volvo s60 sway bar bushing

[mchell]

hello,

A few months ago my s60 d5 auto developed clunk noises at the front.

First it felt it was just when taking off from a stand still, it clunked once and that’s it. So, axle ping.

Then i started noticing that going on poor surfaces or over speed bumps it would do it more
frequently along the uneven surface.

Before this started happening I replaced lower control arms and ball joints, struts and top strut mountings and drop links, So I'm guessing that the only thing missing replacement is the sway bar bushes.

Researching online, found out that the bushes are vulcanized and that replacement implies the whole bar! that’s crazy!! In other cars the bushes are replaceable with the bar in situ, sometimes even without taking the wheels off!


Anyway, researching a bit further have been trying to find solutions easier (and cheaper!) to accomplish. But they led to some question marks that would like for any of guys to help/advise.

One solution would be to try to replace the bushes by prying out the old ones and press fitting new ones (found them here on ebay https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/203638895458). A bit steep in price compared with other brands of cars with similar bushes. But anyway, if it has to be it has to be.

Question here is: as anyone done it this way? pressing out and pressing in with the bar in place? of course it would require to disconnect the drop link and try to route the bush to place (has the bushing is closed, not crack open), which with the bar been pressed/widened at the tips could prove easier said than done, even with grease.

Another alternative that I’ve been entertaining is this: since the bushings across several car brands are pretty much similar design, i thought of fitting some bushes from a Bmw e46. Since the Volvo sway bar is 24.7mm the Bmw ones are 24mm found here (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/273953462025). A close enough diameter leading to a tighter fitting but anyway that’s intended as well. and they are open so just fitting in the the bar itself is incredibly easier.

Only problem here is that the shape of the bushing is not a straightforward fit to the volvo bracket, so I was thinking replacing the brackets as well for BMW ones.

this raises two questions: is it possible to remove the Volvo rear bracket bolts all the way without dropping the subframe? i ask this because the rear bolt holding it seems to be very close to the chassis so i don’t know if this bolt would be removable all the way.

The second question would be more tricky: would the distance between the centres of bolt holes of the BMW brackets match the Volvo ones? (found here https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/275038526702) Visually, they seem to be pretty much around the same dimensions, but still....

And one last question mark remains and refrains me of going forward: why are the Volvo bushes vulcanized to the bar? is this to prevent lateral/axial movement of the bar itself?

Please comment as I don’t want to be changing an entire sway bar just for the bushings.


Cheers everyone

[stuart bowes]

There are readily available repair kits with a 'split' bush and new bracket so that part is easy but as you already said it involves removing or at the very least dislocating the original to the point where the old bushes can be cut / burnt off

I've no experience of doing it myself but I was looking into it and I didn't find any examples of people finding a way to do it without lowering the back edge of the subframe which also means loosening the front bolts a little and obviously supporting the engine one way or another

Pain in the ar5e I know, like you say a lot (most?) other cars you can bet easily replace them in-situ it's a bit of a crazy design

Mine didn't really need doing so I gave up on it, they're just a bit worn looking. I'd like to know though if there is another way

[mchell]

ok thanks for the reply,

So the rear bolt of the bracket does not come off without lowering the subframe. That's just great!



ill have to find a way of adjusting another bracket from any other car to it, one where the bolts can match the ones from Volvo. because even if i want to fit the appropriate Volvo bushing its not easy to press-fit it inside the bracket with the bracket in place, even if it comes already with the split. the bushings come with a bossed centre and that can only make it extremely hard to install it, even with grease...

Finding a mechanic willing to do this job will also prove itself hard.

Cheers