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  #1  
Old 10-06-2004, 05:13 PM
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svx_commuter svx_commuter is offline
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Front End Bushing Fix

Well I am pretty happy with this fix. I still have some other loose sounding things going on but this makes a BIG difference in the ride, a definite improvement.

The first thing I did was to take out the front stabilizer bar and sand down all the rust and corrosion on the bar where the rubber bushings make contact.

The second thing I did was cut about 1/8" off the top of the rubber bushings so that when installed there is not so much compression on the rubber. This lets the bar turn easier in the bushings. I have a band saw so this was easy.

The third thing I did and I hope I can explain this, is to make a stop to hold the bar on the driver side. On my car the bar always ends up sliding away from the passenger side. I don't know if this happens on all the SVXi or if mine is special. I have noticed this on mine and once the bar moves away from the passenger side, the bend of the bar enters the bushing and then it is really hard for the bar to rotate.

The stop goes on the inside the bushing on the driver side. I made a washer out of plastic. I just happen to have a piece of Teflon lying around. On the other side of the plastic washer I used two small hose clamps screwed into each other for added length. The hose clamps attach to the bar and can’t slide on the bar. The hose clamps butt up against the plastic washer and the plastic washer butts up against the driver side rubber bushing. This keeps the bushings over the straight part of the bar.

The last thing I did was use anti-seize compound on the bar where the bushings ride. I am hoping this will not wash off and stay put longer.

Any comments?
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Last edited by svx_commuter; 10-06-2004 at 07:11 PM.
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  #2  
Old 10-06-2004, 05:32 PM
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Earthworm Earthworm is offline
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You should take pictures to help explain what you did.
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  #3  
Old 10-06-2004, 06:16 PM
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I usually think about that after my hands are covered with oil and say forget about it. I can't take pictures with dirty hands. Get the car back togeather. Sorry

It would help if I had a camera available at the time too.
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Old 10-06-2004, 09:17 PM
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Question...

Would blown bushings be:

1. Visible to the naked eye and 2. be the cause of the "looseness" I feel in the front end? I don't know the whole story behind your fix commuter. Again, my mechanical inepness rears its ugly head. Thanks guys.
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  #5  
Old 10-07-2004, 06:11 AM
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1) The front bushings do not wear on my SVX. The problem is that they clamp tight to the bar. I'll try to take some pictures this weekend. You would be able to see the bar easily aftre it slides out of position.
2) Yes the bushings can create a noise in the front end. A few of us have lubricated the bushings and the noise goes away for awhile but then it comes back.
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Old 10-07-2004, 07:41 AM
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Hmm. Interesting. I don't have much of a noise. More like I can sense some shiver in the front end on bumpy roads...Nothing major, perhaps it just need some tightening up....or something..
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  #7  
Old 10-07-2004, 11:41 AM
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Okay I put this really crappy picture in my locker.

Lets see if that helps.
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  #8  
Old 10-07-2004, 12:05 PM
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Check my locker for pics of what I've done to completely eliminate the stock brackets. It's a little extreme, but the new 21.5 mm front bar snapped the stock driver's side bracket during heavy autoX action. With the new spacers I can now use the heavy brackets that comes with the Energy Suspension urethane bushings. The 21.5mm bar (thanks Mychailo!!) is actually 25mm where the bushings sit and has collars at each end that lock in place with set screws. I'm guessing you can get these collars with a 18mm I.D. as a fix for the stock bar moving around.
-Bill
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  #9  
Old 10-07-2004, 12:23 PM
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Yup that's another way to do it if I had more $ to spend.

I have added a sketch to my locker also of what I did. I hope that helps.
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