Anti-roll bar bushings - to lubricate or not?

Captain Slow IRL

Hi all, nice to see this forum up and running!

Anyhoo, as the title asks, should you lubricate anti-roll bar bushings when fitting new ones? I've heard conflicting thoughts about this from 2 very experienced mechanics and am unsure myself but would lean towards using some sort of lube on them. (Reading an article before in Car Mechanics magazine, they fitted poly bushes and used copper grease on all contact points.)

For the arguement is to reduce friction that will eventually wear the bushings down. Against the arguement was that the bushing should allow as little movement as possible with the anti-roll bar.

Hellrazer

Had a car fail the nct on brand new anti roll bar bushings that I lubed before fitting--Too much movement was the reason given.So I`d have to say no.

We dont lube them before fitting in our place either.

biko

Fwiw: I think lubing was done more to be able to fit them onto the bar as it could be quite a snug fit and then you had to slide them from the end to where they sit. With split bushes it's not necessary.

Slidey

I have never lubed rubber bushings and don't think I would either.

I got a fcuking from a mechanic when I was an apprentice for putting grease on rubber.

Saying that, you do put lubricant on polybushes, they such a tight fit you need to.

Some trucks, Volvo and Mercedes to name just 2, wear the roll-bars because the poly bushes are so hard. In those cases I would probably grease them if I personally owned them, I wouldn't like to think how much a roll bar that is 50mm thick would cost

Captain Slow IRL

No

Hellrazer wrote: »

Had a car fail the nct on brand new anti roll bar bushings that I lubed before fitting--Too much movement was the reason given.So I`d have to say no.

We dont lube them before fitting in our place either.

Sideways, I take it?

Magnus wrote: »

Fwiw: I think lubing was done more to be able to fit them onto the bar as it could be quite a snug fit and then you had to slide them from the end to where they sit. With split bushes it's not necessary.

Slidey wrote: »

I have never lubed rubber bushings and don't think I would either.

I got a fcuking from a mechanic when I was an apprentice for putting grease on rubber.

Saying that, you do put lubricant on polybushes, they such a tight fit you need to......................

I use plenty of silicone spray when putting them on - was told that penetrating spray works as well and have used that at times. I've never fitted poly bushes so no experience with them.
I got the bollocking for using grease on rubber as well:) Something about it breaking the rubber down.

Slidey

Captain Slow IRL wrote: »

Sideways, I take it?

Cheeky fcuker!

D'oh, I thought you wrote slideways which used to be my old nick

Hellrazer

Captain Slow IRL wrote: »

Sideways, I take it

Whatever youre into


It was sideways play alright.

I got the bollocking for using grease on rubber as well:) Something about it breaking the rubber down.

No one ever tell you not to use vaseline on your rubbers (or any oil based lubricant for that matter)

vw4life

I wouldn't use any type of lube,Merc do a very good installation paste that makes fitting bushes easy then dries off leaving the bushing dry and tight

Stoolbend

I voted no, but I do use a bit of silicon spray when fitting some of the more awkward ones.

Rovi

No

I'd vote mostly Yes, I suppose.

I use copper grease on polybushes and silicone spray on difficult rubber ones.
The polybushes appear to be impervious to the lube, and, well, I like to lube anything where two surfaces can move relative to each other.

Mineral oil + rubber = bad is certainly the 'old wisdom', but how it applies to modern synthetic rubbers that may or may not contain much/any natural rubber is a subject for someone way above my pay grade.
I prefer to err on the cautious side though, and either assemble them dry or use silicone spray.

Masada

I don't grease them myself, If its stubborn, a bit of fairy liquid can help and it'll dry away pretty soon.,

biko

I chose No, was that to lube or to dry?
just messin'

CJhaughey

No

I have a few polybush kits for steering rack and A/R bars and they all come with a white grease for lubing the bush/rod interface.
I think one of the main things to watch out for is that the surface of the bar/rack that is in contact with the bushing is perfectly smooth and has no rust or roughness on it.

El Guapo!

No

I generally put only a small amount of copper grease on the bar. I've fitted them dry a couple of times and found them to squeak a small bit without grease.
A little lube never hurt anybody

hi5

No

I put silicon grease on all poly bushes to prevent squeeking,I dont put anything on rubber.

ianobrien

I'd follow the instructions supplied. For polybushes, I'd use the lubricant supplied. For Rubber bushes, I'd follow the instructions, but I'd keep WD40 miles away from them (WD-40 is an organic chemical and will dissolve rubber over time)

I've "assisted" some mechanic friends fit rubber bushes, and what was done was a good clean and the use of a hydraulic press if needed. No lubricant generally used (unless supplied)

mickdw

Any manufacturer info Ive seen specifically say not to use a lubricant on anti roll bar bushes. Makes sense too to limit the sideways movement of the bar.

CJhaughey

No

Copper grease will destroy rubber as well, I have seen quite a few brake calipers that have had to be replaced because of over liberal aplication of copper grease to stop brake squeal and it had rotted the rubber bellows around the pistons.

bladespin

No

Silicone grease only on rubber, don't use any LM, it'll degrade the rubber rapidly.

On metal bushes I always put some copper grease in there, it wion't cause any extra movement, pitch and yaw will already be designed into the joint so I doubt if a DIYer or mechanic could add anything to this bar movement due to worn parts.

gofaster_s13

Fairy liquid if they're tight otherwise dry but have used rubber grease on squeaky bushes before much better and lasts longer than the grease that comes with polybushes, was also told never to put ordinary grease near rubber.

mullingar

Some after market bushing kits DO require a special grease.

Roll-bar bushings for my 98 GS300:




http://www.tmengineering.net/suspension/daizen/make/gs.html

The grease is extremely sticky, gloves are a MUST


Edit: Best 30 dollars I ever spent

Hal1

Have you installed them Mullingar? It would be very usefull if you could manage some pics if you get a chance. Maybe even before and after? cheers.

ianobrien

gofaster_s13 wrote: »

Fairy liquid if they're tight otherwise dry but have used rubber grease on squeaky bushes before much better and lasts longer than the grease that comes with polybushes, was also told never to put ordinary grease near rubber.

You do know that fairy liquid is acidic. As any junior cert science student should be able to tell you, a soap is an organic acid. You're right though about the ordinary LM grease, don't put it near rubber, along with WD-40

mullingar

Hal1 wrote: »

Have you installed them Mullingar? It would be very usefull if you could manage some pics if you get a chance. Maybe even before and after? cheers.

No pics as i installed them last year, from memory it only took 30 mins for the job with a basic socket set. Improved dramatcally the front ends handling

Fishtits

OP needs to add a third option to their poll - follow manufacturers advice.

martinr5232

Masada wrote: »

I don't grease them myself, If its stubborn, a bit of fairy liquid can help and it'll dry away pretty soon.,

And it keeps your hands nice and soft