creaky swaybar

[shaundrake]

I have an EG Civic with your 24mm adjustable rear sway bar, included subframe reinforcement brackets, and rear lower tie bar which I personally installed. I am very pleased with the handling improvement and the quality of the parts.

However, the rear bar makes a lot of noise over the slightest uneven surface. It is constantly creaking. My front Type R swaybar is perfectly silent and well behaved. I tried torquing down all the bolts on the rear. The chassis bushing is completely soaked in the provided grease. The noise seems to be coming from the U bolt chassis bracket metal on metal contact. Is there any solution?

When I try to tighten the nut on one of the U bolts, it goes a little ways and then jumps back a thread.

Also, when I gently pry the subframe mounting brackets, there is some flex near the upper swaybar to chassis nuts. When I do so, the creaking noise makes itself known. Does this area also flex under corner loads?

Sorry, I can't bring it in for you to look at as I am unhappily situated on the other side of the Pacific Ocean. Thanks for any comments.

[Wojtek]

Hi,
I'm sorry to hear you're having some problems.
Firstly, the biggest rear sway bar for your car that we do is 22mm, so if you have a 24mm diameter bar then that will be putting a lot more stress on the mounts and related components.
Your Type'R front sway bar will most likely have rubber D-bushes, as opposed to low compliance polyurethane bushes supplied with our sway bars.
From what I understand, it seems that the thread on the U-bolts has ben stripped, as it jumps back a thread and therefore would not be tight. Sway bar D-bushes must not be over tightened. When fitting, U-bolt nuts should be tightened until the D-bush is firm inside the U-bolt bracket, and then tightened approximately a further 1 turn. If the D-bush is starting to get distorted and a lot of grease comes out the side of the D-bush, then it's too tight.
If you need new U-bolts or anything else, please send me an email with your details. I also suggest that you check tension on all bolts and nuts.

Hope this helps.

Regards,
Wojtek.

[shaundrake]

Wow, thank you for your quick response!! I continue to be amazed by Whiteline's top notch customer service.

Ahh, it is nice to finally see some instructions. Do you have torque specs? I used the factory specs where I could.

The swaybar is BHR36XZ Blade adj 22-24mm The bar was recommended to me by Peter in a post a little ways down from this one titled "swaybar Civic EG".

The front swaybar has Prothane bushings and end links.

No grease is necessary between the U bolt and metal bracket correct?

Just the one U bolt or nut is stripped. My email is shaundrake@metacrawler.com

order number W12487

Thanks much!

[Wojtek]

Hi Shaun,
For chassis bolts, simply follow manufacturers specificatiosn, as you have. For the U-bolt nuts, can't give an exact torque setting, as this relies on the compression of the D-bush. When the bush is tight in the bracket, tighten the nuts a little more - usually another turn only, or when you see grease starting to come out the sides. Hope that makes sense.

Only moveable / rotating parts must be greased, so no grease in necessary between U-bolt and metal bracket.

Your new U-bolts, nuts, bushes and grease are being sent to you today.

Regards,
Wojtek.

[shaundrake]

That was fast, considering it had to cross the pacific. Replaced the U bolt, sure enough one of the ends was cross threaded and totally worn smooth at one point. I remember that nut having to be forced on due to an imperfection on the threads of the U bolt. Then I loosened the other end and re-tightened exactly as you suggested. Took it for a test spin and the creakiness is all cleared up! The steering even feels better.

I can't wait to take my friends and girlfriend for a ride so they wont make fun of my car anymore. Thanks Whiteline, your customer service is world-class!!!

[Wojtek]

:)

That's good to hear Shaun. Thanks for your nice comments.

Regards,
Wojtek.