, screwdrivers for poking, and a whole lot of swearing in bad fake German. And some grease on the outside, but not much of that.

I think the swearing was the most useful part.

--DD

I ended up running the edge slightly on the grinding wheel to get them to press on. I only did this after ruining two (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smash.gif)

All good info. I started buying extra last year. I'll employ all these techniques - including the swearing in german (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[Mikey914]

@mikey914 ?

Yes powder is typically 6mil thick, paint less than 1, so on a circular opening doubling the thickness is problematic. I typically use chromated or painted parts for drop links.

[friethmiller]

@mikey914 ?

Yes powder is typically 6mil thick, paint less than 1, so on a circular opening doubling the thickness is problematic. I typically use chromated or painted parts for drop links.

Thanks! I just pulled out an extra bushing the other day. I'm going to examine the drop link before I start and remove any extra paint/material that might be getting in the way. It would be cool to see what kind of "special tool" @ChrisFoley is using (IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif)

[914werke]

try this LINK

[Root_Werks]

try this LINK

That's a good write up Rich! I might be doing this in time. Also agree with others that powder coating can add thickness enough to make it even more a PITA. I'll likely just clean and rattle can the links.