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This Repair Won't Take Long (haha)

1K views 9 replies 5 participants last post by  bwechols 
#1 ·
Famous last words indeed! Just finished (started yesterday) the replacing of the sway bar bushings and stabilizer links on daughter's Camry. Why so long? Everything had to be original from 2000 as it was all solidly rusted together or rusted out.


The hex key fitting on the links were so rusted they just stripped out. The washer nuts on the links were rusted onto the strut flange. I had to cut them off. The bolts holding the bushing retainers were permanently rusted together with the cross member retainers, so I broke all 4 of them.


Spent most of today trying to get those bolts out of the cross member retainers. Of the 4, was only able to get one out with a bolt extractor and even then, I thought I was going to break the extractor. Mind you, the extractor grabbed everyone of them but I could only get one to budge! I ended up drilling the other 3 out and tapping new holes for them.


However, it's amazing, with just a few cheap parts, how the clunking and thunking sounds from the rear are now gone when the car is driven!
 
#2 ·
Glad you persevered! I know the feeling of taking forever to do a job that doesn't normally take forever.

Just curious, since my daughter's '97 Camry makes some clunking noises at slow speeds on slightly uneven pavement......did your end links and sway bar bushings have any play in them or did they seem to be tight/secure? I checked the end links and sway bar bushings and they were not loose and did not rattle or anything, but I can't decide what else it could be since the rear struts and mounts are new.
 
#3 ·
Just curious, since my daughter's '97 Camry makes some clunking noises at slow speeds on slightly uneven pavement......did your end links and sway bar bushings have any play in them or did they seem to be tight/secure? I checked the end links and sway bar bushings and they were not loose and did not rattle or anything, but I can't decide what else it could be since the rear struts and mounts are new.

Yes, there was a little bit of play in the sway bar (I could move it back and forth about a quarter of inch). When I grabbed the end link on the passenger side to see if there was any play, it came apart at the lower bushing.
 
#4 ·
good to hear another success story on here. sometimes we never know if the problem was resolved or not. as for it taking longer than expected, i estimate the time it will take, double it and it still takes longer by the time i clean myself up, my tools and the garage floor ;-)
tony
 
#8 ·
John, I didn't think there was excessive play in my swaybar, but after pulling the old bushings, the hole was probably about 1/8"-3/16" bigger than the new bushings. And, the new bushings eliminated clunking sounds I had when going over bumps.
 
#9 · (Edited)
Interesting. I'll give it a try. I notice that there are OE style bushings and the updated type, which clamp or open up differently for supposed easier installation. I'm probably not describing it correctly, but hopefully you know what I mean. Which kind should I get?
 
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