Sway Bar Bushing - Rear

This procedure covers the replacement of the rear sway bar bushings on a 2016-2021 Honda Civic with the 1.5L turbo engine. The job involves removing the sway bar bracket bolts, replacing the worn bushings, and reinstalling the brackets with proper torque specifications.

Warnings

Tools required

Parts

• Rear sway bar bushing set (includes 2 bushings) × 1 — Use OEM specification or equivalent

Preparation

1. Park vehicle on level surface and engage parking brake
2. Place wheel chocks in front of front wheels
3. Lift rear of vehicle using floor jack at designated rear jack point
4. Support vehicle with jack stands placed at proper frame support points
5. Lower vehicle onto jack stands and verify stability
6. Remove rear wheels (not required, but provides better access)

Procedure

1. 1

   Locate rear sway bar and bushing brackets
   Position yourself under the rear of the vehicle. Locate the rear sway bar running laterally across the rear suspension. Identify the two sway bar bushing brackets mounted to the rear subframe or chassis, one on each side of center. Each bracket is secured with two 14mm bolts.
2. 2

   Remove first sway bar bracket bolts
   Using a 14mm socket and ratchet, loosen and remove both bolts securing the first sway bar bracket to the chassis. Support the bracket with one hand as you remove the second bolt to prevent it from falling. Remove the bracket and set aside with bolts.
3. 3

   Remove worn bushing from sway bar
   With the bracket removed, the sway bar bushing will be exposed on the bar. The bushing is split and can be removed by hand. Carefully pull the old bushing away from the sway bar and inspect for cracking, tearing, or compression damage. Note the orientation of the split in the bushing.
4. 4

   Clean sway bar surface
   Use a wire brush to clean the area of the sway bar where the bushing sits, removing any dirt, corrosion, or old bushing material. This ensures proper seating of the new bushing. Wipe clean with a shop towel.
5. 5

   Install new bushing
   Position the new bushing around the sway bar with the split facing downward (toward the ground). If using silicone spray, apply a light coating to the inside of the bushing to ease installation. Ensure the bushing is centered in the location where the bracket will mount and fully seated around the bar.
6. 6

   Reinstall first bracket and torque bolts
   Position the bracket over the bushing, aligning the mounting holes with the chassis. Start both bolts by hand to ensure proper threading. Tighten bolts in an alternating pattern to draw the bracket down evenly. Using a torque wrench, torque both bolts to specification.
   Torque spec

   Sway Bar Bracket Bolts45 Nm (33 lb-ft)
7. 7

   Repeat process for second bushing
   Move to the opposite side of the vehicle and repeat steps 2 through 6 for the second sway bar bushing and bracket. Remove the bracket, replace the bushing, clean the sway bar surface, install the new bushing, and reinstall the bracket with proper torque.
8. 8

   Verify installation and check clearances
   Visually inspect both installed bushings to ensure they are properly seated and the brackets are secure. Verify there is no interference between the sway bar and any suspension components or chassis members. Check that both brackets are tightened to specification.

Reassembly

1. Reinstall rear wheels if removed and torque lug nuts to specification in a star pattern
2. Raise vehicle slightly with floor jack to remove jack stands
3. Carefully lower vehicle to ground
4. Perform final torque check on lug nuts with vehicle on ground

Verification

• Test drive vehicle at low speed and listen for clunking or rattling noises from rear suspension
• Drive over speed bumps or uneven surfaces to verify bushings are eliminating previous noise
• After 50-100 miles, re-inspect bracket bolt torque to ensure bolts have not loosened
• Verify improved handling response and reduced body roll during cornering

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