Rear Sway Bar Bushings

[rmatt]

I recently ordered the parts needed to install a rear sway bar on my 2006 Base through GM Parts Direct. A day or two later they notified me that the bushings (part #10317560) are no longer available. I understand the frustration many of us have over the unavailability of parts for our cars but we're not talking about a $2000 plus headlight or taillight. We're talking about $6 rubber bushings! I figured somebody had to have them or there was a replacement part that could be substituted so I went ahead with the order. The following day I went on every GM parts website I could find and ordered the bushings. Next day, they all notified me that they were cancelling the order because the part is no longer available. There's got to be a solution, right? I might also add that I am a little bit disturbed that these sites will take your order for a part that they have to know is discontinued. I just went on the Gmpartsdirect website and they still show the part as being available. Anyway....any ideas?

 

[cubby558]

I assume you were ordering the sway bar that was standard on the V's. You might want to look up the sway bar for a 2006 base Corvette and see if all those parts are available. I don't know what size sway bar it is, but it could be a little bigger and different size bushings would be needed. It will bolt right up, as they are the same frame basically.

 

[rmatt]

I assume you were ordering the sway bar that was standard on the V's. You might want to look up the sway bar for a 2006 base Corvette and see if all those parts are available. I don't know what size sway bar it is, but it could be a little bigger and different size bushings would be needed. It will bolt right up, as they are the same frame basically.

Not sure that those bushings will work with the XLR stabilizer. The 06 Vette has 3 different sway bars and all are attached using L shaped brackets whereas the X uses a U shaped bracket. At least that's what I see from the diagrams.

 

[cubby558]

I do know for sure the Corvette sway bars will fit, as other members here have used them. If you re-read my post, I said try a complete package of the Corvette parts, as I'm sure any bushing would be different because the sway bars are different sizes. Some of the suspension parts on the XLR-V are from the Z51 package of the Corvette, so you may want to start there.

Not sure that those bushings will work with the XLR stabilizer. The 06 Vette has 3 different sway bars and all are attached using L shaped brackets whereas the X uses a U shaped bracket. At least that's what I see from the diagrams.

 

[rmatt]

I do know for sure the Corvette sway bars will fit, as other members here have used them. If you re-read my post, I said try a complete package of the Corvette parts, as I'm sure any bushing would be different because the sway bars are different sizes. Some of the suspension parts on the XLR-V are from the Z51 package of the Corvette, so you may want to start there.

Cubby I didn't see in your post where you mentioned anything about a complete sway bar package for the Vette. I have no doubt that the Vette sway bar will fit because I too have seen where other members claimed to have used them. I also understand that sway bars use different bushing because of the different sizes or diameters. What I tried to explain to you in my previous post was that based on the diagrams I've seen of the Vette and X sway bars the Vette uses a L shaped bushing bracket and the X uses a U shaped bracket. The bushings have to fit in those brackets. The L bushing will have 2 flat sides whereas the U bushing has only one flat side. Trying to use one in place of the other would be equivalent to fitting a square peg in a round hole. If you would check out the diagrams for each vehicle you would see what I am talking about. I appreciate you trying to guide me in the right direction and the fact that there have been no other responses, even though there have been 64 views, leads me to believe that the Vette bushings will not work. I'll keep looking and have faith that there is a solution out there somewhere.

 

[cubby558]

Just trying to help, but obviously you know more than I. I think you will find that most pictures on parts sites are a generalization of components used. If you pulled up both the XLR-V parts list and compared it to the Corvette parts list, you would find that the clamps are the same part number, even though they show a different picture of the part.

I'll leave you to your search of what you need and won't try to help you any longer.

Good luck!

Cubby I didn't see in your post where you mentioned anything about a complete sway bar package for the Vette. I have no doubt that the Vette sway bar will fit because I too have seen where other members claimed to have used them. I also understand that sway bars use different bushing because of the different sizes or diameters. What I tried to explain to you in my previous post was that based on the diagrams I've seen of the Vette and X sway bars the Vette uses a L shaped bushing bracket and the X uses a U shaped bracket. The bushings have to fit in those brackets. The L bushing will have 2 flat sides whereas the U bushing has only one flat side. Trying to use one in place of the other would be equivalent to fitting a square peg in a round hole. If you would check out the diagrams for each vehicle you would see what I am talking about. I appreciate you trying to guide me in the right direction and the fact that there have been no other responses, even though there have been 64 views, leads me to believe that the Vette bushings will not work. I'll keep looking and have faith that there is a solution out there somewhere.

 

[mickeytee]

sway bar brackets

Cubby I didn't see in your post where you mentioned anything about a complete sway bar package for the Vette. I have no doubt that the Vette sway bar will fit because I too have seen where other members claimed to have used them. I also understand that sway bars use different bushing because of the different sizes or diameters. What I tried to explain to you in my previous post was that based on the diagrams I've seen of the Vette and X sway bars the Vette uses a L shaped bushing bracket and the X uses a U shaped bracket. The bushings have to fit in those brackets. The L bushing will have 2 flat sides whereas the U bushing has only one flat side. Trying to use one in place of the other would be equivalent to fitting a square peg in a round hole. If you would check out the diagrams for each vehicle you would see what I am talking about. I appreciate you trying to guide me in the right direction and the fact that there have been no other responses, even though there have been 64 views, leads me to believe that the Vette bushings will not work. I'll keep looking and have faith that there is a solution out there somewhere.

