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Dodge Caravan sway bar bushing

I had very bad experience with aftermarket Dodge Caravan sway bar bushings. They seem to only last six months to a year. The brands I have tried were AutoZone and Advance Auto Parts brands. One of them was the blue Moog part. The black-colored part from AutoZone is Duralast.

I have finally switched to OEM dealer part with a nylon insert. Here is the difference between the two:

Here is some hard-to-find information about installation:

It seems that no aftermarket manufacturers are currently making these bushings with nylon inserts. Only the dealer carries this redesigned part. The nylon insert was a redesign of the original all-rubber part.

The dealer must ask your VIN, because there are several different bar and bushing sizes and models.

You are not the only one with poor performance of the bushings. Lots of people are seeing the same problem. The bracket was poorly designed.

The bushings are installed dry -- no lubrication is needed. Lubrication will only attract dirt, and get washed away pretty quickly. Just try to not get any dirt under the bushing when installing the part.

The proper installation is with the gap pointing down, and the square side towards the rear of the vehicle. I will have to check on this first. Someone is claiming otherwise.

When installing the part, do not jack up just one side of the car. You will place tension on the bar, and you will not be able to put the bracket on easily. I recommend driving up ramps if you are doing the replacement at your house.

Clunking (click noise) may also come from severely worn out or loose sway bar links. I have learned from experience to install thick washers between the sway bar link bolt and the suspension to prevent premature wear and damage. All parts in the Dodge Caravan suspension system were poorly designed. Links also last only six months to a year.

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