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Energy Suspension rear sway bracket

nik12937

nik12937

New member
How did everyone here mount their rear sway bar? Mine being a GMPP. I used the Energy Suspension Bushings with their included brackets a while back because the stock ones could not house the bigger bushings, but they've always left a gap between the bushing and bracket due to the way the stock bracket hooks in and is only bolted on one side. The ES bracket slips right into the slot and bolts down, but isn't snug.

Did you guys drill/tap a hole to mount the ES bracket, or bend it to fit correctly using the stock mounting setup? I'm hoping I can just bend it, because I don't see myself fitting a drill up in there. I know I had seen a thread showing a way someone bent them, but last time I checked the picture hosted in the thread no longer showed up. I should have just done this last year when I put it all on :P It's just now that I notice a clank when going over bumps that can only be attributed to that, and I'm definitely not getting all the benefit from that bar with the bushings being loose too...
 


I had the same problem when I did mine earlier this summer. All I did was use my dremel to sand down that edge some. Once you flatten or around the corner out it fits perfectly.

*edit* I might have misunderstood with my first response. To get the ES bracket to slip into the stock hole I used a dremel to widen it just a bit then sliped it up in there. by sanding down the edge of the bushing it made it so it fit flat to where it has to bolt. If that doens't make sense I'll take a picture for you tomorrow and upload it.
 
The part number for the bushing and bracket was 9.5123G. My bracket actually slid right in the slot where the stock one goes, but the bushing doesn't sit flat.

As it is right now, shaving off any of the bushing will make it sit flat but will also make the bushing more loose than it already is. The bracket itself doesn't hold the bushing in the correct spot and is what's causing the misfit.

I'll be working on this tonight/tomorrow after I reseal my downpipe, so I'll make sure to take pictures of however I wind up doing it too.
 
your bushing doesn't fit tightly in the bracket it came with? Even with shaving mine down once tightening it, it wasn't going anywhere. I'll make sure to get a picture for you.
 


That is strange. I was able to use the same bushings with the stock brackets. The stock brackets are offset to slide into the cut out on the metal frame mounting point. I did not even try the brackets that came with the energy suspesnion bushings becauseI didn't think it would fit.

Here is a pic of the stock bracket and GMPP rear busing on the bottom and the energy suspesnion on the top.
14E1C4EA-01AF-47BD-AE81-AACD7E692A0B-14616-00000CA0F3841CCA_zps1425bdbf.jpg


This is the enegy suspension bushing with the stock bracket bolted in. The one thing I noticed is the rear of the energy suspension bushing is flat versus the GMPP busing that is shaped to follow the curve of the rear mounting point on the frame.
41BEA814-C6A1-41C6-A6C1-FF64ACA0F101-14616-00000CA132E33965_zps4551f41b.jpg
 
****, the stock one is actually sloped? SomeDudeAtHome, NOW I see why you shaved that one corner! The bushings fin in the brackets perfect until they're bolted down, I apologize, I was a bit vague on that.

I still have the stock bushings and brackets I believe (one benefit of hoarding old car parts I guess), so I think my plan is to see how they'd fit with the stock bracket and use that as a guideline on shaving the poly bushings and/or bending the new bracket.

I just really want to use the bracket that came with the bushings since they seem to be a higher grade metal and thus less flexing should occur. Now whether that actually helps handling in any noticeable or measurable way...probably not. I've honestly been debating on a bigger rear sway than the GMPP, but I don't really know what to do besides watch the for sale section, bigger bars like SLP are expensive as **** for what they are. Having all the extra weight in the back with the subs, box, and second battery just makes body roll that much worse :P

Edit: Where the heck did the like buttons go?! I can't just be missing them, I even search for "like" on the page. Dass weird...
 
haha like buttons are gone. I've attached a photo of basically what you have to shave off (left of the red line if you can see it). sand it from the front of the photo to the back of the photo so that whole side. Once you've done this the ES bushing and bracket will both fit. The top mount just slides right up into the hole there for the stock one. No need to bolt it down or anything. Then just tighten the bottom bolt and you're good to go.

View attachment 12474
 
btw if you're interested I will have a front SLP bar for sale soon. Brand new never used. Also have a ES bushing kit to go with it.
 
I appreciate the picture! I've got a decent dremel so I'll have them trimmed up nice and quick.

I don't think I'll be doing anything else to my front sway bar really, the Dorman one seems to work nicely. I need to cut the sway down in the rear to add grip at the front as strange as that sounds. Thank you for the offer though! If I'm lucky, fitting the bushings correctly will do what I'm hoping for.
 


I tried to use the stock bracket and the bushing had too much space. Got another set, trimmed down the ES bracket on the end that goes into the slot and they've been great since using the ES bracket.
 
Bill, could I ask why you trimmed your bracket? Did it not fit otherwise? Mine slips in just fine, but I'll admit, it causes a problem that I hope to get some ideas on.

In terms of fitting tight, I actually just used washers under the bushings as spacers, and it tightened up real nice. I can even feel the reduction in under steer.

But about the bracket slipping into the stock spot, I've finally realized that the clank I've had when going over bumps for the past year or two is due to the bracket moving slightly in the slot and causing metal on metal contact. It squeaks and clanks like a ***** to say the least, and is incredibly irritating. Especially with the seats down.

I'm debating on either wrapping that end of the bracket in one or two rounds of gaffing tape before slipping it in, or drilling another hole to actually bolt the top of the bracket. I really detest this mounting setup, its just silly.
 
Yeah..the bracket was too wide to fit into the slot. I trimmed it to fit, after that all was good.

This is on the 00 Regal, and while I think the subframe is the same...maybe GM changed it up slightly.
 
Sorry to revive an old thread, just wanted to know if you ever drilled the hole for the top bolt? I recently put an ES bushing set in the rear and since the top doesn't bolt down, the sway bar was actually able to wiggle out of the bushing bracket after some spirited driving! This is really a crappy design
 
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