One of those items you don’t typically consider to replace is the sway bar bushings. Many a skilled mechanic may get perplexed by the clunks and rattles that a poor sway bar bushing can produce, and you may find yourself cranking the radio up to drown out the noise. You can quickly learn how to repair these bushings on a 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe by watching this video. The process for replacing the bushings on almost every front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive car will be quite similar because sway bars are typically positioned just behind the front axle.
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Wm’s Christmas
Had a little trouble locating replacement bushings, however Jc Whitney had some after unsuccessfully looking locally. I did not want to simply default to the dealer because of previous interactions with various auto dealers’ costs. It turned out that, when comparing component numbers from the old bushing to the new bushing, the replacement bushings only differed from, I presume, where the original bushings on the car by one digit. Although the new bushings were intended to be direct OEM replacements, I had to grind off two molded-in ridges to make room for the bushing retainers. I know I should have sent them back, but by the time I realized the difference, my garage had an immobilized Hyundai that was on jack stands.
The next problem, which I knew about from previous experience with other cars, was the Chiltons repair handbook that I possessed. It’s beneficial to get some inspiration and point out the obvious, but entirely missing in terms of how to really carry out the task at hand.
After the first three, which described jacking up the car and taking the tires off, the fourth step—the removal and installation of the sway bar bushings and links—seems kind of obvious. ANYWAY, I ultimately had to lower the entire sub-frame in order to just have enough space to reach the bushing retaining bolts, much less remove them. It’s amusing how Chilton’s fails to explain the lack of space for the bolts to be removed, even IF you have the talent to turn the bolts without lowering the sub-frame.
So, after removing the four major sub-frame bolts, I fabed together a “tool” made of two 2×4 boards that were screwed together and measured 35 inches long to better hold the subframe on the floor jack. Everything went rather smoothly when the frame was carefully lowered.
It took just under two hours to disassemble and reassemble everything, excluding a few interruptions and a few more cups of coffee.
Sorry, no photos were taken. When I realized how much work I would have to put in, I became somewhat sidetracked, but I felt good about the money I would have spent had I hired a dealer or other “shop” to complete the task.
Sway bar bushings may be changed.
Manually inspecting the sway bar links and bushings for damage is a good option if these symptoms are present. This will demonstrate that the noise is indeed coming from the links or bushings and not from another component that might require repair.
- Jack up the car and block it off using jack stands.
- Find the sway bar.
- Sway bar movement up and down
- Keep an eye on the bushings and end links.
When you move the bar, the end links should be checked for looseness and should be changed if necessary. Additionally, the bushings must be replaced if they exhibit signs of degradation (cracking or brittleness), have a gap, or are deformed.
What is the price of replacing sway bar bushings?
The cost to replace a sway bar ranges from $125 to $160 on average, with labor costing between $50 and $70 and parts costing between $55 and $110. It is uncommon to require a new sway bar. Usually, a car needs new stabilizer bushings or end links for the sway bar.
The price to replace a stabilizer bushing ranges from $125 to $160, with labor costing $95 to $120 and parts costing $30 to $65.
As this system is essential to on-road handling and control, it is generally not advised to repair suspension parts yourself. However, changing your sway bar links or bushings isn’t difficult if you have some mechanical understanding and the correct equipment.
What happens if the sway bar bushings aren’t replaced?
Directly beneath your car is where you’ll find the stabilizer bar. The stabilizer bar itself will become unstable and make a rattling or clunking sound while you are driving if the bushings tear, wear out, or entirely break. While you steer the automobile in either way or when you are on a difficult road, the noise will get louder and louder. The noise usually originates from the front of your car, close to where your feet rest on the floorboard, and it is rather audible.
Drive safely home and call YourMechanic so they can inspect the stabilizer bar and, if necessary, replace the stabilizer bar bushings, if you hear clunking noises coming from this area.
Should my car be jack-up to repair the sway bar bushings?
The wheels will be fully drooped and the sway bar will be under stress if you jack the car up or place it on jack stands. To install or remove the sway bar if you place the car on jack stands, you must raise both wheels to ride height. This is essential since stock bushings stick.
Can you drive with sway bar bushings that are damaged?
Sway bars, often referred to as stabilizers or anti-roll bars, are connected to the suspension parts by sway bar links, which help prevent excessive tilting during turns and keep the vehicle stable. Knocking sounds on rough roads and sway bar play when inspecting suspension components are signs of a worn sway bar link.
