2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Front Sway bar bushings

[TravisG]

I am trying to replace the bushings on the links to my sway bar. Can anyone tell me how the bottom seperates from the sway bar? Or how to get the new bushings in. TIA. Travis.

 

[Dave M]

About 3 months ago I replaced my front sway bar bushings and all the control arm bushings with energy suspension poly bushings and rebuilt my track bar with lukes link. I also replaced the sway bar end links and bushings. I can't remember exactly how I did the link but I believe I used a pitman arm puller to pop the link off the sway bar. I found a cheap pitman puller at Harbor Freight and bought a pickle fork set at Pep Boys. I could of used the pickle fork but I'm pretty sure the pitman arm puller was big enough to work.



This is a drawing from the service manual of the front sway bar and end links:

 

[RDelissen]

when I replaced mine the whole link assembly was one piece (that goes to the actual antiswaybar)

 

[TravisG]

Yeah money is kinda tight right now. So I went the cheap way w/ the bushing repair kit. But I have found out that replacing the bushings is next to impossible without busting the link. The truck is going to sit for the next couple of weeks for travel to Texas and Wisconsin so I guess when I get back I will break down and buy the links. thanks for all the help and if anyone else can help w/ the bushings I would appreciate it.

 

[98slushbox]

Trav,

On my 2 wheeler... . oh wait a sec. its a 2 wheeler, it doesnt have one. :-laf Or what i can remember it doesnt. I dont have to worry about it for a while anyways. It gets great fuel milage right now setting on jack stands in my shop :{

I'll take a look on my dually about the bushings. Are you just wanting to replace the two that bolt to the frame, or the rubbers on the end pieces also? If its just the two centers they should just unbolt and slide off around the bar, but dont quote me on that. Thats the way they are on chevy's anyways.

Lance

 

[TravisG]

Lance- yeah I just want to change out the bushings. I thought that I could unbolt the top and it would pull down enough to swap out the bottom bushing. WRONG. So I am kinda stuck right now unless someone can figure it out.



How are things in Owensville? And what is wrong w/ the pimp mobile?

 

[biggy238]

You can't lift the frame off of the front axle far enough to release them? I had to unbolt mine at the frame to allow full droop when I put in the front coil spacers.

 

[TRCM]

You can do what you want (replace just the upper bushings) if you unbolt the sway bar from the frame under the radiator and lower it.



When I replaqced my end links, I drilled the ball joints on the bottom of the linsk and put zerks in them so I could lube them up.



The ball joints on my 97 dually are at almost max angle sitting at rest. I plan on switching to a 98 sway bar and end links in the future... they work better and will last longer due to a much better design.



When I replaced mine, the ball joint was no longer a joint... it was 2 seperate peices (front & rear). All I did was tear the rudber boot and it was off after I unbolted the top.





I also highly recommend you get the links from dodge. All the parts houses that can get them (NAPA was the only one I found) sell links that are too short for the rear by about 1 1/2", so I didn't even bother with them for the front.

 

[Dave M]

I had to drop the front sway bar to get the end links off the frame supports due to the tension on the links and sway bar. You might have to at least loosen the sway bar bushings to get enough droop to drop the links off the frame supports.



To get the links off to replace them (if thats what you've decided to do) I used a pitman arm puller to seperate the end link from the sway bar because the end links are a tapered shaft that is pressed on the sway bar.



A pickle fork could be used but it will destroy the rubber bushing. If you are replacing them anyhow it won't matter. The pitman puller was neater and was easy to use.

 

[WyattEarp]

Moog has those links with grease zerks in them i replaced mine back mid year... the only thing is that the link on the right side didn't fit back exactly right, only thing i can figure is that the tapered part that fits in the mounting hole was not exactly true. . the left side went right back in with no problems but i did torq the nut on the right and so far so good, but i need to replace bushings on my rear sway far as you can grab it and with some effort it will slip in the bushing a little, front seems to be tight. . But after 112500+ miles its due for new tie rod ends and the other sealed junk thats under there.

 

[98slushbox]

Travis,

I guess everythings good here. could always be worse right. woulda been a whole lot better though if i woulda won the big $340 mil. the other day Looks like you got enough answers from everyone else on the bushings. The ol 2 wheeler clutch got sick, so i pulled it out. Scotts supposed to send it off and have a little work done on it, well that is if Owl eyes (jeremy) drops it off to scott. May be a few months or years since he has it. :-laf Think i might just put it back together and sell it and maybe the four door and build a chevy/cummins. Need to get rid of two trucks and have only one. This house stuff is aggrivating sometimes. :{