Front anti-roll bar bushes

Clifford Pope · May 2nd, 2006, 18:44

I recently replaced these. Why did what I had assumed would be a 10-minute job turn into a full day's struggle?
The problem was persuading the bolts to re-engage in the captive nuts in the chassis member. I thought the difficulty was simply one of aligning the various bits of capping with the holes, but ages of struggling, sometimes managing to get one to start, then finding the other wouldn't, I started again and tried the bolts in the plain holes. They were extraordinarily difficult to engage, simply refusing to catch.
Finally, by applying a jack under the cap to compress the rubber, and then using a G-clamp to stop the cap spreading so that the holes moved too far apart, I succeeeded in fitting one side.
One remaing bolt on the other side I had to give up on. I think the thread had become rounded. or something, so in the end I had to drill a hole through the upper face of the chassis member and simply put a very long bolt right through.

Was I missing some trick?
BTW the bushes and the metal cappings were much more substantial than the originals (1993). Volvo told me they had all been uprated and so I had to buy new rubbers as well as metal bits.

Erling · May 3rd, 2006, 08:07

You are right, Clifford, they can really be a pain. I have replaced the standard sway bars on our two cars with those from the turbo model, and have in both cases struggled more than anticipated with what should have been an easy job. Mine were not as bad as you describe though, even if I used the new bushings they came with. Must have been lucky.

[BTW, the heavyer bars are about the most cost-effective performance upgrade I can think of for standard cars. In my neck of the woods, speed limits are enforced vigorously (700 UKP for doing 20 mph above limit on country roads). My countermove is being able to stay on the limit no matter how winding the roads are.]

morsing · May 3rd, 2006, 08:44

I replaced mine last summer. After hours of struggle I called a friend round to help but it still took us hours to gem the bolts in.
Nightmare.

May 2nd, 2006, 18:44	#1
Clifford Pope Not an expert but ... Last Online: Yesterday 08:48 Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Boncath	Front anti-roll bar bushes I recently replaced these. Why did what I had assumed would be a 10-minute job turn into a full day's struggle? The problem was persuading the bolts to re-engage in the captive nuts in the chassis member. I thought the difficulty was simply one of aligning the various bits of capping with the holes, but ages of struggling, sometimes managing to get one to start, then finding the other wouldn't, I started again and tried the bolts in the plain holes. They were extraordinarily difficult to engage, simply refusing to catch. Finally, by applying a jack under the cap to compress the rubber, and then using a G-clamp to stop the cap spreading so that the holes moved too far apart, I succeeeded in fitting one side. One remaing bolt on the other side I had to give up on. I think the thread had become rounded. or something, so in the end I had to drill a hole through the upper face of the chassis member and simply put a very long bolt right through. Was I missing some trick? BTW the bushes and the metal cappings were much more substantial than the originals (1993). Volvo told me they had all been uprated and so I had to buy new rubbers as well as metal bits.

May 3rd, 2006, 08:07	#2
Erling VOC member Last Online: May 8th, 2007 20:15 Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Stavanger	You are right, Clifford, they can really be a pain. I have replaced the standard sway bars on our two cars with those from the turbo model, and have in both cases struggled more than anticipated with what should have been an easy job. Mine were not as bad as you describe though, even if I used the new bushings they came with. Must have been lucky. [BTW, the heavyer bars are about the most cost-effective performance upgrade I can think of for standard cars. In my neck of the woods, speed limits are enforced vigorously (700 UKP for doing 20 mph above limit on country roads). My countermove is being able to stay on the limit no matter how winding the roads are.] __________________ The older I get, the better I used to be.

May 3rd, 2006, 08:44	#3
morsing Premier Member Last Online: May 26th, 2024 13:10 Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Aylesbury View Photos By: morsing	I replaced mine last summer. After hours of struggle I called a friend round to help but it still took us hours to gem the bolts in. Nightmare. __________________ --- '89 Volvo 240GLT B230E/AW70 '14 Volvo V70 SE D4/M66 FWD '70 Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu '95 Saab 9000 CSE 2.0 Turbo Auto

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