Sway Bar Bushing

Sway Bar Bushing – Easy to Replace

There are many auto repairs that will send the aspiring do it yourself mechanic running for the hills. Usually anything involving the engine or the wheel well is enough to strike fear into the home mechanic’s heart. However, if you are looking for a repair that will save you money and not necessarily take a lot of experience to accomplish, then replacing a sway bar bushing is usually a good place to start. Before you will know whether or not you have to replace this bushing, you will have to get pretty good at listening for the signs of a loose or worn bushing.

If you notice that you are regularly hearing thudding or clunking when your car is driven over normal sizes bumps or holes in the road, this sound might be an indication that the sway bar bushing has become broken or loose. In general, the bushing is a joint that allows motion in the stability system of the car. When it is worn and allows too much motion, the bushing will make these knocking sounds because it is jostling up and down in its joint area. This wear will allow a lot of motion in the frame of the car when turning and might affect steering control as well.

If you have noticed that the sway bar bushing is definitely making these sounds, you will have to choose whether you’re going to take it to a mechanic or whether you will be completing the repair yourself. As it was mentioned before, almost anyone that can follow directions will be able to complete this repair all on their own, and if you’re interested in being able to spot and make repairs on your car, this is a good one to cut your teeth on.

The first thing that you’ll have to do is purchase a replacement sway bar bushing, and you’ll want to make sure it’s the correct version for your make and model of vehicle. Older or specialty vehicles are typically harder to find, but usually the bushing can be purchased for around twenty dollars or so. Once you’ve got the new bushings, it will be time to jack up your car and take a look at the sway bar. There will be only two bolts to remove in this repair job, and it’s important that you keep them and the accompanying bracket close by for when you’re putting it all back together.