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Squeeking eurothane bushings  
John
V-6 Camaros rule! | Posts: 39 | Joined: 04/07
Posted: 08/12/08
05:23 PM

I have two Chevy Camaros.  Both V-6 couples 2002 models.  I purchased 2 ADCCO anti-sway bars for both cars.  Four bars total.

Withing a month, both sway bars started to squeek.  I traced it to the center bushing on both the front and rear bars on BOTH cars.  Since I had 4 bars that squeeked, I began calling ADCCO.

ADCCO said that my problem was lubrication.  The suggestion was anti-sieze.  I lubed all 8 bushings and that seemed to solve the problem.

Nope.  A month later, all 8 were squeeking again.  More time on the phone to ADCCO.

Finally, ADCCO said that a company called "Energy Suspension" actually supplied their eurothane bushings.  I was now on the phone to Energy Suspensions.

My call lasted quite a while.  While on the call, I was out in the garage checking things they asked me to check.  I found I had a tolerance issue.

What ADCCO apparently did was to supply bushings made by one company and brackets made by another.  There was a miss-match in the height tolerance.  When I tightened the bolts, I actully was smashing the bushing.  This caused a lot of heat.  I did notice that after I drove the car, the bushings got very hot.  This is definitely not normal.

The tolerance issue occurred because the flat side of the "D" on the bushing was supposed to be flush with the frame when the bracket was tightened.  Mine were protuding about .025" of an inch.  

The suggestion from Energy Suspensions was to trim off the extra material so the bracket and the bushing touched the frame at the same time.  Due to the extreme thin design of the bushing, this was out of the question.

My solution was to purchase 8 sets of eurothane bushings (made by Energy Suspension) and "matched" brackets from O'Riellys.  O'Rielly can get the parts because they are sold to dealers.

I did get the kind with the grease fittings.  Just in case.  

The engineer at Energy Suspension said that if the bushings are not stressed or smashed, adding anti-sieze should last forever and not squeek.  I am ready to test this all out.  


 
John
V-6 Camaros rule! | Posts: 39 | Joined: 04/07
Posted: 08/22/08
01:31 AM

Follow up.

After talking more to the engineer at Energy Suspensions, I decided to look a little closer at what he told me.  He thinks that the bars are not mounted and aligned properly.

I started with a complete re-installation of my rear bars.  Of those that have the ADCCO bars, you have found that a series of brackets are supplied with the rear bar.  These brackets all will twist on the frame unless very extreme torquing is done.

I welded my bracket components together.  The flat piece for the "D" bushing was welded to the square "U-bracket" they supplied.  Aong with a center piece that fits the boss on the axle so the entire assembly will not spin.

The next thing was to remove the end links and bolt the bars using only the main axle bushings.  After this was done, the bar would easily pivot.  No binding on the axle bushings at all.

Next was to install the end links.  Energy Suspension said these end link bushings are not to be grunted tight.  Just tight enough to let the center part of the eurothane bushings go into the holes.

I soon came to the conclusion that ADCCO had not bent the bars correctly.  They definitely will not fit the exisitng body brackets on my Camaro.  

As best I could, I made new brackets to attach the end links to the frame.  Still, the angles for the end links on the ADCCO sway bars would not align up properly.  

I had to make custom brackets because one side of the sway bar was slightly different than the other side.  I think ADCCO is not bending these bars correctly nor making sure they really do fit properly.

I spent some 3-4 hours under the car.  When I was done, I was confident that the bar was mounted so the movement was correct and not binding anywhere.  

I checked my second Camaro and found the bar is also miss-aligned using the supplied brackets from ADCCO.  Given the issues I am having, I would be very suspect of bars from ADCCO in the future.  


 
John
V-6 Camaros rule! | Posts: 39 | Joined: 04/07
Posted: 11/11/08
01:13 PM

Last and final post on this issue.

The factory person on eurothane bushings said that the end link bushings needed to be just tight enough to touch.  I found this VERY untrue!!

I was having some banging under the car when hitting bumps.  Plus, my cornering just didn't seem to be up to par.  I had the end links adjusted like the man told me on the phone.

Finally, I went under the car and just tightened them up.  I got them tight enough to see them swell just a little.  Then, I took the car for a spin.

I did notice some light squeeking.  I have learned to sort of accept this from eurothane.  Either that or lube them every month.  The banging on bumps was definitely gone.

The corner was "most magnificantly improved".  The car was rock solid and dead on.  

The result is that the end links do need significant tightening.  How much is too much, I am not sure.  I do have them tight enough that the bar is rock solid.  


 
chevelle83 chevelle83
V-6 Camaros rule! | Posts: 60 | Joined: 10/08
Posted: 11/11/08
06:00 PM

I agree some squeaking has to be tolerated with the eurothane bushings, but the gains in the handeling far outweigh it. I installed a complete P-S-C front end kit on a 1968 impala for a friend, the stock bushings had already been replaced and they were not that bad, this was my first try with the eurothane, the car was great!!! Far better than stock. He was happy and didnt mind the slight squeak about a month later. Yes, I (slightly) load my end link bushings and have never had any problems.  


 
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