Energy Suspension End Link Bushings installed!!!!
02-23-2009, 05:56 PM
#322
Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: houston
Posts: 20
What an improvement!
OK, I did this on Sunday.
Autozone had them, but the guy kept trying to look it up under the car, when I told him to just look up the part number, he found it "In the performance area".
I jacked the car up on each side - I had to jack it up quite high to be able to get under there and have room to move.
The top passenger side bolt was a bear to get off, all told it took almost 30 minutes to get under there and get everything off. The bolts were cheap and even with box wrenches it was easy to round them. I used an old scissors jack on the suspension member close to where the bolt is to adjust it up and free things up. Once I got both loosened it became easier to move the sway bar and get the old ones out, but the rubber "stuck" a bit.
Right at 30K miles, my old rubber bushings were way flattened and dead!
I squirted some spray-on white lithium grease to the parts, and assembled. I got both threaded in and then alternated tightening so as to make sure things seated well. I torqued the locking nut to 12# (Good compression on the bushings but not too much,) then put a second locking nut on and keeping the torqued one still with a wrench tightened the lower one on quite tight.
I also put on a rear TRD Swaybar, and my ride is VASTLY improved. Stock springs, stock struts, sensamatics in back. I suspect that the ride improvement is the bushings, it was getting kinda bad. It feels quite nice now!
This is a must do mod, dirt cheap, mildly challenging at most, and worth it in every way!
Autozone had them, but the guy kept trying to look it up under the car, when I told him to just look up the part number, he found it "In the performance area".
I jacked the car up on each side - I had to jack it up quite high to be able to get under there and have room to move.
The top passenger side bolt was a bear to get off, all told it took almost 30 minutes to get under there and get everything off. The bolts were cheap and even with box wrenches it was easy to round them. I used an old scissors jack on the suspension member close to where the bolt is to adjust it up and free things up. Once I got both loosened it became easier to move the sway bar and get the old ones out, but the rubber "stuck" a bit.
Right at 30K miles, my old rubber bushings were way flattened and dead!
I squirted some spray-on white lithium grease to the parts, and assembled. I got both threaded in and then alternated tightening so as to make sure things seated well. I torqued the locking nut to 12# (Good compression on the bushings but not too much,) then put a second locking nut on and keeping the torqued one still with a wrench tightened the lower one on quite tight.
I also put on a rear TRD Swaybar, and my ride is VASTLY improved. Stock springs, stock struts, sensamatics in back. I suspect that the ride improvement is the bushings, it was getting kinda bad. It feels quite nice now!
This is a must do mod, dirt cheap, mildly challenging at most, and worth it in every way!
02-23-2009, 09:29 PM
#323
Senior Member
SL Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: so.cal
Posts: 768
I read not to use the Lithium grease as it "absorbs" water. It will wear away easily and can eat up the bushings. I used wheel bearing grease which was petroleum based (which is manufactuer recommended). I have also used this:
http://coolcatcorp.com/Merchant2/mer...Category_Code=
http://coolcatcorp.com/Merchant2/mer...Category_Code=
03-08-2009, 04:29 AM
#325
Senior Member
SL Member
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: NOT HERE
Posts: 938
For those interested , Auto Zone has the complete end link , an exact replacement ( except the rubber bushings have been replace with impregnated poly)
Duralast part # 18336
might save some a little time , they look like stock parts.
Duralast part # 18336
might save some a little time , they look like stock parts.
05-05-2009, 06:03 AM
#330
Senior Member
SL Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Vancouver, B.C.
Posts: 101
Just did mine last weekend.
A couple things that came to mind:
1) While I am jacking up the car in the factory marked place behind the front wheel well, where is the next best place to put your jack stand? I ended putting my jack stands a little to the front of the factory-marked spot, and it marred up the metal a little.
I reversed the position (jack closer to wheel well, jack stand further in / behind the factory-marked spot) and it wants to crinkled up the metal even more! Needless to say I stopped and reversed it back right away.
2) The control arm is weight LOADED! If you took the wheel off, make sure you jack up the suspension arm a little before loosening the factory bushings. Otherwise bolts will go flying.
3) Jacking up the suspension arm will also give you room to install the bolt from the top down.
4) Afterthought: What's the best place it jack up the front wheel suspension? If any? Given it's only to compress the springs a little and not to support the full curb weight, but I just want to be sure.
A couple things that came to mind:
1) While I am jacking up the car in the factory marked place behind the front wheel well, where is the next best place to put your jack stand? I ended putting my jack stands a little to the front of the factory-marked spot, and it marred up the metal a little.
I reversed the position (jack closer to wheel well, jack stand further in / behind the factory-marked spot) and it wants to crinkled up the metal even more! Needless to say I stopped and reversed it back right away.
2) The control arm is weight LOADED! If you took the wheel off, make sure you jack up the suspension arm a little before loosening the factory bushings. Otherwise bolts will go flying.
3) Jacking up the suspension arm will also give you room to install the bolt from the top down.
4) Afterthought: What's the best place it jack up the front wheel suspension? If any? Given it's only to compress the springs a little and not to support the full curb weight, but I just want to be sure.
05-05-2009, 01:09 PM
#331
Member
SL Member
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 70
Where's Jack?
