Elrick

This just does not look right to me. should I press out the outer sleeve and then install?

kimmer

Don't quite know what you mean but if you are referring to the permanent spacer on the link that stays. Those things are a bitch to get in, I usually end up trimming them down to fit.

Elrick

Yes, I am talking about the metal insert/sleeve thats attached to the inside of the end link. The sway bar ends also have these but I was told to remove these so I did and the bushings went in very easily. The difference is that the sway bar ends a fatter so that the bushings fill them. The end link is much thinner so that if you remove the metal sleeve then it seems that the bushing will move from side to side. Those inserts have a lip on one side that makes the end link fatter for the bushing. hope this makes sense. I managed to get one bushing in the end link but it distorted a bit. It was impossible to get a bushing in the sway bar end with that metal sleeve in. what about removing the sleeve, then pressing the bushing into the sleeve and then pressing it back into the end link? I know I sound like I am making a mountain out of a mole hill here but I have done so many searches and found so many conflicting ideas. Thanks

AGENT 86

Just removed mine, did them 6 years. No sleeves what so ever.

Cliff Harris

You put the rubber/polyurethane part in first, then put in the metal sleeve. The rubber needs to compress to go into the hole and it can't do that with the sleeve in place. The purpose of the sleeve is to prevent the bolt from distorting and chewing up the rubber as everything moves.

AGENT 86

That is not the sleeve in question, it's the metal shells in bar ends and end links.

Elrick

I hope this clears it up. The end link on the left has one of the metal inserts in it. I pressed out this metal insert from the end link on the right. you can see these metal inserts above the end links in the picture. My question is, do you press in the new poly bushing while this metal insert is still in the end link, do you remove the metal insert and then press the bushing into the metal insert and then press this back into the end link, or do you just put the bushing in without this metal insert? The picture that starts this thread is of an end link that I pressed a new bushing into without first removing the metal insert. This was a huge PITA and, as you can see in the pic, the bushing is a bit distorted. It's not in there perfect. It might correct itself under load or it might tear up. The sway bar ends also have these metal inserts. I tried everything I found in the forum search and could not get a new bushing pressed in while the metal insert was still in the sway bar end. I removed the metal insert and easily pressed in the new bushing and put the sway bar back on the car. This is what I read in a lot of posts. So, now that I have fully confused everyone and put my complete lack of intelligence on full display, what should I do and how should I do it. Thank you and sorry

AGENT 86

None, zero. Just the parts that ES supplies.

Elrick

That's what I am doing. ES should tell you in their directions to press out those sleeves though. I could not find that anywhere in the ones that I got or on their website. Thanks you for your help

Cliff Harris

I used Prothane parts myself, so I guess I didn't have the same problem you're experiencing.

Phat98

I slit the bushings diagonally, not straight - makes it easier to install the bushing and gives the sleeve more contact.

Elrick

out of curiosity, did you have to remove the metal sleeves to install the prothane bushings?