348 Front sway bar bushings

Thought to post a few pictures of the front sway bar bushing replacement. Took about 20 minutes a side including jacking and wheel removal.

Image Unavailable, Please Login Removing the bolts requires a 13mm socket or wratchet/wrench. You can get a long extension and run through the top A arm to get the front nut or use the special craftsman tool which allows like 1cm of movement at a time but works ok.

Image Unavailable, Please Login pic of wrench, this was handy removing a vette heater core because the head flops and locks in any position.

Image Unavailable, Please Login pop off the metal bracket and of course be careful not to drop anything into the back side where the rack is.

Image Unavailable, Please Login old bushing slides out easy if you Jack the bottom of the strut up it will give enough of a gap underneath to slip out easy.

 

Nice work Dave! Thanks for sharing.

Now, if anyone can tell me some dimensions on the steering rack inner housing bush I would be grateful.

 

Thanks PAP. I'm planning to remove the upper control arm to install new bushings next week so if there is a way to get that measurement as it sits wheels off let me know where . I have a digital micrometer which might help?

 

Thanks mate, yep. It's very simple.

All you need to do is, take off the steering rack boot and take two measurements for me.

The 'rack support bush' has failed on the left side of my car. I can still drive it, but the steering feels like crap and eventually I will need to look at it.

I don't want to remove the rack just to replace that bush, I was hoping to get some measurements to have a new nylon bush turned up so I can pull it apart and slip it straight in there.

I can do it myself, but was hoping someone had the measurements of the rack and housing so I can have it made before hand so I wouldn't have to wait.

If it's too much trouble, don't stress about it.

But if you can slip that rack boot off, please measure the inside diameter of that housing and the diameter of the rack itself please.

I can imagine the outside diameter of the bush will eventually be 50mm and inside around 30mm.

It would be a generic size and I can probably buy a bush to suit off the shelf anyway.

See how you go mate, I appreciate anything you can do for me.
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Another pic. Circle in red is what I need and some arrows to explain where I need measure.

Inside diameter of that housing and the outside diameter of the rack itself.
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did you use Ferrari or aftermarket? what was the part number?

Looks like it was pretty easy to do.
Why did you replace them? torn? or just old?

 

Excellent post!!!

Well done!

 

They were pretty beat and ordered from superformance. Shipped to usa in 4 days was a great product and nice deal. PAP I am posting a pic of the inner boot clamp. Well, it is facing the body so I can't get a 1/4" socket behind it and a screwdriver is a laughing matter with no hand wrench long enough either in the toolkit to get the clamp off. Any ideas? Twist clamp and pray? Were the boots put on the rack before install or maybe a magic panel removes underneath to get big hands in there.

After aborting the front rotor removal due to lack of ATE Blue fluid ..the hilarious metal line holding the caliper on. I spent 2 hours on those stupid, stupid caliper shims. Another time to tackle this since rotors are ok just wanted to cut them and put on the hawk pads. Not without fluid.
Thanks Ernie, sorry I missed your post. Hope to post the bushing replacement procedure in picturesque details soon since I did not see one detailed out there and pictures are 1000 words .

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Hi mate,

Don't stress too much about it. Didn't realize it was that tight in there.

If you are keen, see if you can turn the clamp so you can get onto it or perhaps use a spanner if you can reach it.

Not too sure if a panel comes off underneath it.

Worst comes to worse, I will just rip the wheel off my car, get it apart and then go from there.

See how you go thanks mate, I appreciate you taking a look at it for me.