Mazda 3 Sway Bar bushing replacement

[KrisZ]

My front sway bar bushing are clunking really bad on my 06 Mazda 3. I decided to change them, but unfortunately I did not go well.
I bought Moog replacement bushings, but as can be seen in the picture, theirs has the slit right at the bottom of the bushing (red line), unlike the original which is on the lower side.
Access room on this car is quite bad. Basically I have to spread the bushing in order to fit it over the bar, but I cannot fit the bracket over it. I greased it, but then when I push the bracket down, it will slip right out of the bracket. Because of the lack of room and leverage, I was not able to get the retaining bolts started.

Needless to say, I had to install the old bushing.

Did any of you guys completed this job? If so any tips will be greatly appreciated. Will the OEM style bushing with the slit to the side help? I'm thinking yes, but I'm not sure anymore.

 

[maxdustington]

Doing the sway bar bushings on a MK4 pretty much requires a set of needle nose vice grips on the bracket to get it in position to be able to get the bolt started. The bearing shell had a tab that slipped into a slot and you used that along with the vice grips to lever the bracket into position.

 

[Trav]

It is normal for some of these to be a PITA, big Channellock Pliers or wide mouth vise grips make life easier. Clamp it down while you put the bolt in.

Posted same time as other poster but you get the idea.

 

[atikovi]

Originally Posted by KrisZ
I greased it, but then when I push the bracket down, it will slip right out of the bracket.


I was under the impression that you never grease rubber parts as it deteriorates them.

 

[Trav]

That would depend on the grease used. You can use silicone based greases that are safe for rubber or something like the CRC brake grease with silicone, graphite, moly, etc. Most are not natural rubber today and tolerate lubes better than the old natural rubber.

 

[KrisZ]

Thanks for mentioning clamps, I see that harbor freight has 12 inch deep c-clamps. This might just do the trick.

 

[KrisZ]

Originally Posted by atikovi
Originally Posted by KrisZ
I greased it, but then when I push the bracket down, it will slip right out of the bracket.


I was under the impression that you never grease rubber parts as it deteriorates them.


I used brake caliper pin grease, it should be fine. Well, once I manage to actually complete the installation

 

[Number_35]

I changed these out on our '09 Mazda 5 a couple of years ago. (The 3 and the 5 are very similar.) As Trav said, these are a PITA. The split was at the bottom of the bushing on both the originals which I removed and the replacements. Per the FSM, one is supposed to drop the steering rack - uh, no thanks. I was able to get them from underneath with the rack in place. There's not a lot of room, and I recall turning the wrench about a 16th of a turn at a time. (Couldn't get a ratcheting wrench in there.) Of course I used anti-seize compound when reinstalling the bolts. I didn't have a problem with the installation, but wonder if longer bolts would help?

 

[Revving2Redline]

I use white lithium grease on all my energy suspension polyurethane bushings

 

[atikovi]

Polyurethane isn't rubber.

 

[ThreeFN]

Did you ever get anywhere with this??? I am working on it right now and am having the same problem. The OEM bushing are wider and the MOOG (identical to 99% of my local autoparts stores options as well) are narrower and the shoulder on each side does not wanna let the bushing gointo place. I even tried some spray silicone lube and that helped some. But I do not see how these could be a real "OEM or better" replacement part as they are not the same size as oem...

I literally made an account here to post this exact same problem that I am having. I might search around for some FoMoCo parts to see what I can find.