308 Front swaybar lower end link ES bushing solution? | FerrariChat

308 Front swaybar lower end link ES bushing solution?

Discussion in 'Technical Q&A' started by Impactco, Jul 30, 2007.

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  1. Impactco

    Impactco Formula 3

    Jan 29, 2006
    1,615
    #1 Impactco, Jul 30, 2007
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Does anyone know of a solution/part number for urethane bushings for the lower end link (actually, it's on top in the front) on the front 308 swaybar? The standard 1" (25mm) ES bushings work for the rear bar lower end link (bottom in photo) but the fronts (top in photo) are closer to 1.375" (35mm). I have done a search with no results. I guess I could replace them with the oem rubber bushings since they are only a few dollars each but the plan was to have all the bushings urethane. Thanks.
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  2. Impactco

    Impactco Formula 3

    Jan 29, 2006
    1,615
    Anyone, anyone, Bueller??
     
  3. BigTex

    BigTex Seven Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Dec 6, 2002
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    Bubba
    No exact info for ya, but the Parts Store has a big selection of sway bar bushings .....take it in and see if they can match something up.
     
  4. jh355

    jh355 Formula Junior

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    #4 jh355, Aug 1, 2007
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  5. BigTex

    BigTex Seven Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Dec 6, 2002
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    Nice! I have three cars.......
     
  6. jh355

    jh355 Formula Junior

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    Does that mean you need / want 3 set's?
     
  7. Steve King

    Steve King F1 Rookie

    Feb 15, 2001
    4,367
    NY
    OK do you have any part numbers and mfg. names. How about availability and cost.
     
  8. Impactco

    Impactco Formula 3

    Jan 29, 2006
    1,615
    #8 Impactco, Aug 1, 2007
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  9. Pizzaman Chris

    Pizzaman Chris F1 Rookie

    Mar 13, 2005
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    New Hampshire
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    Pizzaman Chris
    Hey Michael,

    I see you did not waste no time to start tearing down the 308. :D

    I'm all tapt out of cash, so i'll just sit on the sidelines and follow your project.



    Rock on,
    Chris
     
  10. Impactco

    Impactco Formula 3

    Jan 29, 2006
    1,615
    Yep, the new lift has made it a pleasure to work on. All four 20+ year old shocks and springs are out with new QA-1's and Eibach springs ready to go in. Sway bars are out and ready for paint plus new ES bushings custom fitted. Stock brake lines are history and stainless lines installed. Everything goes back together next week assuming no surprises.
     
  11. jh355

    jh355 Formula Junior

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    Craven Morehead
    #11 jh355, Aug 2, 2007
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  12. jh355

    jh355 Formula Junior

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    308 GTS Rear $100.00

    2 Pad for rod blocks 18 mm #108748
    4 Grommet #100984
    2 Sway bar bushings #100773
    1 tube silicone grease

    308 Front $100.00

    2 Pad for rod blocks #108746
    8 Grommet #100984
    1 tube silicone grease
     
  13. Jdubbya

    Jdubbya The $10 Trillion Man
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    You branching out into the car parts business John? That's a pretty good deal! If I tear into mine this winter I might drop you a line. I still need to install the A arm bushings that I have sitting in a box in the garage, that would be the perfect time!
     
  14. jh355

    jh355 Formula Junior

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    jdubbya,

    Got sucked in sourcing parts for the Mondi, it's turned into a side bus. Hope to see you tomorrow.
     
  15. Impactco

    Impactco Formula 3

    Jan 29, 2006
    1,615
    #15 Impactco, Aug 10, 2007
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    As it turns out, these do work for the front upper end link:

    http://www.energysuspensionparts.com/proddetail.asp?prod=9.8103

    This is ES part # 98103. You must chuck them onto a bolt (sorry no photos of this) in a drill press (or use a lathe if you have one) and carefully put a chamfer on them with a rasp to allow them to fit in the end link. You also must saw off the shoulder on one side. You also have to drill them out to 37/64" to allow the spacer tubes to fit. They are in the upper part of the link in pic #7.

    The front lower link bushings (bottom in pic #7) and all the end link bushings for the rear bar are just the standard 98106 1" ES bushings pressed in and drilled out to 19/32". Drill them out after pressing them into the end link.

    http://www.energysuspensionparts.com/proddetail.asp?prod=9.8106

    The trick to drilling all of these out is to use very high speed, very sharp, new bits and go really slow using the ES bushing grease as lubrication. Press the bushing into a socket or the end link and put the assembly in a vise that can float on the surface of the drill press platform (pic #3). This allows the bit to naturally find the center of the hole. Thanks to Verell and Birdman for their feedback and prior posts on this project. Unfortunately, Verell's idea of using cork borer's did not work for polyurethane material.

    Drill bits purchased here: http://www.hermanscentral.com/site/department.cfm?id=08ACE4AE-123F-24EC-3E4728BD9179E42E

    The standard bushings for securing the front and rear bars to the frame worked great. I just needed to slightly enlarge the clamp holes with a Dremel for a perfect fit:

    http://www.energysuspensionparts.com/proddetail.asp?prod=9.5122

    Grand total for ES bushings was about $75 for both front and rear sway bars. I ordered double the amount I knew that I would need because I anticipated that I would (and did) destroy 50% of them figuring out the correct machining/drilling/pressing process.

    Please note that my car has 18MM bars front and rear so the part numbers mentioned here might not be correct for your car. Measure first!

    A 1+ ton press and a LARGE selection of sockets is a must for this project.

    In retrospect, jh355's bushing kits would have been a better idea and a lot less work, tool cost, headaches and head scratching!!

    One last thing . . . . this project would not have been possible without my local Harbor Freight store. Say what you want about their tool quality / political correctness of buying Chinese tools. I couldn't afford to play amateur Ferrari mechanic without them!
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  16. Pizzaman Chris

    Pizzaman Chris F1 Rookie

    Mar 13, 2005
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    Michael,

    Thanks for all the info and pictures of your cool suspension project.:)

    Keep up the great work buddy.

    Chris
     
  17. Impactco

    Impactco Formula 3

    Jan 29, 2006
    1,615
    I'm going to take a break for awhile, get the car aligned and just drive it. I'm burned out after 20 days of messing with this and the Bend-Pak lift installation in my spare time. My next project will be rebuilding the front calipers and new front wheel bearings - after that maybe a steering rack rebuild . . . it never ends, but it's fun!:)
     

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