I just bought an Energy Suspension kit to replace the front anti-sway bar bushings and end grommets in my 1993 E-350 based RV.
Problem is ... there are no instructions provided.
Has anyone done this mod and what steps did you follow? Do you need to jack up the vehicle? Any tips to make it easier?
Thanks, ~ bugjr ~
1993 Glendale Royal Classic Ford E350; 460EFI; E4OD; Drives 26'/Sits 29' with rear slide; Michelin LTX/M&S; New Monroe "SC2955" Damper & anti-sway bar bushings; Rebuilt Rear Leafs; Bilstein B46-1613/14; Should be "pristine" by 2009 or 2010 or ...
Thanks YoBubba. I found that site yesterday but it deals with the installation of a new, complete anti-sway bar.
Specifically, I am looking for a DIY, step-by-step description of how to remove the existing bar, swap out the old bushings and end grommets for the new ones and then re-install everything.
OK, here's what I did to replace the front bushings and end grommets on my anti-sway bar with the polyurethene bushing/end grommet kit from Energy Suspension.
You do not need to lift the vehicle as you want to leave some tension on the springs. Lifting the vehicle, and extending the suspension will bind the sway bar and make it a more difficult. However, driving up on some ramps would create a little more working room underneath.
You start by loosening the U-shaped metal brackets affixed to the front cross beam right behind the bumper. Once these are removed, you can then wiggle loose the end links from the holes in the axle. My end links were pretty worn and distorted so they just fell out.
Once the anti-sway bar is out and on the bench, you will notice slots on the u-shaped bushings, and also on the replacements bushings .... simply slip the new ones over the bar ... pretty straight foward. A little of the provided lube, or even soapy water helps here.
Once the front two new bushings are on the sway bar, you then to go underneath your rig and cut the existing OEM sleeves and remove them from the I-beam Axle where the new end grommets are going to go.
I was nervous about this step but the new end link grommets will not fit into the hole unless you remove these OEM sleeves or shells as the instructions called them. I measured everything first just to make sure and yup, Energu Suspension are right.
This cutting took a bit of time and fiddling with the hacksaw blade (installing it upside down in the saw handle) but is doable. You have to be careful not to start cutting into the axle. Once I cut the sleeve, I just grabbed the edge with pliers and pulled the sleeves out.
Now, the hardest part was installing the new end grommets ... after trying for about 3 hours using every trick I knew ... I decided to build a special tool to pull the grommets through the hole because there was no way in heck I could get them into the holes otherwise.
I built this "tool" by taking two square 2.5" x 2.5" steel plates, drilled a hole in the middle of both plates, and ran a bolt through one plate, then through the grommet, then through the axle hole and finally through the last plate on the other side of the axle. Used washers and a socket for spacers on the bolt as needed.
Snugged everything up and gently tightened the plates with the bolt forcing (pulling) the well greased end grommet through the axle hole. Took 10 minutes per side to do this step ... and about 3 hours of up front planning to figure out how to do it!
Then I re-installed the anti-sway bar to the axle starting by inserting the ends into the newly installed end grommets ... a little lube and wiggling and they slid in with no troubles.
Little note* upon installation, do not tighten either of the U-shaped fasteners yet. This will create a bunch of tension and make the final installation and fitment more difficult.
Other than the bar itself being a little heavy and it taking quite a while to figure out how to install the new end grommets, this is a straight foward project.
Hope these instructions help the next guy doing this. ~ bugjr ~
Been there done this job. Cut old bushing sleeves with a hammer and sharp chisel. Pressed in the new bushings with a C clamp style ball joint press. Big improvement in going around corners....
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