[70RAIII]

Is it just me or has anybody else had a nightmare of a time putting aftermarket rubber from sway bar bushing in. I bought a set from Ames for my 1 1/8" bar and the bushing they sent were very tall and the hole for the bar was very small. I figured they might have sent the wrong ones so I had them send me another set. Same exact ones. Then I got a set at the local NAPA store and they are a little less tall and the hole for the bar was a little bigger but they are still putting up a fight going in. I've tried to force them in and was unluckly enough to have a bolt strip right out of the frame from the pressure of tighting them down. Out came the tap and die set and I'm ready to go back at but I not sure if I'm doing something wrong. The ones I took out had the horseshoe shaped retainers bolted flush with the frame so I figured the new ones should go back the same way.

Has anybody had this issue that can offer a tip or solution? I'd appreciate the help I'm at the end of my rope

[engineer]

put floor jack under each bushing mounting strap before threading in bolts. helps to compress new bushings after you checked that bushing inside hole is the same diameter as the bar.

[70RAIII]

Kind of what I figured. I'll have to wait until the engine is back in the car because it is so light now the floor jack will just lift the car without compressing the bushing. It's never easy.... Thanks and if anybody else has an idea I'm open to suggestions.

[dr-doug]

Get a large C clamp and a piece of thin plywood for the top of your frame, use the floor jack on the other side just to keep it close until you get the one side done....has worked for me. DW

[dr-doug]

You could also use a wood type screw clamp, I don't know the actual name, the type that slide on a pipe, but have a couple inches of adjustment...I tried one last night on my '65 frame I'm dismantling just to see if it would fit. If you have your frame with no inner fenders or radiator support that's the way to go...DW

[gtohurstjudge]

I ran into this same problem twenty-five years ago on my 69 GTO. I was
parting out a 69 Judge hardtop and discovered that it had a thicker front sway
bar from the factory than the one that came on my car because it had the heavy duty
handling package which was an option. I decided to put the thicker bar on my car to make it handle better. When I tried to buy bushings for it, everybody
kept sending me bushings that had too small a hole. I finally had to take the ones they
were trying to sell me and ream them out to the right size.

[da judge]

another option if your not going totally original. i ordered a polyurathane set from my local parts house. the end and bushing kit. the bushings holes were right on and they come come with the bracket. nice fit and better steering.