Sway Bar Bushing - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

Retrospekt · 09-02-2009, 11:05 PM

I've got a 96 i4 Camry. On the side of the car it says "Camry Sport" so I assume I have some kind of sport addition. I don't even know what that's supposed to mean.

My rear sway bar bushings are terribly loose. I looked on rockauto and they have options for 15-16mm or for 17mm. Which do I need?

Thanks.

Hajoca · 09-03-2009, 12:15 PM

I know the original bushing will have the size in mm cast into the rubber.

You can try using a open end wrench 15 or 16 or 17 mm to check.

Retrospekt · 09-03-2009, 04:11 PM

I called my local dealer and they gave me product number 48818-33021. I asked for the mm specification and he said they don't have that information, and that this is the only bushing they carry for a 96 Camry.

I'm pretty sure he knew the mm, just didn't want to tell me so I don't buy aftermarket.

Mike Gerber · 09-03-2009, 05:11 PM

Karl,

Hajoca's suggestion of using a 15, 16 and 17MM open end wrench on the bar is a good one. Whichever
size wrench fit's nice and snug on the bar will tell you what the correct diameter is.

Mike

Tedders · 09-03-2009, 07:28 PM

Put some lithium grease around the sway bar where the bushings connect to it. Wish I did... Now I have noise there. Some fanatics even wrap the sway bar there in Teflon tape and then lay the grease in.

Tedders

Drive laughing!

Retrospekt · 09-05-2009, 12:14 AM

I don't have any open ended wrenches and my dad had his micrometer at work...so I decided to go to Autozone and ask. He typed in the car, model, engine size, etc. He gave me the address to another AutoZone 10 miles away where they had Duralast bushings in stock that were supposed to work. Drive back home, work for about an hour just to get the god damn seized bolts off the car. Took the old bushing off. The one they gave me is too large. Far too large. It also didn't have the right height...so it was a completely WRONG match. I don't know how their system works, but the bushing they handed me is not at all the correct one for a Gen 3 Camry.

I called Napa and they have another set over there. I looked at a picture and this one has the right height, let's hope it's got the right width.

All in all, in was a very...nerve wracking day.

uibalnme · 09-05-2009, 10:25 AM

The OEM bushing is a 17mm. Most aftermarket bushing will not work for our cars because of the bracket's design.

Retrospekt · 09-05-2009, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by uibalnme

The OEM bushing is a 17mm. Most aftermarket bushing will not work for our cars because of the bracket's design.

I went to Napa and they had the part. It is 15 millimeters.

Fit perfect, installed it myself in under 2 hours.

Tip for people who find this later: Napa is superior, and P Blaster is a must. Also, as said above, use petroleum based grease on the bar and the bushing.

uibalnme · 09-05-2009, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Retrospekt

I went to Napa and they had the part. It is 15 millimeters.

Fit perfect, installed it myself in under 2 hours.

Tip for people who find this later: Napa is superior, and P Blaster is a must. Also, as said above, use petroleum based grease on the bar and the bushing.

Oh, well my old bushings say 17 right on them. That and I used a micrometer to measure the old bushings.

garytho · 04-17-2011, 12:09 PM

@uibalnme
When you measured the sway bar with your micrometer,....did it measure exactly 17mm? Or a little under? Mine measures 16.80mm exactly and I'm worried the 17mm bushing may not fit.

uibalnme · 04-17-2011, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by garytho

@uibalnme
When you measured the sway bar with your micrometer,....did it measure exactly 17mm? Or a little under? Mine measures 16.80mm exactly and I'm worried the 17mm bushing may not fit.

I measured the bushing 1st, and it was a bit smaller than 17, but only a little. The inner diameter (ID) od the new bushings will be slightly smaller than the diameter of the bar, because it has to be snug fit. They'll likely be just a hair smaller than 17mm. Not a big deal.

garytho · 04-17-2011, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by uibalnme

I measured the bushing 1st, and it was a bit smaller than 17, but only a little. The inner diameter (ID) od the new bushings will be slightly smaller than the diameter of the bar, because it has to be snug fit. They'll likely be just a hair smaller than 17mm. Not a big deal.

Do you mind me asking what brand of bushing you used and where you bought it? Thanks!

bdy0003 · 04-17-2011, 04:52 PM

PPl get them from rockauto.com. Make sure you look for discounts. Get Moog as ppl think they are solid. I personally upgraded my RSB to a solid 17mm piece that came with bushings.

uibalnme · 04-17-2011, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by garytho

Do you mind me asking what brand of bushing you used and where you bought it? Thanks!

Well, actually, the RSB bushings I'm using came with my 18mm Whiteline RSB. Oh, and they're polyurethane. I suppose that really doesn't help you much, but when I took my old 17mm RSB out, I measured the RSB, and the bushings. The stock RSB/bushings both measured about 17mm, give or take.

If you're not upgrading to a larger bar, then just get some OEM bushings from some of the websites the others have mentioned. If you're really concerned about the fit, just pick up a set from a Toyota dealership.