White LS
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Kid wants to replace the bushings on his 2002 Ls. Want to start with the easy one. Hoping someone would tell me which one is the easy one?
front and rear bushings
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White LS
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I have done enough repairs on this car to realize nothing is easy, I guess I should have said least aggregating.
FDR
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Well, the repairs are going to start off by taking parts off and separating them, and putting it back together isn't really forming a new group, so I'd say they're all about equally aggregating
Now, are we talking sway bar bushings? As for aggravating, I haven't done the rears but they look a little easier, but maybe it's difficult to get a wrench in there. The front passenger bushing is difficult. I unbolted the DCCV as it covers the upper/forward bolt. I think I got to that one from the bottom front after taking off the splash shield, but I could be wrong. The driver side is easier. Lift up the intake tube/MAF/air filter top, reach down with a socket, U joint, and about 24" of extensions. You may have to break them free through the wheel well
RigsLS
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For the front sway bar bushings I can not recommend the Universal fit Poly bushings from Energy Suspension, they are too narrow and will not seat correctly. Save the old brackets and put a set of Jaguar Rein #XR819697 in, that is if your LS is a 1st GEN Sport which needs the 30mm bushing.
RigsLS
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How is that going to help ya, not like it comes pre mounted with brackets already to the car, you'd still be in there getting at the bolts for the bracket, not to mention trying to figure out how you are going to get the entire sway bar in through one side. I'd say, being able to just simply change the bushings on a 1st GEN would be easiest and quickest.
Many 2nd Gen owners opt to cut off the bushing and replace similar to on a 1st GEN rather than buying the whole new bar and get that in.
Many 2nd Gen owners opt to cut off the bushing and replace similar to on a 1st GEN rather than buying the whole new bar and get that in.
It isn't that hard, actually. My local shop charged an hours labor. It slides right out the driver's side wheel well.
The rear stabilizer bar (it isn't a sway bar....) bushings require lowering the rear sub-frame. THAT would be a bear!!!!!!!!
sway bar bushings was my second service call, I think 20k miles. The dealer was trying to tell me the sound they make was normal due to the sport suspension.
thankfully I was already a member here, and sway bar bushing posts were many. So I knew what to tell them was wrong and got em fixed that day.
thankfully I was already a member here, and sway bar bushing posts were many. So I knew what to tell them was wrong and got em fixed that day.
RigsLS
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That doesn't make any sense! It wasn't whether it was hard to do or not.
It was over the fact that the same bolts if not more would have to be dealt with, either or.
If you replace bushings and have to redo them a year later, you are not doing it right. I only removed my Energy Suspension Poly bushings after I learned on here from member Hite that they are not a good fit, on further examination, true to the fact, they like to slide side to side on the bar because they are too narrow. The solution was to replace worn out bushings on a 1st Gen SPORT with Jaguar Rein #XR819697 30mm bushings from FCP Euro, which are an identical fit and one ends up retaining the stock bracket.
4 bolts, hours worth of work if that, if you then have to redo that work a year later there is something very wrong.
BUT ... end of day, your LS, you do what you got to do. Simple as that!
The 00-02 bushings aren't in service any longer anyhow, they'll offer to sell you the latest front sway bar with the molded bushings on them and when that stock depletes, only options left would be ES bushings or Rein 30mm for the Sport models.
Rear 'stabilizer' bar bushings don't need near as often replacement as the front does,
having looked at the rear brackets, yup! tight fit but very doable nonetheless.
It was over the fact that the same bolts if not more would have to be dealt with, either or.
If you replace bushings and have to redo them a year later, you are not doing it right. I only removed my Energy Suspension Poly bushings after I learned on here from member Hite that they are not a good fit, on further examination, true to the fact, they like to slide side to side on the bar because they are too narrow. The solution was to replace worn out bushings on a 1st Gen SPORT with Jaguar Rein #XR819697 30mm bushings from FCP Euro, which are an identical fit and one ends up retaining the stock bracket.
4 bolts, hours worth of work if that, if you then have to redo that work a year later there is something very wrong.
BUT ... end of day, your LS, you do what you got to do. Simple as that!
The 00-02 bushings aren't in service any longer anyhow, they'll offer to sell you the latest front sway bar with the molded bushings on them and when that stock depletes, only options left would be ES bushings or Rein 30mm for the Sport models.
Rear 'stabilizer' bar bushings don't need near as often replacement as the front does,
having looked at the rear brackets, yup! tight fit but very doable nonetheless.
RigsLS
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LS is still on jack stands, did a lot of work to it, haven't had it out running the roads to put any miles on those bushings yet.
... again, when stock 'eventually' depletes ...
Hite discovered them, for the Sport models, 30mm bushings, they went on tight for sure, nice fit like OEM. of course need to clean up all the build up around the bar where it's seated.
Note: ordering from that link listed about, picture shows a set of two bushings but you'd need to order QTY 2, if not they'll send you only one, ask Hite how he knows! :shifty:
pics:
Universal ES Poly 30mm, one season old, too narrow,
able to slide side to side, here it's maxed out to the left.
