The best method to grease a sway bar bushing is through silicone. The silicone acts as a lubricant, while the bushing’s back is typically placed onto the bar until the divided edges of the bushings face the front of the car. Learn how to best apply the sway bar bushing grease.
Sway bars are found in a car, particularly in a vehicle’s suspension system. The sway bar is used for various functions such as preventing the skidding of a vehicle, absorbing tremors from the vehicle, and stabilizing the wheel.
Many people are hence advised to grease their sway bars. Even though the bar is not entirely in motion, the disturbance in the movement of the sway bar is consequential in hindering the proper functioning of the suspension system.
What’s the best sway bar bushing grease to use?
Many types of grease can be used in a sway bar. However, the best grease for sway bar link is silicone bushing grease, which is very popular in the market today.
Silicone grease offers many advantages when used on a sway bar, including the following:
- Reduces high pitched noise
A car may emit funny high-pitched noises around its sway bar. The silicone bushing grease helps eradicate the noise, which is very irritating to people as it can signify that a car is not in good condition.
- It helps in water resistance
Excess moisture is very dangerous to a sway bar bushing. Using silicone grease helps coat the sway bar bushing, ensuring that there won’t be any rusting and deterioration on the sway bar; hence, it becomes water-resistant.
- It prevents sway bar bushing damage from heat
Too much heat can be bad for the sway bar of a car. It’s essential to use silicone grease on the sway bar bushings to prevent them from being damaged. It also increases the performance and durability of the car.
- Oxidation is prevented
The silicone grease is essential in preventing the oxidation process from happening on the sway bar. Lack of oxidation enhances the longevity of the sway bars.
How do I grease my sway bar bushing?
The processes of greasing the sway bar bushing are as follows:
- Park the car on a flat surface and set the emergency brakes. The wheel chock is placed behind every back wheel.
- The front of the car is raised using a jack. The jack pivots should be double-checked for safety purposes so that you can comfortably get under the vehicle.
- The car’s front wheels should be turned so that a person can access the sway bars. One can use a nail to scratch an area where they are to have an easy time putting them back together.
- The appropriate tools remove both the top and bottom brackets of the sway bar.
- The sway bar is then placed through a vice, and by using the silicone grease, it is lubricated.
- A person should use efficient silicone grease to lubricate the bushings before returning to the sway bar.
- The swayback is then put back in place of the vehicle.
- The jack pivots should then be removed so as to allow the front of the vehicle to come down. The emergency brake is then disengaged.
Should I apply sway bar bushing grease to the front?
You cannot apply sway bar bushing grease to the front of the sway bars. It is crucial to note rubber bushings in the sway bar.
There is the deformation of the rubber bushing, which enables the rotation of the sway bar with ease. The rotation enables the rubber to stretch back and forth quickly, just as the name suggests.
This rotation enables the sway bar to get back to the same positions numerous times. Applying the sway bar bushing grease to the front interferes with this rotation of the sway bar.
How to clean the tools
There are many ways in which a person can clean the tools used for the application of grease in the sway bar bushings. Some include using water, baking sodas, and hand cleansers.
Also, you can use detergents to clean the tools in the water. Water is used to remove the grease used once work is done, and it is also used to wash away all the dirt the tool may have after the greasing process has been completed.
Other detergents used to clean the tools are baking soda and hand cleansers. The hand cleansers and baking are used to remove excess dirt from the wrenches used during the greasing of the sway bar bushings.
Conclusion
The best sway bar bushing grease to use is silicone bushing grease. It performs numerous functions, such as making the sway bar water-resistant and heat-resistant and ensuring that the oxidation process does not occur.
People need to follow the steps outlined above to ensure that proper greasing of the sway bar bushing is done effectively.