HandsomeMike

89 coupe, 24mm rear sway bar.

Do I need to press out the metal sleeve in the holes on the end of the bar before putting in the new Prothane bushings? Also, is there a metal sleeve on the bottom of the rear end link that needs to be pressed out? Thanks kids!!!

Pics of metal sleeve in ends of sway bar:

TorchTarga94

Subscribed. Replacing my rear bushings with prothanes as well this weekend.

blue94

New bars did not have them and I had to remove sleeves from links to get things to work... check their website, it should have a write up if instructions were not in the kit.

HandsomeMike

Will do blue94. If anyone else has experience with this in the mean time, chime in.

xrav22

I needed to remove them, an easy way is just grab the lip with regular vise grips and twist/pull.

HandsomeMike

That's what I wanted to know! Thanks!

Race Prepared

Just installed 26mm rear sway bar on my 89, yes, the bushing must be removed from the sway bar & end link, they are not used with the new urethane bushings.

HandsomeMike

Thanks Race Prep!

TorchTarga94

Mike did you get your install all finished up?

Just installed my prothane bushings on the rear 24mm sway bar of my 94 yesterday. Took it on a 1.5 hour drive today and love the way it takes the turns, but man it sure is a lot stiffer. Seems to have a lot more bounce going over bumps. Wonder if I tightened the end links too tight?

HandsomeMike

I started on it this week but one of the end link bushings had a manufacturing flaw. I called Gary at VBP and he is mailing me a replacement. Hoping to get it done this week. First autox is this Sunday. Even with the 32 front and stock 22 rear the car handles way better than before and is quite neutral. Can't wait to try the 24 rear. Now to get new shocks and brake pads!

ameribrit

Can the end links/bushings be replaced with the sway bar in place or has to be removed? I will have to replace one of the bushings in a new end link I bought from Zip Corvette. They have the end link (like the pic above) with one of two bushings installed, you have to install the other yourself. I assume that if it comes with the sleeve shown, sleeve must be removed?

xrav22

I can't really picture what you bought but if you need to remove the sleeve in the sway bar just take visegrips and sgueeze on the ridge and twist,
the sleeve is weeker and will just squash. If you try to drill it out it will not work. Sorry about spelling

HandsomeMike

The metal sleeve in the end of the bar had to come out and easily twisted out with vise grips. The urethane bushings pressed in with a long bolt with a washer on the end through a deep socket also going through the bar and bushing. Put a wrench on one end of the bolt and a ratchet on the other and tighten the nut on the bolt causing the washer to press the bushing into the hole on the end of the sway bar. I lubed the bushing with marine grade grease. Used the same grease on all the new bushings when I installed my front 32mm bar too and it doesn't squeak a bit.

ameribrit

re: http://www.zip-corvette.com/catalog/...category/7966/

I bought two end links and two bushings. The bushing that is not preinstalled (see pic) fits with clearance inside the link bracket. Is this correct or do I have to install some sort of spacer? It might tighten down OK with about 35 lbs torque. Also, I can access the end link on car OK but nuts and sway bar is very tight and there appears to be some tension on the sway bar (rear wheels off ground on jackstands). The bolt comes out the back and there is little clearance with sway bar in normal position. I may have to have dealer install the thing, which is costly of course if I can't do it (2 hours charge, $230). Thanks.

xrav22

You have the original style I think, because most aftermarket don't use the metal on the upper. After you slide the bar over and put the bolt through it should act normal. But you need another jack to raise the rotor assembly to take tension off. I also tightened down in the level position to try to make it the same as if it was sitting on the ground.