Racing Beat rear sway bar bushing stops?

[sneakypete]

Do these need to be used? I have a used MSP rear sway bar, which I bought used, and am planning on installing with a clunk fix bracket I picked up from the GB a year or so ago.
I need to take off the bushing stops to remove the rust and paint the bar, but the bushing stops are a bit rough, so I'm not so sure I'll be able to take them off intact. How necessary are these?

 

[hat1018]

With out them they sway bar will walk from side to side. I'm not sure this a good idea since it will put stress on the end links.

 

[Brains]

i can't remember why but something was causing my bar to move from side to side... i remember it made a lot of noise.
Doesn't the clunk fix kit come with collar clamps that replace these?

 

[tweety2300]

You could get new bushings and melt or glue them in place

 

[sneakypete]

i can't remember why but something was causing my bar to move from side to side... i remember it made a lot of noise.
Doesn't the clunk fix kit come with collar clamps that replace these?

Maybe the AXR kit did, but my kit is from the group buy. The side-to-side motion issue makes sense, so I will try and salvage the stops, but maybe I will just improvise something to replace them. Perhaps some kind of metal collar.

 

[hat1018]

You could use haose clamps. Pretty jankie, but it would work.

 

[CR3 Motorsports]

You should be able to pick up proper clamps from homedepot or Lowes.

 

[Sport23]

1" collars are what some of the AXR kits were sold with (they were optional in the later group buys.) The clunk fix puts the bushing very close to the end of the swaybar; enough so that I don't think you need any additional stop. I didn't notice any issues when I installed my AXR clunk fix without them (I did still have a clunk due to worn endlinks.)

 

[sneakypete]

1" collars are what some of the AXR kits were sold with (they were optional in the later group buys.) The clunk fix puts the bushing very close to the end of the swaybar; enough so that I don't think you need any additional stop. I didn't notice any issues when I installed my AXR clunk fix without them (I did still have a clunk due to worn endlinks.)

Very interesting. I might not bother then.

 

[sneakypete]

I removed the rubber stops intact, but had to snip off the metal clamps. I went to Home Depot to see what I could find that might work to replace them. I found some pinch clamps that were the perfect diameter and width, but I could find no pinch clamp pliers for less then $50, so that was a no-go. The normal hose clamps are too wide for the rubber stops, so I got some foam insulation meant for copper pipe. I'm just going to cut a couple sections of it to replace the rubber stops, and use the hose clamps. Might be ugly, but it should work.

 

[sneakypete]

I installed it today, and I'm pretty sure that the stops are unnecessary. With the clunk fix brackets, the bushings are mounted so far out that they are basically at the curve in the bar. It doesn't seem like there is any risk of the bar walking.

 

[Sport23]

Yup. That's how mine was too. I think there is actually less room for lateral movement than with the original mounts and stops! I used to shove my bar to one side and spray it with royal purple lube then shove it back to keep the clunk at bay; there is no way you could do that with the AXR clunk fix brackets.