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RB sway bar bushings squeaking?

Posted: Thu Jul 25, 2013 10:47 am
by GregS733
Is it normal for polyurethane bushings like the ones that come with the Racing Beat sways to squeak a bit in cooler weather?

I recently installed a set of those sways, and over the past few weeks I've noticed a slight squeak has developed from somewhere in the front of my MX-5. It seems to be more prevalent in the morning when its cooler (50-60 degrees) and then goes away when it warms up a bit.
The sways are the only thing I've changed on the car, which is relatively new (2011, 18k miles).

Re: RB sway bar bushings squeaking?

Posted: Thu Jul 25, 2013 2:03 pm
by Brian
It can happen, but the lube is usually good a few years before we get noise and need to do it again. Might have a dry spot on the bar and the bar has shifted in the mounts a bit to that spot. Inspect and lube again as needed.

Re: RB sway bar bushings squeaking?

Posted: Fri Aug 16, 2013 10:36 am
by GregS733
OK, I finally got around to regreasing the bushings and it didn't help. Could it be the end links?

Re: RB sway bar bushings squeaking?

Posted: Fri Aug 16, 2013 1:21 pm
by Brian
Yes, could be the links. I will put just a petina of grease on the surface that is pressed against the bar end.

Re: RB sway bar bushings squeaking?

Posted: Mon Aug 26, 2013 7:39 am
by GregS733
Greased up the end links where they attach to the sway bar this weekend... no dice. One thing I noticed: the end links are extremely tight in the sway bar holes (Racing Beat). So tight that I actually had to thread them into the holes. The OEM bars have holes a little larger so that the threads on the links go straight through no problem. Is that normal, and could that cause them to not be tightened properly? Should I drill the holes out a little larger?
If that's not it, I have to think I'm barking up the wrong tree...

Re: RB sway bar bushings squeaking?

Posted: Mon Aug 26, 2013 8:26 am
by Brian
Bolt tight is good. What about the bushings in the D brackets that hold the sway bar to the car? We do have to go back and lube those up now and then, might be a dry spot somewhere on those bushings that is giving you the noise.

Re: RB sway bar bushings squeaking?

Posted: Mon Aug 26, 2013 9:22 am
by GregS733
They are pretty spectacularly greased on the inside of the bushings (next to the bar). I dumped a bunch of grease in there, spun them around a few times and slid them back and forth a bit to make sure I got good coverage. Or are you talking about between the bracket and the bushings>

Re: RB sway bar bushings squeaking?

Posted: Mon Aug 26, 2013 9:45 am
by Brian
Then I suspect the noise is coming from somewhere else. You may need to put it on a lift and start yanking and moving stuff until you re-create the noise.

Re: RB sway bar bushings squeaking?

Posted: Mon Aug 26, 2013 10:58 am
by GregS733
Thanks for the help, Brian. I'll start focusing on other areas.

Re: RB sway bar bushings squeaking?

Posted: Sun May 04, 2014 4:10 pm
by GregS733
Just thought I'd drop in here to say that Brian was right all along. There is not, nor was there ever anything wrong with my bushings. Turns out the squeak was actually coming from the bolt that holds the seat belt receptacle to the drivers seat. It took the keen ears of my wife sitting in the passenger seat to figure that out. So much time and tinkering trying to get that fixed... glad it's finally solved! I will never doubt the master ever again. :mrgreen: