850 Sway Bar Bushings

Post by **kaireland** » 07 May 2010, 10:59

Does anyone know when Volvo switched from replaceable bushings to vulcanized bushings? The ones on my '95 are shot and I want to replace them if possible. I don't feel like buying a new sway bar for two cheap bushings.

Thanks,
Kevin

Post by **jblackburn** » 07 May 2010, 11:08

I think that was one of the nicer features of the 93 model, along with replaceable ball joints. Some early 94's might have that too, but from then on, they are part of the sway bar itself.

You CAN buy replacement bushings...but from the looks of it, they are not fun to remove the old ones & install.

Post by **confused_al** » 07 May 2010, 11:58

https://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/forums ... 9&p=130397

Post by **cn90** » 07 May 2010, 13:28

Yeah,

I am contemplating doing this "Energy Suspension" Standard 20-mm bushing:

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/catalo ... stid=29676

Maybe you can to do this and report back? Cheap enough at $20.

Post by **cn90** » 10 May 2010, 15:25

So any smart people out there replacing the sway bar bushing with aftermarket part?
Feed back please!

Post by **kaireland** » 11 May 2010, 21:15

cn90 wrote:Yeah,

I am contemplating doing this "Energy Suspension" Standard 20-mm bushing:

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/catalo ... stid=29676

Maybe you can to do this and report back? Cheap enough at $20.

I ordered these in black this afternoon. The black have graphite impregnated in them. I will be trying to install them next weekend. I will keep you updated.

Post by **cn90** » 11 May 2010, 21:35

Thanks!

Please update us. Many people are in the same boat!
I don't understand this Volvo vulcanized bushing business. Many cars I have owned have separate bushings that are easy to replace!

PS: If the bushings you order have no slit, then I think you may want to cut a slit at the bottom so you can spread and slide in on top of the sway bar. My 1998 BMW 528i has this setup (slit at the bottom of the bushing).

Please do a DIY write-up including the size of your sway bar (I have 20mm sway bar). From what I understand, diff years have diff sizes, anywhere between 20mm, 20.5mm to 21mm!

Post by **cn90** » 19 May 2010, 18:55

OK,

I just jacked up the car for inspection. My FRONT sway bar bushing is cracked after 12 years 106K, but no significant gap between the bushing and the bracket yet.

I measured the dimensions in case anyone needs to buy the generic bushings (I have not replaced my bushings yet).
My car is 1998 V70:
- Sway Bar 20mm
- Bushing is 40 mm x 30 mm x 30 mm, with 5 mm at the bottom. See pic:

: 98-Volvo-Swaybar.JPG (60.83 KiB) Viewed 6888 times

Post by **kaireland** » 21 May 2010, 20:46

I have the bushings in my possession and we will be putting them on tomorrow. I am sure we will get plenty of pictures while we do it.

I am attaching a pic of what my left bushing currently looks like.

Post by **kaireland** » 24 May 2010, 14:26

I had to punt on replacing these on Saturday. When we got the bar off we found that the band that holds the bar is actually two pieces and they are press fitted together. When deciding how much work it was going to take to get them off we decided that Saturday was not the day to do it. I will probably now wait until I can afford the IPD sway bars.