Stabilizer bar replacement

guillotm

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Clarksville
I would like to know if anyone who has completed the stabilizer bar replacement has a step by step guide for this? I plan on tackling this project soon and would like all the help I can get since I know it will be a pain. Thank you for your help.
 
step by step guide

Wow, this is not a job for the faint of heart. First off, the new stabilizer bar comes with the bushings already attached. So After hours of laying under the car fighting to get the old bar out of there (believe me, it will NOT be easy to get out.) and after several fits of kicking and screaming and practically crying to get at the bolt on the bushing bracket on the passenger side, I finally got the bolt off. So, easy from here on out?...I don't think so. You would figure the bar would slide right out but with the bends in it, I had to wrestle for another hour with it to get it out from the drivers side. Keep in mind that I have the service manual and I'm doing everything by the book. Even with the steering knuckle on the drivers side undone, unless you have a lift, it will not be easy to get the car high enough to slide the bar out. So now that I've got the old bar out, I try to get the new bar in...not a chance. With the new bar having the bushings already attached I absolutely could not get that bar slid back into place. After a full afternoon of frustration, I took it to the dealer who informed me that the subframe of the car needs to be dropped to put the new bar in. A couple hundred bucks and a few hours later, they put the new bar in and it's been great since (no popping noise). I can't speak for anybody else, but my experience with this only led me to the conclusion that I wish I had let the dealer do it in the first place. sorry this is not a step by step guide, but please consider if you have the patience, mechanical abilities, and proper shop equipment before you tackle this one.
 
Jesus! That sounds like the mother of all engineering screw ups! Don't you wish you could get the engineer who designed such a cluster under the car changing it himself??
 
:D

2001LS8Sport said:
Jesus! That sounds like the mother of all engineering screw ups! Don't you wish you could get the engineer who designed such a cluster under the car changing it himself??
 
I did mine during the summer. It was a MAJOR pain. I am not a mechanic, but I am an Engineer and a very experienced DIY'er in many areas.

1) I followed the repair DVD to remove.
2) Biggest tip was to remove passenger side bushing screw from the top of engine compartment with a VERY long extension ~ 2 feet, and flex joint adapter.
3) Once everything was loose, getting the old one out took approximately 1-2 hours of fishing.

Now the problem - The old one was hard to remove without the bushings. The new one has the bushings. It took 2-3 hours to get back in. Due to the long time and multiple trys, I really can't say how to get it in other than try, try, try again.

The bushings I pulled out did not look bad, but I no longer have the clunk sound.

In summary - This is NOT a job for the faint of heart or those without a strong sense of DIY determination. I doubt I would do it again.
 

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