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I think I busted something on my suspension?

T

tom5170

New member
I live in Michigan and we got a snow storm today. I was backing in the driveway on to the side of it. The side (side of driveway is dirt) is dug out from the tire. As I was backing in, the car was kinda angled because of the rut and I heard a clunk noise that came from the front.

The steering is tight. It's not out of alignment, but now I get a sporadic clunky noise when I ride on bumpy roads/go over bumps.

I checked the end links but it was dark out. The drivers side has a black bushing that seems to cover the entire bolt. The passenger side end link bushing is reddish in color and appears to be 2 different bushings rather than the drivers side which looks like one solid black bushing. I reached in and pulled up and down on the stabilizer bar but it feels solid on both sides.

The sound sounds like the same clunk when I busted the stabilizer bar in my Buick century going through a pothole.

How hard is it to replace the end links? auto zone sells them for $4.99. what tools are required?
 


can I jack up one side at a time and change each side one at a time?

are there any write ups or steps to go about doing this?
 
jack up each side, take the wheel off and undo the old one. they like to rust up, then strip, ir just break the bolt, bolt breaking is the norm and is welcomed in my world, cause that way you dont have to cut it off.

check the sway bar end aint busted as well, and the bar bushing. they wear out too.
 
If you're slightly flexible you can change them without jacking the car up too. just turn the wheels all the way in each direction to do each side.
 


can I jack up one side at a time? I can't find my other jack stand, I only have one.

Or will this cause the sway bar to flex since the other wheel will be on the ground and it will be hard to take off the end link?
 
alright cool. since the nut is at the top, should I loosen that and then hammer on top of the bolt so it falls through the bottom?
 
alright so I looked today in better light, and the end of the sway bar is BROKEN. the bottom part of the end is completely broken off, but part is still attached to end link, and the top part is still attached to the end link and has a huge crack.

so looks like I'll need a new sway bar :(

I dread doing this job especially in the winter. is there a way I can just weld the broken end for now to get rid of the noise and then change it out in the spring?

this same thing happened to my Buick century when I hit a pothole :(
 


you can try to weld it, but its likely rather thin and rusted up. its a hollow bar, why it broke.

i found if you drop the back of the sub frame 2 inches you can get to the bushing bolts easier on the driver side, the brake lines are in the way of the back bolt. its not a hard job. can be done in less then a hour.

you need jack stands to lower the sub frame. car needs to be supported, then the frame can be lowered with a jack.
 
That's not uncommon. I'd go ahead and change it out. You're going to end up taking it out anyways to weld it up. There's no guarantee how long the welds would last either. Welds don't necessarily hold up well under fatigue.
 
300? so 200 in labor? thats crazy. ( good reminder why i dont go to a shop ever) buy one off ebay for like 75 bucks and slap that in there.
 


Just remove the bar and install a new one later next year.

I ran without a front sway bar for 2+ years because I didnt care. Even sold the car without the bar installed.
 
I welded mine up and made a winter with it. I was just mindful of the heat so as not to cook the bushing too bad. Sounds like yours hasn't been broken long, it will probably weld up fine. Only take a few minutes. Then you can save for a solid bar with new links and bushings, I got the Dorman kit.
 
idrivejunk said:
I welded mine up and made a winter with it. I was just mindful of the heat so as not to cook the bushing too bad. Sounds like yours hasn't been broken long, it will probably weld up fine. Only take a few minutes. Then you can save for a solid bar with new links and bushings, I got the Dorman kit.
Click to expand...

did you have to take your bar off? if I gotta take it off to weld it I may as well replace it lol
 
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