Oil-soaked front sway bar bushings...

[dcarrb]

...eventually go "kerplooey," as I discovered on a winding stretch of Tennessee two-lane last night.

Word to the wise: Fix those leaks. My drippy cam cover gaskets were replaced many months ago, but it seems the damage was done.

dcb

[dcarrb]

Update 3/29/07

Two weeks+ since ordering, still no bushings.

(Mini-rant: Sure would be nice if Subaru would drop-ship directly from parts distribution centers. With computer inventory management, it's absurd that something sitting on a shelf someplace in the lower 48 takes so long to reach a customer.)

Before ordering, I phoned the local O'Reilly's to see if maybe they had an aftermarket cross-reference. Nothing in the system. The guy then looked in their new Moog book and chuckled, "they don't even show an SVX."

dcb

[ShiuludeSVX]

Update 3/29/07

Two weeks+ since ordering, still no bushings.

(Mini-rant: Sure would be nice if Subaru would drop-ship directly from parts distribution centers. With computer inventory management, it's absurd that something sitting on a shelf someplace in the lower 48 takes so long to reach a customer.)

Before ordering, I phoned the local O'Reilly's to see if maybe they had an aftermarket cross-reference. Nothing in the system. The guy then looked in their new Moog book and chuckled, "they don't even show an SVX."

dcb

UMMMMMMMM http://www.andysautosport.com/mercury/1990_1995_cougar/suspension/bushings/sway_bar_bushings/energy_suspension/

I was just out playin, looking for components, and I wish I knew the dimensions of the Sway busings without having to pull em.

Whataya think. Message at the bottom says 1 and 1/16 inch. I assume Inside Diameter.

[dcarrb]

If you're asking if I think those would fit, I don't know the dimensions. Surely there's something out there that would be an acceptable substitute; the problem would be finding one. A friend kept telling me I just needed to go someplace and sort through their "bin of busings" to luck upon a match. Yeah, good luck finding a parts house that that stores parts that way anymore. I was thinking that I'd read here of aftermarket performance-type bushings for the SVX, but I didn't bother searching because I'd ordered the OEM parts the morning after mine failed and didn't anticipate that it would take so long to get 'em.

A word on trying to find a visual match: The old bushings on my car had swollen to fully 50% larger than original. The rubber was the consistency of a candy gumdrop. When I got the goods last Thursday (one day shy of four weeks) my heart sank because I thought they'd sent the wrong bushings. If you go looking for a replacement, have a mount in hand.

dcb

[svxcess]

Check this thread here: HERE (http://www.subaru-svx.net/forum/showthread.php?t=23595&highlight=front+sway+bar+bushings), especially the posts by svxfiles.

Also check chike's thread with photos here: HERE (http://www.subaru-svx.net/forum/showthread.php?t=24206&highlight=winter+mod)

Summit Racing has these bushings Energy Suspension Part No. ENS-9-5105G for $13.69 HERE (http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=ENS%2D9%2D5105G&N=700+115&autoview=sku)

http://static.summitracing.com/global/images/prod/large/ens-9-5105g_w.jpg



While the car was in the air, I would also consider doing the rear sway arm bushings as well. Direct replacement and fairly easy to do ENS-9-5121G. Click HERE (http://store.summitracing.com/egnsearch.asp?Ntt=9-5121G&searchinresults=false&Ntk=KeywordSearch&DDS=1&N=700+302412+4294812166+4294891681+115&x=32&y=5)

http://static.summitracing.com/global/images/prod/large/ens-9-5121g_w.jpg

.

[dcarrb]

Maybe this is noted in those threads, but it's worth reiterating that the mounting points for the stock clamps are staggered; in other words, the clamps aren't symmetrical, so any sort of alternate clamp would require serious massaging to work. And you'd need to secure appropriate-sized nuts, as the mounting bolts thread directly into the stock clamp.

Not that I'm an old hand at this, but I was surprised by the degree of compression with the OEM bushings. Mighty snug. By comparison, the red bushing pictured in that first thread above sure looks loose.

dcb

[svxcess]

Weare not talking about the red bushings, just the two different ones mentioned from Energy Suspension (which are black).

Once the front ones are slightly modified with the notch, they will continue to use the stock bushing clamps and bolts. Believe me they are extremely tight when in place with no looseness.

PM svxfiles on this for more information or ask here. he has done many bushing replacements (including mine) using the Energy Suspension products and they work flawlessly!
,

[ShiuludeSVX]

Thank You for the input from both sides.

I will start something to remedy this today.

[SVeXy96]

Update 3/29/07

Two weeks+ since ordering, still no bushings.

(Mini-rant: Sure would be nice if Subaru would drop-ship directly from parts distribution centers. With computer inventory management, it's absurd that something sitting on a shelf someplace in the lower 48 takes so long to reach a customer.)

Before ordering, I phoned the local O'Reilly's to see if maybe they had an aftermarket cross-reference. Nothing in the system. The guy then looked in their new Moog book and chuckled, "they don't even show an SVX."

dcb

A piece of advice since I have 2 SVXs 1 in Tennessee and 1 in Cali..when you order SVX parts on the east coast the dealership "has to order them from a warehouse on the west coast" but when you order SVX parts on the west coast the dealership "has to get the parts from a warehouse on the east coast" lol

[dcarrb]

I'm pretty disgusted with the factory parts situation and wish Subaru would enable some provision like drop-shipping for those of us who have no dealership nearby. The sway bar bushings (ordered from Liberty Subaru in NJ) were one thing, but I placed an order with subaruparts.com back over the St. Patrick's Day weekend ('cos they were having a sale) and every item I ordered showed as being in-stock, but when I tracked the package two weeks later, I learned that it took three days just for them to pull and ship the order. That's service for you.

Edit: My mechanic just called. The front wheel bearing and seal set I asked him to order for my silver SVX on Monday? Got it. NAPA. And people wonder why I favor aftermarket parts.

dcb

[Earthworm]

*sniff* no one mentioned my group buy :( :D

[Hocrest]

*sniff* no one mentioned my group buy :( :D

That was during the time that you were incommunicado...
We thought you got carried into the Canadian wilderness by a moose :p :D

[Earthworm]

That was during the time that you were incommunicado...
We thought you got carried into the Canadian wilderness by a moose :p :DI was still reachable by email, IM and the chat room (for those who could actually log into the chat room).