Sway Bar Bushing - Rear

This procedure covers the replacement of worn rear sway bar bushings on a 2014-2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 to restore handling and eliminate clunking noises.

Warnings

Tools required

Parts

• Rear sway bar bushing kit × 1 — Use OEM specification or equivalent

Preparation

1. Park vehicle on level, solid ground and engage parking brake
2. Place wheel chocks in front of front wheels
3. Spray penetrating oil on rear sway bar bracket bolts if visible rust or corrosion is present, allow 10-15 minutes to soak

Procedure

1. 1

   Raise and support vehicle
   Raise the rear of the vehicle using a floor jack at the rear differential or frame jacking point. Once raised to working height, place jack stands under the frame rails on both sides. Lower the vehicle onto the jack stands and verify stability before working underneath.
2. 2

   Locate rear sway bar and bushings
   The rear sway bar runs laterally across the rear axle. Locate the sway bar bushings which are held to the frame or axle housing by U-shaped brackets. There are typically two bushings, one on each side of the differential.
3. 3

   Remove first sway bar bracket bolts
   Using a socket and ratchet, remove the two bolts securing the first sway bar bracket to the mounting surface. The bracket is a U-shaped clamp that holds the bushing around the sway bar. Support the bracket as you remove the second bolt to prevent it from falling.
4. 4

   Remove first bushing
   Remove the bracket and the old bushing from the sway bar. Note the orientation of the bushing split (it should face downward or rearward). If the bushing is stuck or deteriorated, carefully pry it off or cut it away. Clean the sway bar surface with a wire brush to remove any rubber residue or corrosion.
5. 5

   Install first new bushing
   Position the new bushing around the sway bar in the correct location, ensuring the split in the bushing faces the same direction as the original (typically downward). The bushing should be centered in the mounting area. Place the U-bracket over the bushing.
6. 6

   Install and torque first bracket
   Thread both bracket bolts through the bracket and into the mounting surface. Hand-tighten both bolts first to ensure proper alignment. Using a torque wrench, tighten the sway bar bracket bolts to specification in an alternating pattern to ensure even compression of the bushing.
   Torque spec

   Sway Bar Bracket Bolts59 Nm (44 lb-ft)
7. 7

   Remove second sway bar bracket bolts
   Repeat the removal process for the second sway bar bushing bracket on the opposite side of the differential. Remove both bolts securing the bracket to the mounting surface.
8. 8

   Remove and replace second bushing
   Remove the bracket and old bushing. Clean the sway bar surface thoroughly. Install the new bushing around the sway bar with the split oriented correctly, and position the U-bracket over it.
9. 9

   Install and torque second bracket
   Install both bracket bolts and hand-tighten. Using a torque wrench, tighten the sway bar bracket bolts to specification in an alternating pattern.
   Torque spec

   Sway Bar Bracket Bolts59 Nm (44 lb-ft)
10. 10

    Lower vehicle
    Raise the vehicle slightly with the floor jack to unload the jack stands, then remove the jack stands. Carefully lower the vehicle completely to the ground.

Reassembly

1. Ensure both sway bar brackets are torqued to specification with bushings properly seated
2. Verify no tools or parts were left under the vehicle

Verification

• Test drive the vehicle over bumps and during turns to verify elimination of clunking or rattling noises from the rear suspension
• Perform a visual inspection under the vehicle after the first test drive to ensure brackets remain tight and bushings are properly seated
• Re-check bracket bolt torque after 50-100 miles of driving to ensure they have not loosened

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