Squeaky sway bar bushings even after greasing
Thread Starter
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,025
Likes: 13
From: McAllen, TX
Squeaky sway bar bushings even after greasing
My '02 UL with 158k miles has squeaky sway bar bushings. The bushings were replaced not too long ago, and I grease them with Shin Etsu silicone grease and the squeaking disappears, but then comes back after a couple weeks. I do have the car slightly lowered with 20" wheels. Does anyone know of a permanent solution?
Thread Starter
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,025
Likes: 13
From: McAllen, TX
After an hour of googling, it is NOT recommended to use any petroleum-based grease as it will damage the rubber. White lithium grease included. Silicone/synthetic grease only. However, there are many recommendations to use just teflon tape, or no grease at all. Think I'll try the teflon tape, if that doesn't work then I'll try cleaning them and using no grease whatsoever.
Last edited by ancdmd; Jan 18, 2015 at 02:49 PM.
Pole Position
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,146
Likes: 70
From: Illinois
After an hour of googling, it is NOT recommended to use any petroleum-based grease as it will damage the rubber. White lithium grease included. Silicone/synthetic grease only. However, there are many recommendations to use just teflon tape, or no grease at all. Think I'll try the teflon tape, if that doesn't work then I'll try cleaning them and using no grease whatsoever.
Racer
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 1,761
Likes: 250
From: AZ
I don't think Shin Etsu is the right kind of grease to use in this application.
Find some "Sil-Glyde", it's made for brake components and silicone based, it also won't break down the rubber. That's what I use, just much more heavy duty. You can find it at NAPA and probably other parts stores, it's a thicker, tackier grease. Shin Etsu is almost a "moisturizer" as far as greases go.
Also, if it's a real problem, one trick you can do is wrap the sway bar section with teflon tape, then put the bushing around the sway bar again (with grease)
Not sure what bushing you used, but Poly bushing are notorious for squeaking, if you're using those it's likely going to be a never ending battle. I personally wouldn't use polyurethane.
Find some "Sil-Glyde", it's made for brake components and silicone based, it also won't break down the rubber. That's what I use, just much more heavy duty. You can find it at NAPA and probably other parts stores, it's a thicker, tackier grease. Shin Etsu is almost a "moisturizer" as far as greases go.
Also, if it's a real problem, one trick you can do is wrap the sway bar section with teflon tape, then put the bushing around the sway bar again (with grease)
Not sure what bushing you used, but Poly bushing are notorious for squeaking, if you're using those it's likely going to be a never ending battle. I personally wouldn't use polyurethane.
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Racer
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 1,761
Likes: 250
From: AZ
There's specific grease made for suspension bushings and it's a lot like Sil-Glyde.
Also at the part stores at the front counter you can buy those small packets of anti-squeal brake grease for like 99 cents. Those work well also and will not break down the rubber.
I would give that a try, but I'm almost wondering if your sway links are so loose that it's causing a lot of movement and squeaking in your sway bar bushings?
Last edited by BradTank; Jan 19, 2015 at 01:04 PM.
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Thread Starter
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,025
Likes: 13
From: McAllen, TX
I don't think the "breaking down" part is why Shin Etsu is a problem, I just think it's too thin of a grease. It was made to recondition dried weatherstripping, not to be used as a bushing grease. It might even me making it worse.
There's specific grease made for suspension bushings and it's a lot like Sil-Glyde.
Also at the part stores at the front counter you can buy those small packets of anti-squeal brake grease for like 99 cents. Those work well also and will not break down the rubber.
I would give that a try, but I'm almost wondering if your sway links are so loose that it's causing a lot of movement and squeaking in your sway bar bushings?
There's specific grease made for suspension bushings and it's a lot like Sil-Glyde.
Also at the part stores at the front counter you can buy those small packets of anti-squeal brake grease for like 99 cents. Those work well also and will not break down the rubber.
I would give that a try, but I'm almost wondering if your sway links are so loose that it's causing a lot of movement and squeaking in your sway bar bushings?
Thread Starter
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,025
Likes: 13
From: McAllen, TX
I thoroughly cleaned all the Shin Etsu and 3M silicone grease off all four sway bar bushings yesterday and haven't had a squeak since. The front bushings do have a liner inside where the bushing grips the bar, and since they don't come from the factory with grease I'm assuming they're not meant to be greased.
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