Looks like my front driver side swaybar bracket is broken. Anyone know where I can get a replacement?

 

Wilson:
I just replied to your post and photo on the "intake manifold leak" thread, but just in case ...

Is that an aftermarket bracket? (Energy Suspension?) I had that happen to me. One partially split and the other broken completely. Their bushings are fine but their hardware needs upgrading. I found ES does make bushings that fit the factory (beefy) roll bar brackets. I now use those and have had no problems.

 

NJ-LE- these were upgraded 1LE sway bars with energy suspension swaybars bushings and stock band clamps. Do they even sell beefier band clamps?



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Wilson:
Those clamps look like the ES clamps ... Mine are different. On my 95 1LE the front bar was 32mm. I assume the brackets were the same for the stock 30mm but that the bushing was bored 2mmm larger but might be wrong. I first tried the ES kit for 32mm with their brackets but had the same problem you do. For me, the solution was ES part# 3.5162R (I believe the "R" is for red) and the following is a link to those bushing that work with my original factory brackets. Energy Suspension 3-5162R - Energy Suspension Sway Bar Bushings - Overview - SummitRacing.com The stock bracket is substantially stronger and I've had no problems. I don't know what the factory number would be or if there is a difference between 30 or 32mm brackets. It's possible any 4th gen gm F-body bracket from a salvage yard would work. If you think it would help I'll take a picture of it when the rain finally stops. (they say another 3 or 4 days) I've had no problems with the rear bar but I think, after the rain, I'll take a look anyway! (I used Mobil 1 synthetic chassis lube on mine some years ago and have never had them bind or squeak)

 

I'm pretty sure those are the stock clamps. These were on the car for over 10+yrs LOL. Seems like i found them on gmpartsdirect for $7.83 each. For that price I'm going to swap both sides on the front. Maybe it will last another 10 yrs!

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My ES sway bar bushing brackets had Zerk fittings with red plastic caps, and were gold anodized and smooth. Those look like stockers.

 

Its been so long but I think its stock since it doesn't have that zinc color to them like the es bracket. The stock bracket will still work on the es poly bushings right?

I found these online but dam $115!
http://www.hotchkis.net/heavy_duty_b..._brackets.html

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Wilson:
I know the stock 95 1LE bracket is not hand pressed flat stock so I tried to get a shot from the garage floor. You can see the side stiffening ridges ... this is almost certainly done with a machine press. It can't be seen from this angle, but it's thicker than the ES brackets I had (they lasted me about 2000 miles). The ES are 3/32" thick. I couldn't get to measure the stockers but I know they were thicker ... at least 1/8", possibly 5/32". I don't have a way to post photos so I'm sending a copy to you and the "Injuneer". I suspect (since you said you got your brackets from gm about 10 years ago) gm was substituting the ES parts. It would take a very serious wreck to destroy the stockers (or someone doing a whole chassis rebuild and forgetting where they put them!) so they probably didn't produce many spares.
I couldn't email to either of you so I had to make an album under my name to provide the photo ... I had to resize to 640 x 480. (if you need more res, the original image is 4000 x 3000 but I'd need an address to send to)

 

Stock front:



ES rear:



I had the ES stuff on the car from about 1997 to 2000 and put maybe 35,000 miles on it in that time with no problems. I'm not sure why I used the ES in the back and the GM in the front.

 

Repaired with new stock clamp.
Wonder how the old clamp broke.



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Wilson:
I just found out I have a broken bracket exactly like yours on the drivers side too.
I am also running an 1LE 32mm front sway bar and stock brackets. That might be the cause....
Well, I guess another stock bracket should last for an additional 10 years.

 

If you need the part # its in the photo. Should be a cheap fix with the GM bracket.