sway bar bushings

I'm looking at replacing all my sway bar bushings. The ones on the links look shot. The inner support bushings on the frame I can't tell the condition of. Is this as easy as it looks, jack up the front and pull them all off? Or is there any pressure that will cause something to fly off or be hard to get back on? I'm not going to touch the steering or struts, other than spraying their bushings with silicone.

The OEM bushings and washers for the sway bar links are available, but the inner bushings (second pic) are discontinued. Is there a good aftermarket kit I should get instead?

 

Not sure if you have a 26 or 27mm sway bar but here you go -

https://www.energysuspensionparts.com/8.5117

https://www.energysuspensionparts.com/8.5118

https://youtu.be/poViSh4CEZU

https://youtu.be/uVL1G5L4Rfo

 

Great, looks straightforward. I have a 26mm bar and ordered the Energy kit.

 

Did the energy's a year ago......piece of cake....
Didnt take off whole bar....I just did the center two on cross member first....left those loose, and then did the two ends....

Made a big difference in the steering feel......
mine was as bad as yours....

Be a good time to check all your other bushings while there.....

 

Also those front two are suppose to be lubed with silicone grease....
like spark plug boot grease....

Danco 0.5 oz Silicone Faucet Grease in the Surface Lubricants & Grease department at Lowes.com

 

Nice tip, I'll leave the center two bushings loosely on like you. I've got all kinds of grease.

Steering bushings look like a job I'll have a shop do. There is a vibration I've tried to locate for a while. Now that I know what pretty much everything is down there now and have checked or replaced it all, there's almost nothing else that could be it besides the sway bar or something in the steering rack.

 

you've been tipped off to the lower ball joint thing.....
if you buy a truck and dont know its age.....you replace it automatically....
and then every 75K after....
this is one thing you dont mess around with....


As far as steering rack.....I'd have someone turn wheel and watch or film the rack at its bushings and make sure its not sliding around....

Also loose steering could be steering rack guide.....there's video how to check and replace.....

You have the ability to do most anything on the truck without special tools or butt load of knowledge.....there a video(s) on how to do anything....4 runners pretty much same as these with few exceptions...

And these guys here can fill in the blanks.....at lot of smart people here.....I'm just a parrot with good recall....

 

You can do the rack bushings when you do the sway bay/end links. Knock em' both out. Its not a difficult job.

https://www.energysuspensionparts.com/18701

https://youtu.be/Y_DFVXX_IaQ

https://youtu.be/4lSj8WMKfEs

If you end up looking at inner/outer tie rod replacement, that's something that can be done as well. I ended up using a pipe wrench on the inner tie rod but other than that -

(he uses a BFH on the steering knuckle to break loose the outer tie rod, don't do that. Use a puller.)
https://youtu.be/AVQHgcXEhpE

Another reference vid -
https://youtu.be/RwvOgxx5SmQ

EDIT: A note on the steering rack guide, be very careful if you mess with it. Definitely be sure to mark it (should be from the factory but may have worn off). Even a very slight adjustment can really throw it out of whack.

 

When I order the energy ones for my rack....they did not fit....
I ended having to burn the metal insert out old one to reuse....and then had to cut and modify the center ones to fit...
what a pia.....turned a 90min job into 4 hours....

And yes I did order correct one.....for Rwd with only two bushings....


So yeah without that giant c-clamp it would of taken longer and harder to do....


Here's my taco survival kit.....

 

I'll grease all surfaces of the two front middle bushings. What about the link bushings? Here's the instructions and a pic of the shape of mine. It looks like they're calling mine the "no grease" version? Videos suggest I should grease them too, so I don't know what to think.

 

I would not do the links......might attract dirt......

Once a year I go squirt all rubber stuff under 'chassis' with some high-end rubber protectant....
like 'Mothers'.....or 'ATP 205'...........cheap stuff stays wet, and you dont want that........

 

And its not gonna wear any faster or slower if you do/dont lube the front two.....
I think either way they squeak a little when they're new for little while....
with the grease its barely perceivable.

 

I'm confused. This isn't even the right part

Those aren't the right parts. I bought the 8.5117 because my bar is 26mm. The link bushings are all wrong and not enough of them. There should be 8 bushings.

The model lookup says I need the 8.5123 here, but it says it's for a 25mm bar, and my bar is 26mm, measured in multiple spots with digital calipers. Any idea what the deal is?
https://www.energysuspensionparts.com/8.5123

Here's the other compatible part listed for my model that looks right. The front bushings for a 26mm bar included with the first kit measure good and should fit, and now maybe I just need to buy two of these end link assemblies?
https://www.energysuspensionparts.com/moog-k90250

 

Have no idea... those two links I pasted in for you were directly from this ES page -

https://www.energysuspensionparts.com/products/toyota_tacoma_4wd_1996

 

Nope, mine is rwd. See specs to the left.

 

Sorry bud, did what I could to help out.

 

Looks like you have same suspension as the 5-lug rwd people.....
as the 6lug and 4x4 use that ball link at sway bar ends.....so only 2 bushings ea side...

On mine 98 5-lug....I have same as yours....

Here's the ones fit mine......

8.5123 | Front Sway Bar Bushings - 25mm | Toyota Tacoma 95-00 (energysuspensionparts.com)



And here's what they say fits yours....
Toyota Tacoma 2wd 5 Lug 1996 | Energy Suspension Parts


These are supposed to fit too....

181112 | Front Sway Bar-Endlink Bushings - 25 mm | Toyota Tacoma (energysuspensionparts.com)

 

THe moogs are butyl....rubber


These are poly's

For 1995-2004, 2008-2016 Toyota Tacoma Sway Bar Link Bushing Front 92473RK 1996 | eBay

 

Yes, mine is a 5 lug rwd. I've already got moog links ordered. None of the Energy kits are the correct complete combo of bushings for mine, so I would have had to buy something separately regardless. Maybe it's possible the first owner had the wrong size sway bar swapped from damage.

 

It would probably be helpful to add '5 lug" rather than "RWD" to your info. Every tacoma is RWD, some are 5-lug 2WD RWD, some are 6-lug 2WD RWD "Pre Runners", and the rest are 6-lug 4WD (RWD in non 4WD). Most 5 lugs are not v6, which probably throws a lot of folks off.