Front Sway Bar Bushings after Lowering

[CustomS550]

Hey, all! I have a 2016 EB PP, and I've noticed that the front sway bar bushings are either glued or fixed on to the bar at a specific angle relative to the stock ride height. Once the front end is lowered, the angle is no longer in spec, and this causes a more stress on the bushings and doesn't allow the the front to sit where it should after lowering, I believe. I'm sure that the pre-load on the bar is calculated into the overall spring rates, and the bushings are designed to handle the pre-load of the stock springs and ride height, but what about at even more load once lowered?

Thanks!

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[Norm Peterson]

Hey, all! I have a 2016 EB PP, and I've noticed that the front sway bar bushings are either glued or fixed on to the bar at a specific angle relative to the stock ride height. Once the front end is lowered, the angle is no longer in spec, and this causes a more stress on the bushings

This is true.

I'm sure that the pre-load on the bar is calculated into the overall spring rates, and the bushings are designed to handle the pre-load of the stock springs and ride height, but what about at even more load once lowered?

I'm more inclined to believe that the sta-bar bushings are in a neutral-stress/neutral preload state with the car at its OE design ride height (front and rear, if they were picky enough). In that situation they are not picking up any preload, so preload is what happens when you change the static ride height - IOW, lower the car. Or, I suppose, if raised it as you might for rallycross.

Preload is static load or stress that wasn't there in the neutral OE state. For lowering, it's also trying to raise the car a tiny bit above where it would like to be based on the change in spring rate. Don't forget - when it's carrying load in the lowered condition it's basically stealing load from the springs, which then won't compress as far as they otherwise would have.

Something else is that these bonded bushings do is add some amount of wheel rate, and this would have been accounted for during the suspension calibration effort.

The easiest way I can think of to eliminate this preload without swapping out the bushings would be to replace the factory sta-bar endlinks with endlinks adjustable for length.


Norm

 

[CustomS550]

Your input is much appreciated, Norm. I had to compress the strut quite a lot to get the end link to align with the mounting tab, but you make a good point about the bushings having a neutral position at stock height more than likely.

It looks like Energy Suspension makes a bushing replacement kit with the collars: 45199G (Black) / 45199R (Red)

It looks like the Front bar is 32mm, so these bushings should fit.

I'll give them a try!

 

[NightmareMoon]

Your input is much appreciated, Norm. I had to compress the strut quite a lot to get the end link to align with the mounting tab, but you make a good point about the bushings having a neutral position at stock height more than likely.

It looks like Energy Suspension makes a bushing replacement kit with the collars: 45199G (Black) / 45199R (Red)

It looks like the Front bar is 32mm across the board, so these bushings should fit.

I'll give them a try!

I think you may just need some adjustable endlinks to correct for your issue.

 

[CustomS550]

Bushings are a lot cheaper

I think you may just need some adjustable endlinks to correct for your issue.

 

[NightmareMoon]

Bushings are a lot cheaper

... but the labor

 

[TigerFire13]

I spent a good while trying to figure out why my front end never wanted to sit still. I had air ride suspension, and I thought I had replaced every rubber bushing with a spherical bearing. Once I learned of the sticky stabilizer bar bushings, I replaced the bars with Steeda's kit, and the front end no longer acted like a bobblehead at ride heights different than stock.

 

[CustomS550]

The bushings are fairly stiff!

I spent a good while trying to figure out why my front end never wanted to sit still. I had air ride suspension, and I thought I had replaced every rubber bushing with a spherical bearing. Once I learned of the sticky stabilizer bar bushings, I replaced the bars with Steeda's kit, and the front end no longer acted like a bobblehead at ride heights different than stock.

 

[SteedaTech]

It looks like Energy Suspension makes a bushing replacement kit with the collars: 45199G (Black) / 45199R (Red)

It looks like the Front bar is 32mm, so these bushings should fit.

Another option would be Steeda heavy duty steel brackets and Energy bushings for the same price. Just let the sales team know about your 32mm bar. https://www.steeda.com/steeda-heavy-duty-mustang-swaybar-brackets-555-8144.html

SteedaTech

 

[CustomS550]

Good option, too. what about the collars to hold the bar in place?

Thanks!

Another option would be Steeda heavy duty steel brackets and Energy bushings for the same price. Just let the sales team know about your 32mm bar. https://www.steeda.com/steeda-heavy-duty-mustang-swaybar-brackets-555-8144.html

SteedaTech

 

[SteedaTech]

Good option, too. what about the collars to hold the bar in place?

Thanks!

Some OEM bars have them, others do not. Yours might not with the bonded bushings. All of our Steeda bars come with the collars welded in place.

SteedaTech

 

[Chef jpd]

Another thing to consider: the bar stiffness is increased with the sticky bushing.
By replacing the sticky with free rotating bushing you are effectively reducing the bar rate. I agree with Norm. Adjustable end links. Or bite the bullet and the GT350 front bar. Pretty inexpensive.

Fwiw, I have Steeda front and rear bars on my EB PP and could not be more pleased.

 

[Norm Peterson]

...

 

[Norm Peterson]

Another thing to consider: the bar stiffness is increased with the sticky bushing.
By replacing the sticky with free rotating bushing you are effectively reducing the bar rate.

This ↑↑↑

The "easy" way to remove bonded rubber bushings normally involves lots of heat and a smelly, smoky, sticky mess that's apt to spit and spatter.


Norm

 

[CustomS550]

I wouldn't mind less front end roll stiffness at this point in my relationship with the car!

This ↑↑↑

The "easy" way to remove bonded rubber bushings normally involves lots of heat and a smelly, smoky, sticky mess that's apt to spit and spatter.


Norm

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