After-the-Fact Sway Bar Bushing Lubricant?

Ask the shop what they ordinarily do for this problem and let us know? If I had to figure this out I'd start out with putting some light oil, I usually use Olive Oil on a rag or paper towel and coat the bushings as best you can after you clean it... Then if that doesn't work I'd do what this guy did and reposition the assembly slight by spinning the bolts a bit:

 

Isn't the purpose of a bushing to prevent metal-to-metal contact? So they don't require lubrication. The only time I've heard of them needing lube is if they are starting to dry-rot so a lube may prolong the life. Some bushings can start squeaking (a big problem in Chevy's) but I haven't heard of it happening in Toyotas.

 

These are the end link assemblies I don't think they get lubricated per se The ball joint behind the rubber is lubricated from the factory matter of fact I think they're now sealed somewhat so that no lubing is required used to be there was a small bolt on the back of a joint similar to this and you screw a zerk fitting into that then Grease here they've done away with this step. I guess what you could do when you're putting them on fresh is put the joint and the nut through the piece on your strut that it goes through loosely and just pump it up and down like them old water hand pump on the farm and try to work the grease around in the joint before you install it so that maybe this won't start in the first place seems like that would happen if the joints just sat in the box same side up on the shelf for years with Gen 2 parts possible these things here these end links I bought some heavy things from move they don't even look like the stamp steel business they're much I know they're heavier affair I wouldn't say buy a whole lot but they're pretty heavy duty looking I don't think they were that expensive I bought a pair early when I got a Gen 2 the first time I actually didn't use them they're still here in the shop brand new in the box

 

Are they rubber or coloured nylon looking type? Often the original rubber bushes are replaced with the nylon type bushes and these should be lubricated with graphite grease when installed. This should last the life of the bushings, then the whole process is repeated. If the nylon bushes were not greased when installed, they are most likely chewed out by now, the metal bar rips into the nylon if there isn't any lubrication used when first installed.
The original rubber bushes shouldn't be lubricated, the rubber supplies its own form of lubricant until it dries out and the bush chews out and requires replacing. The properly lubricated nylon type will last at least twice as long as the rubber ones, but they do transfer body noise a lot more than the sound insulation rubber ones.

T1 Terry

 

I call those "sway bar FRAME bushings". The short answer is no, going to have to remove and refit them.

The stock bushings are synthetic rubber, compressed against the bar by the mounting brackets. There is no "movement" between the rubber and the bar. Rotate things within the designed limits and the rubber flexes. Quiet & cheap, but squishy- so there is more deflection.

As the rubber ages it gets less flexible. When it can no longer flex enough, you get "slip" at the rubber to metal junction which chews up the bushing. Looseness and thumps follow.

Your "performance" bushings are synthetic elastomer (like polyurethane). Very little flex by design, so there is movement of the bar in the bushing. These must be greased when installed, and at some point need more grease. Some designs incorporate zerk fittings into the mounting brackets for maintenance.

Can't say if your installer greased them or not- these aren't "stock" replacements (rubber bushings are never lubricated).

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If those are performance poly bushings yeah there going to sqeek. Just about all of them do. That's why the factory uses rubber.

The plastic has gotten a little worn. Just spray some lube on it don't use WD40 your car will stink. It will be a constant maintenance issue though.

 

Fairly good write up but not quite 100%.

Almost all factory suspension bushings on most car are rubber. Cheap and quiet. The design of each individual part has to take into account ; size, loading, stiffness (transmitted shock and vibration), range of travel, etc.

By design, all of these rubber bushings flex. Age and wear results in separation with metal to rubber movement. You might get some "creaking" noise but the bushing has failed and is wearing (causing looseness) rapidly. Squeaking noises on most cars result from some type of metal on metal movement.

The "performance" bushings that were installed on your car are a type of hard plastic that isn't designed to flex much. It is supposed to move at the metal to bushing interface which is why it needs grease. On a regular basis.


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About all I can add to that, when you remove the bushing, make sure the steel parts don't have rubber built up on them but rather are clean and smooth. Graphite grease will last the life of the nylon type bushing, if it dries out and squeak starts, the bushing needs replacing and use plenty of grease when you reassemble it. About the only other grease that will do the job is called valve and o ring grease, generally available from good bearing supply shops, it is a silicon grease so won't react with rubber or the nylon type bushings and won't dry out .... but it isn't cheap .....

T1 Terry