Installing sway bar bushings

[mbaze]

What am I missing here? I'm trying to install a BavAuto front sway bar bushing kit. Note in the pic below that with all four bushings on the bolt, there is no room for nuts, etc. And that's without the width of the sway bar and and control arm. What's the trick to getting these on?

Thanks.

[Arshloch]

The sleeve seems to be too long for these. I remember that I might have used the original sleeves when installing them, they were defiantly of a different size than stock.

[gwb72tii]

The sleeve seems to be too long for these. I remember that I might have used the original sleeves when installing them, they were defiantly of a different size than stock.

exactly what we did

[mbaze]

Everything is the same size as the stock parts I took off—except for the bushings, which were much compressed. I had at least a half inch of extra thread on my original bolts.

[ClayW]

I compressed the bushings using a jack and a few clamps. Once you get a few threads to bite, you can just tighten them down.

[Arshloch]

That does it seem quite right. being pre-loaded, they might not compress under load properly

[mbaze]

I found a thread from a couple of years ago where someone suggested trimming each bushing by about a quarter inch. But I can't imagine that if I took this into a Bimmer shop, they'd do that. There has to be a common sense way to do this. Alas, Haynes and the shop manual are silent on this.

More suggestions welcome (while I look for some clamps).

[Schweineback]

It also seems as if you have one washer on the wrong way (3rd from left). Buys you an extra 2-3 mm.

[ScottNC]

Nope, I believe the cupped end sits on the bushing and hold it. The 3rd one from the left is correct.

You should at least be able to put all bushings and washers in place uninstalled and still be able to put the nut on. You could always saw 1/2" off the spacer if you can keep it a nice straight cut.

[ClayW]

I found a thread from a couple of years ago where someone suggested trimming each bushing by about a quarter inch. But I can't imagine that if I took this into a Bimmer shop, they'd do that. There has to be a common sense way to do this. Alas, Haynes and the shop manual are silent on this.

More suggestions welcome (while I look for some clamps).

I would just trim the sleeve.

[PatAllen]

i bought a kit from bavauto several years ago and got the same issue, bolt not long enough, or sleeve too long.

I did make sure then to let them know then, and told me they corrected the issue.

seems not

its 5 years ago minimum.

[jgerock]

I purchased a urethane set from BMP (front and rear). The fronts were very tough to install UNTIL I let the car down off the jackstands so the lower arms were closer to the body. They were a cinch after the car was lowered. No trimming required.

[jerry]

It also seems as if you have one washer on the wrong way (3rd from left). Buys you an extra 2-3 mm.

what he said....

[mbaze]

The washers and bushings were just randomly slipped on the bolt to show the problem.

Thanks all for the suggestions/tips.

Happy Thanksgiving.

[felix_666]

i have a set of these bushings at home and i had the same problem, can't remember where i got them from but they were a genuine part with a nice little BMW logo on the packet.

I'm not going to debate it but i'm almost certain that these were an 1/8-1/4 of an inch too tall, times that by 4 and that makes a big difference.

Spoke to my parts guy and he had heard of this problem before.

I solved it by using urethane instead, perfect to install, cheap and meant to be one of the best basic suspension upgrades.