Polyurethane is the best in my opinion. You can sometimes find charts of what size sway bar was used on which years, but I think (like the tie rod ends in 2002) they may have done some mid-year model swaps.

In which case, just measure yours. If you don't have one of the $19.99 Harbor Freight digital calipers, simply take a piece of cardboard, slice notches into it at the various diameters that the parts stores claim it might be, and see which notches fit over the bar. Or use a large crescent wrench as a caliper and fit it over the bar, then measure it.

Best way to be sure you don't waste time and money buying extra pieces from Advance and returning the ones you don't use.

There is no sticky because the bar is outside the frame on 2002s and it's so trivial it's not worth documenting.

 

Most '02 models should use 43mm bushings for the sway-bar to frame mounts.....they list them as 1.72" in the parts books. There's also I believe a 1.84" bar (45-46mm), however I've never seen a unit taking that size bushing. (Even the aftermarket sway-bar companies that supply new front bushings send them with 1.72"/43mm up front for the early years - perhaps the XL/EXT models use the thicker bar to control lean?). When GM switched to the through the frame bar during the '03 model year, the bar size dropped quite a bit and late models use a thinner bar.

My bushings actually had a 43 molded into the one side, so check the existing bushings for any markings on them, it may contain a number to indicate the size of the bushing.

 

Thanks for the replies. You guys gave me some great info to go on.

Thanks again.

 

They made three sizes and I believe 02 only had one size and it was the biggest.I got mine at NAPA and they were poly ones,and are very easy to replace.

 

So I picked up the moog sway bar bushings. But they didn't come with the bracket and grease fitting. Didn't know that. Is that a big deal to use the old stuff, or should I get a new bracket with grease fitting?

thanks

 

To update an old thread and add value for future searchers, I replaced the front sway bar bushings on my 2002 Trailblazer recently.

I bought both MOOG sway bar bushing sets available - K80772 (for 1.72" sway bar) & K80773 (for 1.80" inch sway bar) because I wasnt sure exactly what size I had and have read much conflicting info on the web.

The MOOG K80772 bushings were too small and wouldnt even wrap around the sway bar fully; there is no way I would have been able to get the bracket on. However, the K80773's fit perfectly.

So at least on my 2002 Trailblazer, the MOOG K80773's fit perfectly, meaning that I have the 1.80" diameter front sway bar :thumbsup:

 

02 have the biggest bar.

 

Its a big mother, I was surprised at its diameter.

 

Sway Bar size 2002 XLT

For what it's worth for such an old thread, my 2002 XLT is 46 mm (1.8") diameter. I just measured mine.

 

2006 TB 5.3 front sway bar to frame bushing diameter ?

Does anybody know the diameter of the 2006 SWB 5.3 engine front sway bar to frame bushing ?