Front stabilizer bushings install issue

[Stevehose]

I’m trying to install a new set of stabilizer bushings at the ends of the bar but the bushings are so new that I don’t have room on the bolt. Do I need to compress this somehow or? My old setup had hard squashed rubber so it went on no problem. Thanks.

 

[HB Chris]

They have been too thick for the past 15 years or more. I cut one in half with a coping saw.

 

[HB Chris]

Cups face away from bushings.

 

[Stevehose]

Duly noted on both points, thanks!

 

[bavbob]

I used IE urethane bushings, no issues...but yours do look a bit thick.

 

[halboyles]

Cups face away from bushings.

Yes, definitely.
These are the same bushings/hardware used on the 2002s and the problem can be solved by compression with a c-clamp.

 

[stphers]

Or just trim the spacer down a bit, also tightens up the swaybar elcheapo adjustable sway bar end links

 

[Stevehose]

Ding ding! winner winner chicken dinner!

Or just trim the spacer down a bit, also tightens up the swaybar elcheapo adjustable sway bar end links

 

[m5bb]

I squeezed mine with a bar type wood clamp. Didn't take much.

 

[deQuincey]

Ding ding! winner winner chicken dinner!

do not cut anything !
just turn the cup-washers

 

[Luis A.]

Steve, deQ is spot on, the cup washers go the other way. It will still be tight so I used a ratcheting C clamp like this one:

 

[Stevehose]

Cup washers make no difference as to the overall length (not sure why they go the other way, it's counter-intuitive to me), I cut 10mm off the center piece, just enough to compress by hand to get the nut on, I'd rather have all the rubber in tact and not mess up my newly painted components getting a clamp on. Worked great. I clear coated the pieces so as to hopefully keep corrosion at bay for a while.

 

[HB Chris]

Direction of cup washers make no difference but they do face outwards. Cutting one bushing won’t matter one bit.

 

[Markos]

Cups face away from bushings.

Seems that everybody gets that backwards!

 

[Markos]

Steve, deQ is spot on, the cup washers go the other way. It will still be tight so I used a ratcheting C clamp like this one:

These clamp always seem to have zero force. I bet you could use a ratchet strap also.

 

[bluecoupe30!]

I replaced the hex bolt with a longer one. Had to special order it. Original (07119912595) is an M8 x 160mm, so I think I went with 180mm or so, not sure, but was way easier to install.

 

[Stevehose]

Cups are designed to face up so they can trap water and help the rust process!

 

[Dan Wood]

Might try a ratchet strap to compress the parts together. I see Markos beat me to it.

 

[E9madada]

I put a washer instead of the top rubber, after a couple of weeks the rubbers had compressed enough to get the top one on.

 

[adawil2002]

Anti-sway bars are the only place I use urethane bushings.