A bolt/bushing-style sway bar link assembly is built from five basic parts: a bolt, bushings, washers, a center spacer, and a locking nut — typically stacked as bolt → washer → bushing → sway bar eyelet → bushing → washer → spacer → washer → bushing → control arm eyelet → bushing → washer → nut. This breakdown describes the bolt/bushing style specifically; a ball-joint-style link is a sealed, one-piece unit and doesn't have this stack at all (see the comparison below).
Which Type of Link This Applies To
Sway bar links come in two basic constructions — bolt/bushing-style and ball-joint-style — and this parts list is specific to the bolt/bushing type. If you're looking at a ball-joint-style link, there's no separate bushing/washer/spacer stack to find: it's a sealed ball-and-socket joint inside a rubber dust boot, a fundamentally simpler physical part count even though the internal engineering is more complex. For the full comparison of when each style is used, see Bolt/Bushing-Style vs. Ball-Joint-Style Sway Bar Links.
The Five Components
| Component | Typical quantity | Function |
|---|---|---|
| Bolt | 1 | The long fastener that runs through the entire stack, holding everything in compression |
| Bushings | 4 (2 per end) | Rubber or polyurethane isolators — absorb vibration and flex slightly to accommodate suspension movement |
| Washers | 4 | Usually cupped/dished steel washers that sit against the bushings, distributing clamping load and keeping the bushings centered so they don't bulge outward under pressure |
| Spacer (sleeve) | 1 | A metal tube between the two mounting points that sets the correct clamping distance and stops the bolt from being torqued down far enough to crush the bushings |
| Nut | 1 | Usually a nylon-insert or prevailing-torque lock nut, which resists backing off from vibration |
Typical Stack-Up Order
For a conventional four-bushing bolt-style link, the reference order (top to bottom) is:
- Bolt head
- Washer (cup facing the bushing)
- Bushing
- Sway bar mounting eyelet
- Bushing
- Washer
- Spacer sleeve
- Washer
- Bushing
- Control arm mounting eyelet
- Bushing
- Washer
- Lock nut
This is a reference structure, not a universal standard. Real-world kits vary — some designs use as few as two bushings and two washers instead of four of each, depending on the vehicle. Always follow your specific vehicle's service manual or the instructions that came with your replacement kit over any generic diagram, including this one.
Getting the Clamp Right
The bushings should end up compressed just enough to sit flush with the washer's outer diameter — not squeezed flat. Overtightening crushes the rubber, which shortens the part's life and is a common cause of premature clunking after a fresh install. This is a tightening-feel guideline, not a torque spec — the actual numbers vary by link type and bolt size, which is a separate topic from what's covered here.
Related reading: Bolt/Bushing-Style vs. Ball-Joint-Style Sway Bar Links · How Do You Test or Check If a Sway Bar Link Is Bad?