Solution was to replace ES Poly's with the Rein's, much better fit, same width as OEM.
Reuse old stock bracket, soda blasted, painted and clear coated.
~ fun fun fun!
nastynaters
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Ive got those jag bushings ready to go on, but i keep hearing everyone say theyre for the 30mm sway bar, and ive also been told numerous times my sway bar (gen1 v6 sport) is 32mm in diameter. Anyway, ive been told to buy these bushings, which i did, but now im reconsidering the fitment..
nastynaters
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Well they fit perfectly. Did the job saturday night and part of sunday, just as you did with your post BigRig. What a bitch it was though. That dccv HAS to be moved, but even doing so gives you minimal access. Definately the worst job ive done on a car yet. Also new moog end links went on. Those only took a whole 10 mins per side..til i ran outta grease n had to run to walmart..
RigsLS
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Yeah the DCCV has to be moved over a bit to get the socket wrench over the bolt, even when using extensions from above.
One of the bolts on the DCCV has to come all the way out, the other can be just loosened and the bracket is like a hook so it can be slipped of it.
Did you also find the bolts going back in seemed real tight, hard to turn as if it was mis-threading?
I thought I was in trouble when both sides started acting up like that a few turns in, kept on redoing it to be sure,
I think the bushing is just such a tight firm fit, the bolt had to be forced in to collapse the new bushing around the bar.
When I put the Energy Suspension Poly bushings w/ bracket in, I didn't recall them being so tight to turn.
Either or, I was keeping an eye on the gap of the bracket as I turned the bolts further in, nothing binded nor snapped but it had me concerned.
Once I seen the bracket get more flush against the mount, I knew they were both on real good and tight, let well enough alone at that point.
the Energy Suspension bushings went in like butter, the Jaguar Rein bushing put up a bit of a fight.
One of the bolts on the DCCV has to come all the way out, the other can be just loosened and the bracket is like a hook so it can be slipped of it.
Did you also find the bolts going back in seemed real tight, hard to turn as if it was mis-threading?
I thought I was in trouble when both sides started acting up like that a few turns in, kept on redoing it to be sure,
I think the bushing is just such a tight firm fit, the bolt had to be forced in to collapse the new bushing around the bar.
When I put the Energy Suspension Poly bushings w/ bracket in, I didn't recall them being so tight to turn.
Either or, I was keeping an eye on the gap of the bracket as I turned the bolts further in, nothing binded nor snapped but it had me concerned.
Once I seen the bracket get more flush against the mount, I knew they were both on real good and tight, let well enough alone at that point.
the Energy Suspension bushings went in like butter, the Jaguar Rein bushing put up a bit of a fight.
nastynaters
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Yup, and those bracket screws are LONG, especially only doing a 1/4 turn at a time. Thank god for swiveling ratcheting wrenches. The only bolt i accessed from above was the left front, after moving the intake outta the way. I didnt really see an easy pathway from the top down on the right side. Theyve really got all the coolant hoses n such crammed in there. And i thought about refinishing the surface of the sway bar where the bushings rest because of some rust and pitting, but didnt feel like spending even more time on this job. Ended up just wire brushing it and cleaning it up with some brake cleaner. Amazing how just 5 or 6 bolts (not including the splash guards) can take hours to dis and reassemble. Just glad my cars quiet again, for now...
RigsLS
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LOL, 101 items out of the way to access 4 bolts, I know what you mean.
Glad to hear it worked out for you, don't worry these bushings will last a while I'm sure.
Also glad to learn I wasn't the only one having a hard time turning them in, I was sweating I was mis threading it somehow but I tried several times, they lined up as they should.
Anyhow, good stuff, Kudo my man! job well done, no more "thunk, thunk, thunk" sound over small bumps and uneven surfaces in the road ways. Hite swears by them also!
(mind ya, the ES Poly bushings did the job also just wasn't impressed with the travel on the bar.)
Glad to hear it worked out for you, don't worry these bushings will last a while I'm sure.
Also glad to learn I wasn't the only one having a hard time turning them in, I was sweating I was mis threading it somehow but I tried several times, they lined up as they should.
Anyhow, good stuff, Kudo my man! job well done, no more "thunk, thunk, thunk" sound over small bumps and uneven surfaces in the road ways. Hite swears by them also!
(mind ya, the ES Poly bushings did the job also just wasn't impressed with the travel on the bar.)
nastynaters
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Yup, its nice having some jag options out there for when ford decides to stop production on various parts. For whatever reason, i ended up having to loosen up the right end link so i could get that bracket lined up best, to avoid cross threading one of the bolts. And it was pretty ridiculous comparing the OEM and moog end links. The rod on the moogs were almost 3x the diameter of oem's. I always aim for moog steering and suspension parts when available. Damm high quality
joegr
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My general experience is that the greasable ones don't last any longer than the non-greasable ones. It just seems longer because you have to mess with greasing them every so often.