Have just replaced the sway bar bushes on my 380. Didnt find anything about this job on the site so I will post up my thoughts.

By the way I'm new here, Nice Site, I am a fellow who likes to do his own services but Im not much good at it. Really need the " How To's"


The procedure I followed was:

Jacked up front of car, put on stands, took off front wheels.
Removed small body brace located just behind sway bar.
Working under car removed 2 bolts on each side, took out metal bracket then rubber bush with fingers, put new bush on bar and slid it into place, put the bolts back again.
Thats it , job done. Ahhh better put the wheels back on.

Comments

Those bolts are tight. I used a breaker bar from Super Cheap. $19.99 but probably top quality.
The front left bolt is hard to get at. Seems to need a deep socket -14mm 12pt- or a short extension. Repco have a 25mm extension. Otherwise this bolt can be got at thru the wheel arch.
Looks like the job can be done without stands but that is what I used.

Seems as if these bushes will need to be changed more often than the spark plugs. Not an easy job first time but not really hard.

Whats the tell tale sign when they need replacing?

Knocking in the front suspension when going over bumps etc.

Knocking in the front suspension when going over bumps etc.
Is it kilometre or normal wear and tear and is it felt through the steering wheel?

Is it kilometre or normal wear and tear and is it felt through the steering wheel?

Chris,

I replaced mine about the 50,000 km mark. Wear & tear, but not quite normal as I have Kings superlows on the front and the larger wheels & tyres probably factored in as well. With stock springs and wheels/tyres I guess they would last 100,000 km plus before they wore out & got noisy, but then again it would depend a lot on how you drive and whether you corner "enthusiastically" or DMD. You don't feel the worn out bushes through the steering wheel (well at least I didn't), but they definately got very noisy over bumps.

KJ.

mine are worn out

they were worn out at 65 K @ stock

ive noticed the knocking to be louder with my 20's on as opposed to the stocks as i had the stock wheels on the front about two weeks ago and noticed the noise was dramaticallty reduced. As soon as the 20's went back on the front it was noticably louder. Car. s going in friday for that bloody ticking noise FINALLY so ill get them tom have a look at it. How much were the new bushes to buy from mitsu. Cheers

ive noticed the knocking to be louder with my 20's on as opposed to the stocks as i had the stock wheels on the front about two weeks ago and noticed the noise was dramaticallty reduced. As soon as the 20's went back on the front it was noticably louder. Car. s going in friday for that bloody ticking noise FINALLY so ill get them tom have a look at it. How much were the new bushes to buy from mitsu. Cheers

IIRC about a whopping $6 or $7 each. Or maybe even the pair!

Replacing/fitting is the hard part. As the OP (Gill) says, you can DIY but it's not easy, the bolts are hard to get at and very tight.

Don't forget to shove some grease in there as well, on the inside of the bushes, otherwise they will creak & groan. I use Carlube copper grease, about $12 a tube from SCA or Ripco.

PS - my ticking noise is getting louder & louder, I reckon its the lash adjusters. I dropped the Mobil1 5W-50 out of it yesterday (only been in 4,000k) and replaced it with Nulon fully synthetic 15W-50. On the advice of Steve Knight who reckons 5W-50 is far too light for Adelaide conditions and a 'heavier' oil may cure the ticking. No change yet but give it some time.

KJ.

If they wear out so quickly, woudn't Nolathane bushes be better since they last longer?

IIRC about a whopping $6 or $7 each. Or maybe even the pair!

Replacing/fitting is the hard part. As the OP (Gill) says, you can DIY but it's not easy, the bolts are hard to get at and very tight.

Don't forget to shove some grease in there as well, on the inside of the bushes, otherwise they will creak & groan. I use Carlube copper grease, about $12 a tube from SCA or Ripco.

PS - my ticking noise is getting louder & louder, I reckon its the lash adjusters. I dropped the Mobil1 5W-50 out of it yesterday (only been in 4,000k) and replaced it with Nulon fully synthetic 15W-50. On the advice of Steve Knight who reckons 5W-50 is far too light for Adelaide conditions and a 'heavier' oil may cure the ticking. No change yet but give it some time.

KJ.

mitsu told me after i noticed my car there that the ticking noise would stop due to the service being just done. That was at 70 thousand. Now after months of waitinng for the part to come from japan im just now getting it done and im on about 128 thousand. The part is now waiting to fitted. They said it was something to do with the injectors? Ill keep everyone in the loop when i find out exactly what it is that they change i do know that it is up near the firewall