Sway bar ball pin bushings

All my sway bar bushings were shot so I'm in the process of replacing them. How in the world do you get those little white ball pin bushings into the ends of the sway bar shackles? These things just don't seem to give enough. There must be a trick I'm not aware of. While I'm the subject, do you put any kind of grease inside the bushing where it meets the ball pin?

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Greg
72 911S

That task is one of those where no manual I have ever seen gives even a hint of the 'proper' way to do it, including the factory service manuals!!! I have found that Dow Corning 111 Silicone Grease does help considerably, but it is still not easy, by any means!

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Warren Hall
1973 911S Targa

Thanks.

I see if I can make a crude ring compressor tonight out of a hose clamp, and use that to compress the bushing enough to get started into the shackle. Then with enough grease and a hammer I might be able to tap it the rest of the way.

So, do you put DC 111 in the cup of the bushing where it meets the ball pin?

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Greg
72 911S

Greg,

I removed the link from the anti-roll bar to press the bushing into the link with a vise. And, yes, I put a small amount of grease on the conical entrance to the bushing ... which was pounded with a plastic mallet onto the pin on the control arm.

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Warren Hall
1973 911S Targa

I have put plastic/rubber parts into hot water for a while to warm them up and make them more plyable. Hot water from the tap is enough to help.

Randy Jones
1971 911

Grease, lots of swear words, and a BFH...

I think I may have figured out the trick. After a bit of experimenting I was able to get both bushings into the right and left side shackles in about 30 seconds. If anyone needs to know how, let me know.

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Greg
72 911S