The sway bar might completely separate from the system in the worst case situation of a very worn-out sway bar link, which would cause the car to lean too much in turns and lose stability. While it is still possible to operate a vehicle with damaged sway bar links, handling performance will be compromised, therefore proceed with caution by staying on paved roads, making moderate bends, and avoiding lane-change-required interstates and/or high-speed highways. However, it is strongly advised to replace damaged sway bar links as soon as possible.
How long does it take to replace the bushings on a sway bar?
I believe that this is a frequent problem. When one tire crosses a manhole cover, is there a clang? When both wheels cross a bump, it doesn’t clunk as loudly. Sway bar bushing is what is making the clunk.
takes an hour to complete. Bushings cost $15 and are packaged in a carton with two rubber bushings. Only two bolts need to be removed. This can be fixed by you.
Sway bar bushings: Do they matter?
The anti-roll bar or stabilizer, often known as the sway bar, is used to enhance vehicle handling. Sway bars are not a standard feature on all cars, but in those that do, sway bar bushings secure the bars to the body of the car.
Several issues can arise from a sway bar bushing that is worn or damaged:
- decreased handling: The sway bar slides back and forth due to a worn sway bar bushing. The sway bar needs to be firmly maintained in place in order to function. You will probably notice the car handling to be slower or less stable as you turn if your sway bar bushings are failing.
- The first indication of a faulty sway bar bushing is generally a knocking or thumping sound when driving over obstacles. When the car turns, the noise could also be audible. This occurs when the sway bar can move around freely and makes noise since the worn bushing can no longer keep the bar in place.
- If the bushing’s lubrication dries out, metal-on-metal contact will result in a squeaking sound. When you drive over bumps or make sharp turns in this situation, you’ll probably hear a squeaky sound.
Sway bar bushings should be tightened to what degree?
Avoid overtightening the bolt while installing MOOG bolt style sway bar links, commonly known as barrel lock nuts. The self-locking barrel nut on the end of a polyurethane bushing, which does not compress like a typical bushing when it is tightened, is a feature of MOOG bolt style sway bar linkages.
Make sure not to overtighten the bolt during installation as this could put too much pressure on the stud and cause it to break. There is a simple way to make sure you don’t overtighten the bolt without using a torque wrench, even though it typically requires around 14-foot pounds of pressure to tighten the nut down.
After the bolt is mounted to the car, tighten it until two threads are seen coming out of the bottom of the nut.
Are sway bar links challenging to swap out?
A few simple tools will suffice to complete the repair operation of replacing the sway bar links. You can ask a qualified mechanic from YourMechanic to change the sway bar links for you if you don’t have access to the right tools or don’t have the time to do it yourself.
How many sway bars are there on a car?
The suspension is attached to the sway bar links, sometimes referred to as link pins, which are found on the front and back of the majority of automobiles. Each sway bar has two links, one of which is attached to the bar and the other to the car’s suspension. The links pull on the bar when a turn is made to prevent body roll and encourage stabilization.
Sway bar links are basic parts. Basically, they are metal bars with bushings or ball joints attached to each end. Their construction permits the sway bar and suspension to flex while still being joined to one another.
Every time you have the brakes, tires, or other front-end components serviced, it’s a good idea to have your sway bar links and other suspension elements inspected by a mechanic.
What happens if the sway bar links are not replaced?
The stabilizer, or sway bar as it’s more commonly known, is in charge of keeping your automobile steady and behaving smoothly under a variety of driving circumstances. Stabilizer bar links, which attach to the lower control arm of the front suspension and include bushings along the link for protection and to guarantee a smooth ride, and a body mount with stabilizer bar bushings are used to secure this mechanical unit to the body of the vehicle.
If you don’t have your stabilizer bar links replaced, it might cause catastrophic damage to the front end of your car and even cause an accident. The symptoms of stabilizer bar link wear can range from hardly detectable to serious.
Here are a few indicators that will let you know when it’s time to have an ASE-certified repair replace your stabilizer bar links.
What signs indicate a sway bar bushing is worn out?
- The existence of a knocking sound when you travel over a bump or take a corner is the first indication that one or more of your sway bar bushings have failed. Your car’s bottom will make a loud thud that you can hear. Usually, a worn sway bar bushing that is unable to keep the sway bar in place is the source of this noise. The banging sound is made when the free sway bar shifts when negotiating a turn or traveling over bumps.
- Squeaking during turns and bumps is typically caused by inadequate lubrication, and this is also the case with sway bar bushings. Metal-on-metal contact causes an audible squeaking sound as bushing lubricant begins to dry out, especially when making sharp turns.
- Poor handling – The sway bar is the essential part of your automobile that provides the stability and handling you need to drive safely, but a worn-out sway bar bushing compromises this. A worn sway bar bushing won’t keep the sway bar firmly in place, which will make driving feel slow.