Baadnewsburr

iTrader: (3)

I think Rochester's method is better suited to the use of the energy suspension grease (and possibly necessary) as it comes in tub and is difficult to load into a grease gun. Also its super tacky and removing the sway bar is so easy so the combo seems better suited to full removal cleaning/decontamination and probably contributes to the extended greasing interval.

I think I prefer this method myself although I am only using the Hotchkis grease despite having the zerks.

iCrap

iTrader: (8)

The service nipple on mine have like totally rusted shut, so the only way to do it now is drop the bar. So what's the longest lasting grease? I don't remember what i used last time but it didn't take long before it started clunking again.

Acrylic

iTrader: (1)

How loud is the clunking? I installed Eibach sway bars about a month or two ago and wasn't aware about having to re grease the sway bars. Is re greasing needed for OEM sway bars as well?

Baadnewsburr

iTrader: (3)

From what I can tell based on internet research, the energy suspension grease seems to be the best for the polybushings you get with aftermarket bars like the Hotchkis. I'm not sure how far behind the Hotchkis is and alternatives (I've read on here that the harbour freight super lube is the same product). however marine greases that resist washout are usually pretty reliable in general of this type of application.. .as with anything, prepping the surface probably goes further than a more expensive grease.

2GoRNot2G

iTrader: (5)

Once a year seems to work well for me too. Although I'm in the same boat as you and only put about 6K miles per year on my car. I did learn early on that they will start making noise if you let them go ~2 years without lubing, so now I'm proactive and probably relube more often than necessary, but no clunking noises since.


You can purchase the Hotchkis silicone based lubricant in a tube for a lube gun if you prefer to utilize the zerk fittings. That's what I purchased from Hotchkis years ago, but I've only used my lube gun once or twice. I typically just remove the bars so I can clean out the old grease and repack with fresh stuff.

Baadnewsburr

iTrader: (3)

I think the clunking can be quite noticeable because the rest of the car is quite silent. and I consider regreasing a necessity on oem sway bars although at multiple year intervals...I've dealt with noisy swaybars on older japanese cars (hondas , toyotas) that usually accumulate pretty high mileage without any issues and the rubber oem bushings start to fail (harden and shrink) and the noise becomes apparent relative to the otherwise silent/flawless operation of the car... the temp fix once the bushings are rotten is grease (the quick and longer term fix is just changing the bushings),

I think regular greasing prevents the rubber from failing to certain extent if treated as a maintenance item but were talking about 130kmiles but there is no easier bushing to change than a sway bar bushing so neglect and replacemnt is a viable long term strategy too.

Baadnewsburr

iTrader: (3)

I do it the way you have described too. distinguishing for the use of the energy suspension grease cause it doesn't come in a tube, only a small tub so grease gun loading would have to be done by hand which I think some people want to avoid all together but it appears to be a higher quality product than the hotchkis grease based on "internet research"

iCrap

iTrader: (8)

It's REALLY bad. Any uneven surface and especially at low speeds its clunk clunk clunk everywhere.

Hmm.. I guess i'll get some Energy grease and give that a try.

Hikmer

When my bushings went bad on my old Accord, it only squeaked. Clunking doesn't sound like a symptom of a bushing needing grease....just my observation.

iCrap

iTrader: (8)

I dunno what else it could be. I checked every bolt to make sure everything is tight, and other have reported clunking from their bars. I even have new endlinks. It's also probably been around 15,000 miles since i last greased the bushings.

2GoRNot2G

iTrader: (5)

From my ~ 9 years experience with these sway bars on my car it seems that at low speeds and uneven surface with small imperfections is where you will really notice if the sway bar bushings need relubing. Over higher speed and large undulating surfaces the noises seem to go away. I also had a similar experience (same type of noises) when one of the bushings in my SPC front control arms failed a few year back. So that's one other thing you can check if you have aftermarket upper control arms.


These have hard polyurethane type aftermarket bushings and not the squishy (technical term ;-) rubber OEM bushings, so from my experience they do tend to "clunk" rather than "creak" when not lubed properly.

Hikmer

Well hope you can figure out the problem. These sway bars are a MUST upgrade for any Infiniti G37 owner. The car should have come with these OEM....

ay37

If someone can chime in for my personal situation, I'd appreciate it.

I have a 2012 X (AWD). I've had these sways on for almost a year now. Unfortunately, a couple times, taking a turn at a moderate speed led me to oversteer. The sad part is, with the stock sways, it would not have occurred. The other issue, at least in my mind, is that because it is the AWD, the computer started to throw my car back and forth like a maniac on the loose. Almost lost control at 60mph taking a very moderate on ramp.

Since the installation, both the front and rear have been set to the tightest setting. If I want to accelerate into a turn, what settings should I aim for so that the car feels more stable accelerating into a turn without feeling like the front end is gonna throw me into a spin? I don't want it to oversteer the way it did. And it makes it more difficult for me to figure this out because it's AWD. What settings should I set for the front and rear? Should I just ease up on the front setting and leave the rear tight?

Not sure if anyone experienced something similar with the X model, and maybe I'm not being clear enough, but hoping I can get some solid advice. And if I need to be more clear, please tell me to give it a 2nd try lol. I don't have any other suspension mods. I am not lowered. Stock springs and struts. 19"x8.5 wheels wrapped in continental contact sport 245/40/19. 65k on the odometer.

Also one of my rear sway bushings is bad. I want to replace the rears already. Any recommendations on where to purchase the pair for the rear? Hotckiss sways.

Thanks!

Baadnewsburr

iTrader: (3)

I dont think you can buy just the rear bushings, but Hotchkiss sells a refresh kit with new from and rear bushings, should be available from most vendors That sell the bars and the price is quite reasonable

Edit: the kit is called "SPORT SWAY BAR REBUILD SERVICE KIT FOR HOTCHKIS PRODUCT KIT 22443" you can order the whole thing g from Hotchkiss directly from Hotchkiss for $25.00....before you order new bushings you may consider greasing them if you haven't already as they may just need that

JSolo

iTrader: (14)

@v1mirage You don't accelerate into a corner. You should be entering with either the front end loaded (off the throttle), or neutral (small amount of maintenance throttle). Once you're past the apex, then you accelerate out of the turn.

Tightest settings at both ends will lead to oversteer (back end coming out). If I recall, there was a thread or link around here someplace that described how various settings at either end affected handling.