How To: Sway Bar Bushing Upgrade

A very popular and effective mod is the sway bar bushing upgrade for the 4th gens, the stock rubber bushings wear out fast and can produce body roll and a suspension clunk as well.

The parts I used:
*NOTE* V8 and V6 4x4 bushings are the same sizes, the 2wd models are different.

Front-

Prothane Universal Greasable Sway Bar Bushings - 30MM - Type B Bracket - Red

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003879X7I/ref=oh_details_o09_s01_i02?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Prothane Greasable 30MM Part Number-19-1186

Rear-

$15 Prothane Universal Greasable Sway Bar Bushings - 21MM - Type A Bracket - Red

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0038714NO/ref=oh_details_o09_s01_i03?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Prothane Greasable 21MM Part Number 19-1164

Installation:

First you need to locate the bushings. In the front they are directly forward of the wheel, you can see them with the wheel on. it may help to remove the skid plate in order to change them out.




Removal is incredibly simple, first you need to take out the two bolts holding on the original, air tools really help here. Then, you should clean the bolts because you will be reusing them. Take the new poly bushing out of the new mount, and put it onto the sway bar, then put on the mount, it makes it much easier. re-install, add grease, and the front is finished.

Note- front is much easier with wheel/skid plate off, but can be done with both of those still on.

The Rear: Almost the same process as the front, actually easier though. The smaller sway bar makes it easier to maneuver, but it would be very difficult to replace the rear without the wheels off.

Just like the front, remove the two bolts holding on the bushings, clean them up, and then install the new poly bushing without the mount first. after, reinstall the bolts, add grease, and your ride is about to be much better.

the rear:



The old bushings:

 

I have an extra brand new set of front greasable bushings if anyone wants them!

 

I'm going to bring this one up for a bit. I've been using the Moog bushings in the rear and gotta say they're really nice. The brackets are nice, bushings don't squeak at all considering I didn't even bother greasing them because my grease gun leaked out every last bit of grease.

 

@Bob can be moved to mods and tutorials at your discretion

 

Hello- Thanks for the great write up. I just performed this mod, but have a question. The new front bushings and mounts I used have some room for the sway bar to move toward the front of the vehicle or the rear of the vehicle. The stock mounts only had a hole for the 2 bolts but no wiggle room forward or back ward. I am not sure exactly where the sway bar should be. Please let me know what ya think. Thanks

 

to be honest I'm not entirely sure what would improve handling. i don't have much experience with sway bar setup, but when i had mine at the stock position it drastically decreased body roll. you could always start there and experiment

 

Thanks- Do you know what the stock position is? With the new brackets, the same ones you used, There is some flexibility in the positioning . The mount can slide about a 1/2 inch either way over the bolts.

 

I recently did the ones on our '00, one of the connecting rods had broken. Bought new Prothane bushings and rods and reused one of the old stock brackets and got one new one from the dealer. When I removed the sway bar it was so corroded under the bushings (they had 189K on them) that I got a like new sway bar from the junkie for $30. No way I was going to wrap new bushings around that flaked off mess, the diameter was nothing like factory spec. The Prothane kit had plenty of grease to coat everything and I installed them with the bushing split forward as mentioned elswhere on this list. I did not have to remove the skid plate, but the wheels had to go.
The clunking noise is gone, the UCA bushings are next.

 

I also did this upgrade. I bought a big tub of Mobil 1 synthetic grease (I think it was for ball joint lube if I recall correctly), and I slathered it everywhere (especially inside and metal mounts and inside the bushings) before the install. When I was done, I removed the excess by wiping it down with a rag. It worked well. I'll use the zerk fittings and a grease gun when it's time to re-lube.

Note: You can also order versions of these bushings without the nipple for the grease gun. I would recommend getting it WITH the nipple for the grease gun.

Sometimes polyurethane bushings squeak, and if/when they do, you can put a grease gun on the nipple and give it about 3 good pumps, and that should stop the squeaking.

Good luck to anyone who does this!

-Phil

 

This will be my next project over the Holidays.

 

You can drill the brackets and install grease fittings. I have a 2013 Limited and I bought 1-1/4" front bushes-31mm+/- and 7/8" for rear- 20mm +/- . I can shave one a little if I have to. I got Energy brackets with grease fitting but we have just drilled and installed zerk fittings. Synthetic grease and graphite for non greasable ones or isolators. Probably why there's no specific part. It's a universal size Toyota uses on some things that fits several things.