sway bar bushings

[90festiva420]

I just replaced both ball joints/control arms on my 90 festiva and i am having a hell of a time getting the sway bar back in the control arms. The new bushings are to new and i cant compress them enough to get the retainer and nut on! Any suggestions, comments ideas!

[Pu241]

liquid soap, WD40, brake fluid, KY, etc.!
Peferably something that will not breakdown rubber.
Use as little as possible and when you can start the nut on the threads tighten it down is stages!

Pu241

[Sho_tyme_psi]

liquid soap, WD40, brake fluid, KY, etc.!
Peferably something that will not breakdown rubber.
Use as little as possible and when you can start the nut on the threads tighten it down is stages!

Pu241

:lol:


There a pain man, I even took a razor and trimed mine on one side they was so bad. Better off have 2 ppl, 1 with both hand push washer dwn and one to start the nut.

[Pu241]

liquid soap, WD40, brake fluid, KY, etc.!
Preferably something that will not breakdown rubber.
Use as little as possible and when you can start the nut on the threads tighten it down is stages!

Pu241

:lol:

Just trying to provide useful information that may well be useful in other areas of life!
please note the lack of recommending Vaseline which is known to degrade numerous types of rubbers! :wink:

Pu241

[oxbrain]

I used silicon spray and put the control arms on the sway bar before bolting them to the frame. Have a fat friend sit in the car and lift up on the hub to get it aligned.

[Pu241]

....Have a fat friend sit in the car and lift up on the hub to get it aligned.

I resemble that remark! :lol:

Pu241

[Silv3rBull3t]

To properly do this, you need to compress the front suspension as if the wheels were resting on the ground. You can put a jack under the ball joint to do this, or put the wheels back on and lower the car down onto ramps.. Either way the closer the LCA is to horizontal with the ground the better/easier it is to do. -Kyle