Energy Suspension sway bar bushings

[Guest]

I went to install these on my car and found that surely the reason they slip when using their cap is because the mounting bracket that bolts to the frame has a small dish in it for the oem bushing.. I think I may have remedied this. I cut a piece of 3/16" steel to go over the 2 studs. This creates the flat surface that the bushings need to stay in place without distorting them by using the Festiva cap.

I will test them all this week and see how they hold up.

[89fester]

I can picture what you did and why. Any follow up would be great because I need to replace my LCA's and sway bushings ASAP. I'd really like to use the poly bushings for the sway.

89 L

[B6T]

DJ, don't use the Energy Suspension supplied bushing brackets. There's a reason why the Festiva "bushing retainer" is made of thicker steel and is physically larger.

I almost found out the hard way when one of the brackets snapped on my car. All the force from the forward and rearward motion of the front wheels is transferred to the car through those brackets, and they are much too weak to be able to withstand those forces. If you did a few hard stops, you'd see what I meant. I ended up using the Festiva "bushing retainers", they don't fit exactly like they should, but at least they are strong. I would try reshaping the bushing to fit better with a Dremel tool if I were you.

[Safety Guy]

Fred wrote:

I almost found out the hard way when one of the brackets snapped on my car. All the force from the forward and rearward motion of the front wheels is transferred to the car through those brackets, and they are much too weak to be able to withstand those forces.

You're talking about the Suspension Tech brackets, right?

Different but related concern:

Is there a need to strengthen/supplement the stabilizer bar front body mountings? Perhaps with extra brackets or something?

(For those readers who may not realize it: Festiva front stabilizer bars are not just "sway bars," they also function as "de facto trailing arms" to position the front knuckles.)

Karl

[Rumnhammer]

bushings

That is exactly what I did, with mine. I used the stock festiva brackets, then used a belt sander to shape the bushings to the festiva bracket, then I welded metal plates under the flats of the stock bracket and drilled them through, so that I didn't have to take as much material off the bottom of the bushing, seems to fit pretty well.
Chris Rummel

[Silv3rBull3t]

Just wanted to dig up this old thread so people can now have some pictures of what people are talking about. I finally broke down and bought the Energy Suspension generic 7/8" bushings from Amazon.com for $22 shipped.

I also had to grind down the flat of the bushing to match the curvature of the existing bushing as well as grind down the edges. It took about 1.5 hours and my bench grinder. not very difficult.

Here are some pix:











Any questions comments feel free.. -Kyle

[JPT]

Good pics! Thank you for posting them!

[frogman]

Caution ! ! !

I have always been taught, NOT to load up grinding wheel with soft materials. They tend to explode from the heat build up. Have seen pictures, not a fun thing to have happen.
Use a belt sander, much safer.

[Maxtiva]

Where is MONSOON ¿?¿

[freshtiva]

Where is MONSOON ¿?¿

Never around when you need him :p

[JPT]

I have always been taught, NOT to load up grinding wheel with soft materials. They tend to explode from the heat build up. Have seen pictures, not a fun thing to have happen.
Use a belt sander, much safer.

Good advice though.

[qroger]

Maybe Monsoonsy got a life.