MHzTweaker
New LVC Member
I just finished doing my 2001 sport with the Energy Poly bushings and Moog end links.
I as well had the ungodly knocks rolling over almost everything (rocks, twigs, squirrels) under 30-40mph and the knocking was getting louder.
I am so relieved to find this forum.
I had some time left over at the end of the day Friday (3 hours) but could not do the passenger bushing since I was working outside and ran out of day light.
The end links were simple but doing each bushing is much easier with the end link off the end of the sway bar for greater movement since it is unloaded.
I followed directions and did the driver side first. I used the 13mm socket on a u-joint swivel and a couple 10" extensions. I took some time but was doable. I left the passenger side bushing for the next day.
I have not done a lot of work on this car deep inside the engine bay and nothing could have prepared me for just how cramped it all is. I could have saved myself a LOT of frustration if I had done the following first and not later:
Remove all the top plastic pieces on across the front including the breather tube and passenger corner top plastic radiator support ( 3bolts).
Find some bungee cords to pull and hold tubes and hoses out of my way as I fish the socket down in there. Over and over and over again!!! LOL
This DCCV bracket that everyone is talking about does have 2 identical 10mm bolts. One can be removed from underneath and is front facing the bumper. The other one is the demon spawn mofo from beyond mechanical nightmares. This little critter sits at an angle around the corner from its brother. The 10mm socket and swivel go straight down but end up cocked at about a 45 degree angle to fit the bolt head. I filled the socket with moly grease to capture the little bugger once it was off and out.
I ended up with a tri-beam LED light in my mouth and one hand on the wrench and the other on the bracket via the newly opened space from the front of the engine.
There was a lot of wear on the cross hatch rubber pattern inside the old bushings where the bar is. Also the old bushings are really soft and squishy.
I'm a 6ft guy and I have to say I ran out of swear words on this one and went for a foreign dictionary. There just is not a lot of space to work down in this car. I can only think about back in the day when they were shoving big block detroit iron in Pony cars in the late 60's.
This is a doable project but you WILL bust some knuckles on this one for sure. I read further back about the cost of buying the stock sway bar with bushings molded. This is MUCH easier than a sway bar replacement. I think I spent $24 on the bushings including shipping and $30 each for the Moog end links off Amazon including shipping.
The end results are beyond mystic though. I can ride in silence now finally. This repair is well worth the time. I now have nice tight steering and the car behaves itself in curves that are on uneven pavement. Just do it.
I did find that the grease that was sent with the bushings was not enough to do both for whatever reason and ended up using Moly grease on the passenger bushing. The Energy grease has GOT to be the stickiest substance I have ever touched. I may go ahead and order some more of this to have on hand.
good luck everyone
I as well had the ungodly knocks rolling over almost everything (rocks, twigs, squirrels) under 30-40mph and the knocking was getting louder.
I am so relieved to find this forum.
I had some time left over at the end of the day Friday (3 hours) but could not do the passenger bushing since I was working outside and ran out of day light.
The end links were simple but doing each bushing is much easier with the end link off the end of the sway bar for greater movement since it is unloaded.
I followed directions and did the driver side first. I used the 13mm socket on a u-joint swivel and a couple 10" extensions. I took some time but was doable. I left the passenger side bushing for the next day.
I have not done a lot of work on this car deep inside the engine bay and nothing could have prepared me for just how cramped it all is. I could have saved myself a LOT of frustration if I had done the following first and not later:
Remove all the top plastic pieces on across the front including the breather tube and passenger corner top plastic radiator support ( 3bolts).
Find some bungee cords to pull and hold tubes and hoses out of my way as I fish the socket down in there. Over and over and over again!!! LOL
This DCCV bracket that everyone is talking about does have 2 identical 10mm bolts. One can be removed from underneath and is front facing the bumper. The other one is the demon spawn mofo from beyond mechanical nightmares. This little critter sits at an angle around the corner from its brother. The 10mm socket and swivel go straight down but end up cocked at about a 45 degree angle to fit the bolt head. I filled the socket with moly grease to capture the little bugger once it was off and out.
I ended up with a tri-beam LED light in my mouth and one hand on the wrench and the other on the bracket via the newly opened space from the front of the engine.
There was a lot of wear on the cross hatch rubber pattern inside the old bushings where the bar is. Also the old bushings are really soft and squishy.
I'm a 6ft guy and I have to say I ran out of swear words on this one and went for a foreign dictionary. There just is not a lot of space to work down in this car. I can only think about back in the day when they were shoving big block detroit iron in Pony cars in the late 60's.
This is a doable project but you WILL bust some knuckles on this one for sure. I read further back about the cost of buying the stock sway bar with bushings molded. This is MUCH easier than a sway bar replacement. I think I spent $24 on the bushings including shipping and $30 each for the Moog end links off Amazon including shipping.
The end results are beyond mystic though. I can ride in silence now finally. This repair is well worth the time. I now have nice tight steering and the car behaves itself in curves that are on uneven pavement. Just do it.
I did find that the grease that was sent with the bushings was not enough to do both for whatever reason and ended up using Moly grease on the passenger bushing. The Energy grease has GOT to be the stickiest substance I have ever touched. I may go ahead and order some more of this to have on hand.
good luck everyone