All the brackets are the same xlr v or corvette. they use the same u shaped mount and you need two bolts to mount them into the crossmember. The rubber bushings are all different. there are 3-4 sizes depending on the size of the sway bar. get a stock corvette base as its the smallest and sand it out to fit the bar if you cannot find one. .MAny many companies make them in better material .Just tell them the thickness of your sway bar in MM and they have them, Advance auto parts has them also

 

[rmatt]

Problem Solved

Just found the rear sway bar bushings I was looking for at a dealership in Grapevine, TX! Spoke to a very helpful parts rep guy named Mike who actually even took a picture of them and sent it to me. A dealership in IL actually guided me to Mike. Mike didn't know that the part had been discontinued. Should have asked him if they had any headlights!

 

[mickeytee]

ll the expensive parts have been trolled at every dealership in the uS. I called about a module a dealer had and he said he had gotten at least 6 calls that same day. I suspect someone will find a stash soon. None are selling on ebay and the prices are dropping as more cars get totaled instead of repaired.

 

[mickeytee]

sway bar

the best way to get a sway bar is a take off on ebay. get the links caps bushings everything but the bolts all for 75-100 shipped plus the stock base corvette I believe is l about the same as the v model.

 

[rmatt]

the best way to get a sway bar is a take off on ebay. get the links caps bushings everything but the bolts all for 75-100 shipped plus the stock base corvette I believe is l about the same as the v model.

If I were to do it all over again I guess the better route would be to go for one of the vette setups. I just like to keep it Caddy when I can and didn't realize it would be such a pain finding the bushings. Cubby558 also educated me about not always taking the diagrams that they show on these parts websites as realistic diagrams. That was my biggest hangup with the vette setup. The X bushing and bracket diagram didn't look anything at all like the Vette. But that's why we're here, at least that's why I'm here, is to learn about this amazing automobile. I'm sure there are many discontinued parts sitting on shelves. It's just doing the work to find them.

 

[mickeytee]

diagrams

I think the drawing i nthe corvette listing is actuall ythe front sway bar bushing holder. its more of an L instead of a u . again both are the same xlr or corvette. Either way I think that the sway bar install is the most bang for the buck on the xlr you can get

 

[GizmoQ]

Cubby I didn't see in your post where you mentioned anything about a complete sway bar package for the Vette. I have no doubt that the Vette sway bar will fit because I too have seen where other members claimed to have used them. I also understand that sway bars use different bushing because of the different sizes or diameters. What I tried to explain to you in my previous post was that based on the diagrams I've seen of the Vette and X sway bars the Vette uses a L shaped bushing bracket and the X uses a U shaped bracket. The bushings have to fit in those brackets. The L bushing will have 2 flat sides whereas the U bushing has only one flat side. Trying to use one in place of the other would be equivalent to fitting a square peg in a round hole. If you would check out the diagrams for each vehicle you would see what I am talking about. I appreciate you trying to guide me in the right direction and the fact that there have been no other responses, even though there have been 64 views, leads me to believe that the Vette bushings will not work. I'll keep looking and have faith that there is a solution out there somewhere.

CLAIMED ...(takes a deep breath and counts to 10)

The research is readily available: Suspension Data for Possible Upgrade - - Cadillac XLR Forum - Cadillac XLR and Cadillac XLR-V

 

[rexster314]

Cubby I didn't see in your post where you mentioned anything about a complete sway bar package for the Vette. I have no doubt that the Vette sway bar will fit because I too have seen where other members claimed to have used them. I also understand that sway bars use different bushing because of the different sizes or diameters. What I tried to explain to you in my previous post was that based on the diagrams I've seen of the Vette and X sway bars the Vette uses a L shaped bushing bracket and the X uses a U shaped bracket. The bushings have to fit in those brackets. The L bushing will have 2 flat sides whereas the U bushing has only one flat side. Trying to use one in place of the other would be equivalent to fitting a square peg in a round hole. If you would check out the diagrams for each vehicle you would see what I am talking about. I appreciate you trying to guide me in the right direction and the fact that there have been no other responses, even though there have been 64 views, leads me to believe that the Vette bushings will not work. I'll keep looking and have faith that there is a solution out there somewhere.

I guess I'm one of the 64 that didn't have anything to say, just sitting back listening

 

[rmatt]

Really?!?!

Please read the complete thread!!! Why do I feel like a Conservative on a Liberal website? I guess I need to tiptoe through the tulips on this website because there seem to be a lot of delicate flowers on here. Go ahead guys......let me have it!!!

 

[rexster314]

Please read the complete thread!!! Why do I feel like a Conservative on a Liberal website? I guess I need to tiptoe through the tulips on this website because there seem to be a lot of delicate flowers on here. Go ahead guys......let me have it!!!

No problems. I'm one of the most conservative guys around here. It's just that with newbies, most don't take time to do a search on the forum. 99% of the time, your problem and solution can be found in past postings. I understand that you might think your problem is entirely different, but like I say, most answers are at your fingertips and you don't have to wait for an answer . I've been here almost 3 years, and when I first got on, when I had time on my hands, read just about every post from the first one. It helped me understand some of the posts but helped me to remember a problem that popped up, and how to fix it.
I had a Kenwood nav unit installed 2 years ago. Made a posting of it including images of how things were to be connected. Every so often an newbie will make a post asking for images of how the connections were made. He didn't take time to read the entire post.
And I'm using newbie in a friendly way, not sarcastic.

 

[mickeytee]

forum search

I personally have searche many topics here and not been able to find anything. yet when I google the same topic and add the word "forum" I get all the old post I need.