P80 swaybar bushings 9173983

[abscate]

No, don’t get your hopes up.

The issue.

On the P80 front swaybar, the bushings are bonded to the bar, and if they wear out, Volvo wants you to replace the entire bar at $150 plus shipping.

This offends my Honarary Order of the Scottish Empire Reward sensibility, so I start a thread to help find the right replacement bushing or mods to replace just the worn parts.

My contribution

I’m going to haul the bar of my parts 1998 and document the bushing size so we can hunt for another brand replacement part that can be retrofitted.

[ZionXIX]

This is the type of info we will need in order to keep our volvos going when no one supports them anymore. I wish (swedish car parts) would start offering more stuff for P80 platforms. They seem to love redblocks more than anything else.

[Goupil]

Not sure how much difference a polybush would make for swaybar bushings, but there's these
https://www.partsforvolvosonline.com/pr ... 79752ce9b1
https://www.partsforvolvosonline.com/pr ... 79752ce9b1

[erikv11]

My solution is that I stashed a low-miles front sway bar from MIJ's T5 (21.5 mm) under the workbench several years ago. When the bushings go on one of my P80 cars I'll have to decide which car to keep. Or which one gets a fully working front sway.

[smacknab]

Not sure how much difference a polybush would make for swaybar bushings, but there's these
https://www.partsforvolvosonline.com/pr ... 79752ce9b1
https://www.partsforvolvosonline.com/pr ... 79752ce9b1

Has anyone on MVS tried these before?

[Chuck W]

I just ground off the old rubber bushings and used Energy Suspension universal poly sway bar bushings.

Did it on the old '96 GLT when I installed the R-bars. Swapped those to the wife's GLT when we did the RN swap.

Doing the same on my '97 T5 with the 21.5mm XC front bar.

We added some collar clamps to remove any side-to-side movement, seeing as the bushings are no longer bonded. (IPD just welds stops on their bars).

Those poly bushings linked above would work well, as they are a little taller than the ES pieces (to give more room for the collar clamps)

[scot850]

Energy no longer list the P80's for sway bar bushes. I bought one for my IPD sway-bar as it was a a universal 1"/25mm unit. I did like the fact that it has a grease nipple on the mount and bush unlike IPD's mounts. IPD say you should re-grease the poly-bushes every 6 months but to do so requires dropping the rear of the sub-frame to access the bolts and re-torque.

The issue with the OE bar v's the poly-bush swap is the amount of maintenance. Once the OE sway-bar is installed it is usually good for many years and zero maintenance. Poly bush systems needs to be maintained or they will groan. You need to use a aqua grease as regular grease washes out quickly.

The partsforvolvo company has been around for a while so hopefully their parts should be good. They also offer a couple of size options as Volvo used 3 sizes of sway-bar diameters. You also need to get the old vulcanised rubber off the existing bar.

There is a recent thread by a MVS member who claims you can replace the sway-bar without dropping the sub-frame.

Neil.

[Chuck W]

Energy no longer list the P80's for sway bar bushes. I bought one for my IPD sway-bar as it was a a universal 1"/25mm unit.

Yeah, I just have used the universal type from ES.

[manovlov]

Not sure how much difference a polybush would make for swaybar bushings, but there's these
https://www.partsforvolvosonline.com/pr ... 79752ce9b1
https://www.partsforvolvosonline.com/pr ... 79752ce9b1

Hy buddies,

some newbie question :

The poly bush are stronger than the original ones. What impact does it produce when driving ?

Manov

[manovlov]

There is a recent thread by a MVS member who claims you can replace the sway-bar without dropping the sub-frame.

Neil.

Any way to find this post Neil ?

Manov