End link question - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

slosh · 01-12-2005, 06:52 AM

My g/f has a 98 camry I4 with the infamous clunk in the trunk sound. She had new struts put on (sears, never again) and last night I replaced the swaybar bushings. Still clunking. I noticed that when I hit the swaybar the rear passenger end link rattles, but it's not a deep clunking noise. Maybe it is with 2000 pounds of force going over a bump, I don't know. Do you think that's the cause of the clunk? The top of the end link wasn't tight. I could turn the bolt around with my hand. How can I tighten it or do I need a whole new end link? Thanks a bunch!

Toysrme · 01-12-2005, 07:34 AM

Maybe, jack the car up and see...

Most of the time the bolts are nearly frozen on via rust so they don't move, but she may have a loose bolt on one of the end links, or she may be missing an end link bolt completely.

slosh · 01-12-2005, 10:31 AM

I did jack it up and look at it and I couldn't figure out how to tighten up the top end link bolt. I read something on here about an hex hole and a wrench. I'm assuming that's how I'm supposed to tighten it. Last night I didn't see the hex hole. When I say I can turn the top end link bolt with my hand, I mean I grab the nut and turn and the nut, bolt, and weird bolt head turns. I'm assuming it's not supposed to do that. Does that mean it's stripped or just not tight enough?

burchard · 01-12-2005, 10:39 AM

If you can turn the bolt with your hand,most probably that's the cause of the clunk. Try to tight it. I would put some penetrating oil or any of those liquid wrench products and then tight the end link holding the bolt with an hex tool while turning the nut. A torque of 47 ft.lbf is enough if you are able to move the nut. That's more o less half the torque that you apply to the wheel nuts.

88 LE · 01-12-2005, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slosh

I read something on here about an hex hole and a wrench. I'm assuming that's how I'm supposed to tighten it. Last night I didn't see the hex hole.

You need a 5mm allen wrench and a 12mm or 14mm (I forget which) closed end wrench.

If you look in the middle of the nut you'll see a stud with a hole in it. A allen wrench fits into this hole.

Use the allen wrench to hold the stud still while you tighten the nut.

slosh · 01-12-2005, 02:19 PM

Thanks guys! I'll give it another go tonight after work. This site rocks

***BLUEMEANIE*** · 01-12-2005, 03:19 PM

Thats your problem. ...the endlink. The bushing is shot.

slosh · 01-15-2005, 03:30 PM

I wanted to try and tighten the bolt up first just in case that's all it was but the d@mn thing is stripped. Any tips or tricks to tighten her up?

Bluemeanie, I notice you're from St Louie. We're practically neighbors.

burchard · 01-17-2005, 09:05 AM

The way I did it: I slide back the boot of the endlink bushing and hold the endlink with a 1-2 mm good grasping appliance. Try tu unscrew first.

slosh · 02-02-2005, 10:37 PM

Follow up - Finally got around to putting on new endlinks and that fixed the problem. Thanks for the help fellas!

Toysrme · 02-02-2005, 11:09 PM

Good deal!

xylium · 02-03-2005, 10:45 AM

I was curoius where we could get rear endlinks for the 92-96 for cheap. The cheapest place I have found was ebay $60 for a pair. The toyota dealer wants $80 each and CT motorsports wants $80 for a pair. Has anyone found these cheaper anywhere else? It looks like we have to replace the whole link and we can't just replace the bushings, is that correct? Also, curious about the sway bar bushing, the one between the bar and chassis.

slosh · 02-03-2005, 11:39 AM

I bought my endlinks from ebay and am happy with them. You're correct - you can't just get bushings for the end links unfortunately. The sway bar bushings are cheap from any parts store. I think I got mine from Auto Zone for $4 each.

***BLUEMEANIE*** · 02-03-2005, 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slosh

Bluemeanie, I notice you're from St Louie. We're practically neighbors.

you got PM