I’ve never jacked up the car using the OEM jack and “rail” points to do maintenance or service and only once to do a road side flat/spare change. The combination of the two is barely “minimum acceptable”. Between scratching up the parts most susceptible to rust and the wobbling danger, I’d advise against it.
To jack up a car I use either a hydraulic or heavy duty scissor jack on the sub-frame. Usual safety precautions apply. What I do differently is to drive onto a couple of short 2x6’s to lift the car up an inch and a half to make it easier to slide the jack under and to be able to see all the parts. I also place the jack onto a roughed-up 2x12. When jacking, as soon as I have wheel lift-off I just slide out the 2x6’s and have all the clearance I need with out additional jacking. Also, if some thing is going wrong or I have to lower quickly I only have to slide the 2x6’s back under.
Jack stands get placed on either side of the sub frame; again on roughed up 2x12’s.
I also frequently jack or jack-stand the control arms depending on what I am doing.
To jack up a car I use either a hydraulic or heavy duty scissor jack on the sub-frame. Usual safety precautions apply. What I do differently is to drive onto a couple of short 2x6’s to lift the car up an inch and a half to make it easier to slide the jack under and to be able to see all the parts. I also place the jack onto a roughed-up 2x12. When jacking, as soon as I have wheel lift-off I just slide out the 2x6’s and have all the clearance I need with out additional jacking. Also, if some thing is going wrong or I have to lower quickly I only have to slide the 2x6’s back under.
Jack stands get placed on either side of the sub frame; again on roughed up 2x12’s.
I also frequently jack or jack-stand the control arms depending on what I am doing.
05-07-2009, 05:23 PM
#332
Senior Member
SL Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Vancouver, B.C.
Posts: 101
Sub frame - you mean the two points they show you in the scion service manual?
point one is underneath the engine, slightly off centred. I don't see any clear marking when I was under the car tho.
point two is underneath the cargo area in the back, where a metal protrution sticks out underneath the "trunk" about a feet behind the rear bumper.
Are those the points you're talking about?
So putting weight on the control arm is ok? yay.
point one is underneath the engine, slightly off centred. I don't see any clear marking when I was under the car tho.
point two is underneath the cargo area in the back, where a metal protrution sticks out underneath the "trunk" about a feet behind the rear bumper.
Are those the points you're talking about?
So putting weight on the control arm is ok? yay.
05-24-2009, 02:17 PM
#333
Member
SL Member
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Lake Perris, CA
Posts: 86
Just replaced my worn out factory pos bushings a couple days ago. Car rides so much better too. Got the polyurethanes from Autozone, and the 3/8 x 4" bolts and nylock nuts from Home Depot. About $17 bucks. It took me about an hour and a half to replace, only because I did one side at a time, removed the front wheel, and had to loosen the bolts holding the sway bar to the frame in order to get enough clearance to remove and install the bolt and the bushings.
06-08-2009, 03:01 AM
#336
Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 15
OK this is how i did mine:
Bolt, Washer, Bushing, Control arm, Bushing, washer, washer, bushing, stabilizer bar, bushing, washer, nylon nut.
Im concern about the Washer to Washer part? Do You think it will create the tok/squeak sound? I was also concern about the clearance between the axle and the bolt head. how many mm/inches is the clearance between the both?
Bolt, Washer, Bushing, Control arm, Bushing, washer, washer, bushing, stabilizer bar, bushing, washer, nylon nut.
Im concern about the Washer to Washer part? Do You think it will create the tok/squeak sound? I was also concern about the clearance between the axle and the bolt head. how many mm/inches is the clearance between the both?
06-08-2009, 06:39 PM
#337
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Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Northern Virginia
Posts: 96
I replaced mine yesterday. Bolt, washer, bushing,control arm, bushing, washer, washer, bushing, stabilizer bar, bushing, washer, nut. I've got an 06 and found it very easy. Left the wheels on and had the car on ramps. I undid the stock ends on both sides and the stabilizer bar moves easily enough to get room to get the goodies on. I came in from the top (stabilizer bar first) and have about half an inch of bare thread protruding now. I'm thinking of cutting the excess off with the Dremel.
As for clearance with the axle, other than some compression, shouldn't the axle, control arm, and stabilizer bar all move as a unit and maintain steady separation?
Cheers,
MD
As for clearance with the axle, other than some compression, shouldn't the axle, control arm, and stabilizer bar all move as a unit and maintain steady separation?
Cheers,
MD
06-16-2009, 05:27 PM
#338
Member
SL Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Northern Virginia
Posts: 96
One final note on the bushing install. I read through all the previous posts and decided this last weekend to replace two original retainers on the underside of the control arm. It took about 15 minutes. So the sequence of parts from the top (I had no trouble dropping the bolt in from the top with both sides of the stabilizer bar loose) is: Bolt, washer, bushing, stabilizer bar, bushing, washer, washer, bushing, control arm, retainer, bushing, washer, nut.
Nice and easy,
Cheers,
MD
Nice and easy,
Cheers,
MD
08-08-2009, 03:33 AM
#339
Senior Member
SL Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Milton, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 211
Guys, help me out,don't really feel like reading 17 pages. Are you guys just replacing front sway bar bushings ? do I need to order just one set for the front ? What about the back, nowhere I could find anything about the back ? There's no bushings there ? or they don't need to b replaced ? I wanna also install new rear sway bar.