Mazda3 Offered in both a sedan and wagon, this sporty model offers a great car for the family, as well a fun track car.

types swaybar bushings? i need help.

  #1  
Old 08-24-2008, 09:00 PM
myMazda3usesjetfuel's Avatar
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Default types swaybar bushings? i need help.

hey,

so i installed front and rear hotchkis swaybars which greatly impoved handling, but the bushings squeak really bad to the point where it is annoying to drive my 2007 Mazda3s HB running at about 190 bhp.yeah, that annoying.

the swaybars came with polyurathane bushings, which i didnt know, squeak after a couple miles.

the sway bars are 29mm and 32mm.

what are the other kinds of bushings that i can buy to fit that wont squeak???

..and does anyone know some trustworthy sites that i can buy them from?
 
  #2  
Old 08-25-2008, 05:38 AM
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Default RE: types swaybar bushings? i need help.

Dayum!! That's some screen name ya' got there.I'm glad I don't have to type that in...
As far as your bushing are concerned, most will squeak if not lubricated.Here's what I did: Went to Home Depot and bought a little "pot" of plumbers silicone grease.It's just a little gray plastic thing that comes on a carded blister pack andcosts around $3.00.
Silicone grease is inert and water/weather proof, non-abrasiveand should last a long time.Just try to keep it UNDER the bushings so it doesn't attract other dirt.
I greased mine 2 years ago and still have no problems.
 
  #3  
Old 08-25-2008, 05:23 PM
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Default RE: types swaybar bushings? i need help.

Energy Suspensions makes a good lube that they sell along with their polyurethane bushings. Sounds like dry bushings to me. (Your kit should have come with some kind of lube- Hotchkiss makes good products, so I'd be surprised if they'd miss that.)
 
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Old 08-25-2008, 06:44 PM
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Default RE: types swaybar bushings? i need help.

the main thing with lubricants on urethane is that you get something inert and synthetic. if you put something petroleum based on them, it will start to break them down and wear them out.
 
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Old 08-25-2008, 09:29 PM
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Default RE: types swaybar bushings? i need help.

well, the thing is, hotchkis gave me some lube with them and i put it all on there and installed them. then they squeaked and so i bought a grease gun, attached it to the little grease input, and filled the thing up with grease. the only thing i can think of that would be wrong is that somehow the grease is not getting to the swaybars but thats kinda rediculous because i installed them with a trusted mechanic who knows his performance cars and he would have recognized it if something was wrong with them.

il look into the plumbers silicone.

thanks guys.
 
  #6  
Old 08-26-2008, 02:54 PM
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Default RE: types swaybar bushings? i need help.

The only other thing I can think of is are the bushing directional? That is, is there a grease hole in the bushing itself that needs to be faced to the Zerk fitting?
Anybody can miss anything any time. I would recheck your mechanics work. I'm not insinuating that he's not knowledgeable or that he is careless, but **** happens. Things get missed or perhaps his concentration was broken and forgot to look for a greasing hole?
Again, no insult meant to your mechanic. I am very careful, slow and meticulous when I work on cars and even I miss stuff... sometimes very basic stuff.
 
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Old 08-26-2008, 11:43 PM
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Default RE: types swaybar bushings? i need help.

It should be pretty easy to drop that too. So long as your vehicle is sitting level it shouldn't be under any kind of tension.

Just unbolt the bushings and check them.
 
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