koreywill

Does anyone have a secret to replacing the front sway bar bushings? I'm trying to get rid of a noise and the rear bushings were easy to replace. That cured the noise in the back end but I've still got the front end noise. The only bolt I can't get to is the driver's side front bolt. I can get the other three loosened but can't get to the 4th. I tried going down from the top through the engine bay with extensions but couldn't quite get a purchase on the bolt. I'm almost ready to fork over the $75 to my mechanic to get it done but I'm hoping someone has a great trick for DIY. Thanks for any hints and any help at all.

RXGS

iTrader: (2)

Someone on here has done them before, I think it was "Oro"? Whoever it was said its a real pain to do, For $75, just let someone else do it

Oro

Yes, I did them a few years ago. It was a real pain, believe I had to use a thin Gearwrench speed wrench a painstaking fractional turn at a time. Even at about 225k it was not needed. If you have one of yours out and it looks OK, just leave that one in and start looking elsewhere. That one particular bolt that was so difficult, I believe it was on the driver side, was also insanely difficult to get started back in the threads. I would think the swaybar in links a much more likely candidate if you’re sure it is the sway bar. I would start by jacking it up and grasping the wheel shaking the it in multiple directions fore/aft, up/down, etc. This can quickly help you diagnose bearings, tie rod ends, ball joints etc.

koreywill

Thanks for both responses. The only reason I was going to change the front bushings was because replacing the rears helped with the noise in the back end. With 317,000 miles on it parts are going to start wearing out. But, that being said, I'm not convinced the front bushings are bad. ORO, do you have a favorite non Lexus brand that you like for sway bar links and other suspension components or do you recommend staying with oem?

fortitude

FYI - I installed Beck/Arnley links (all 4) from Rock Auto about 1.5 years ago. All of the rubber boots holding the grease in have failed and 1 of the links started to clunk.

koreywill

Hey fortitude! Thanks for the reply. Scratch B/A from the list of possibilities. Has anyone else had good luck with another (less costly) brand other than Lexus?

Oro

I always look for what appears to be the best quality part at the best price, usually from RockAuto.

Looking there now, I would go with either the AC Delco, OR - and I'll explain below - the Ultrapower that is very inexpensive.

Moogs are good, usually not a bargain, but a solid option. Beck/Arnely is hit or miss, it can be genuine OEM, or it can be Chinese copies. It's never clear. Certain lower price brands are always the latter, like SKP (which is NOT SKF, just trying to cash in on the similar name). Ultrapower is RA's "house" brand, which mean it is close-out from somewhere and can be anything. But, they photograph it so you can look at it, and sometimes you can tell it's a very good part. Last month I had to change the tie rods in my SUV, and the "Ultrapower" part was clearly pictured looked like a very good unit. I ordered them and they were NOS TRW parts, Japanese made parts from a ways back - definitely OE quality and great. Looking at the FRONT sway bar links under that brand for this car, I'd take them as they are more robustly built than the cheaper options, and are greasable (most cheap suspension parts are not greasable). In fact, next time I order from them I will order two of the front ones pictured to have for the future given that low price and the looks of them.

Given you have that much mileage, a clunk could be a lot of things. An upper strut mount, a tie rod end, even the 1/2 shaft if you went a long time with torn boots. I would be diagnosing it carefully before just replacing things sequentially to solve it. My decreasing order of suspicion, based on how often I see/hear these being the cause of a similar complaint, would be something like:

Upper strut mount
ball joint
tie rod
1/2 axle
sway bar end links

Bearings normally don't clunk, but they shouldn't last 320k miles either (mine both went around 250k, and that's pretty gentle usage - many go much earlier). Have you checked them or replaced them at least once? That is not an easy job on this (and most all FWD or AWD) car and required a 12-ton press and sometimes a 3-jawed puller for the axle.

koreywill

Hey ORO! Thanks for a very detailed reply. Struts were replaced (with your guidance and suggestions) about 24,000 miles ago. They are still good and the top nut is tight. Had a passenger side axle replaced shortly after noticing thrown grease on the suspension and underside of the engine. All boots are intact. The steering still seems "tight" but when I get some time this weekend I'll jack up each wheel and shake the heck out of it from all angles and see what moves or makes sounds and to check for loose bearings. I bought the car 40k miles ago and the previous owner had a lot of the repair paperwork ( much of it done by the Lexus dealer) but I see nothing about having replaced the bearings. I'll keep playing around with it and see what I find. Thanks again for a very helpful response.

Oro

What. Did you do WRT the upper mounts when you did the struts? I recall when you did it but not that detail.

koreywill

I kept the original Lexus strut mounts as most, if not all posts about the mounts, say that they are pretty bullet proof and are better than any other replacement part (except Lexus). KYB struts all around, new boots, new springs in back, reused front springs but did not buy new rubber spring seats as old were still in good shape..

koreywill

Got under the car today and started pushing, pulling, and shaking everything I could. Absolutely no play in the bearings on all 4 wheels. I put a pry bar under the front sway bar and without too much force could see the sway bar moving inside the bushing so I'll have my local mechanic replace those. I already have the parts so it's just labor. (See posts above for why I'm willing to pay for that.) Took the front sway bar links off without too much trouble and on both of them the top rubber was torn and the socket, while it still had grease, was pretty loose. So, I'll order the ULTRA-POWER K90344 from Rock Auto today and will install those when they come in. I will also order the ones for the rear even though they looked fine. That way I'll know they're good to go. I'll keep ya posted.

koreywill

[QUOTE=Oro;9990379]Yes, I did them a few years ago. It was a real pain, believe I had to use a thin Gearwrench speed wrench a painstaking fractional turn at a time." end quote

The bolts on the sway bar bushing holders come through the underside welded on nuts and protrude about 3/8". If I got a dremel tool and cut a slot in the end of the bolt just deep enough to insert a screwdriver I could turn the bolt all the way out after I got it loosened just a bit. It sure would make it easier to get the bolt out. Do you see any negatives in this idea?

koreywill

Got under the car for about 2 1/2 hours today and got the front sway bar bushings installed as well as the sway bar end links. The driver's side bushing bracket looked to be a bear to get to but after removing the sway bar links I suspended the end of the sway bar (drivers side) from the spring and that gave me enough room to get to the front bolt of the bushing bracket. When I got all four bolts out I did go ahead and cut slots in the bottom of each with a Dremel tool. When it was time to reinstall the bolts all I had to do was get the bolt started with my fingers and then, from underneath the car, use a screwdriver to seat the bolts on the bracket. From that point it was just a matter of using a 12mm socket and wrench to get them tightened down. No way to get a torque wrench in there so I'm hoping for the best.
ORO: you were right about the ULTRA-POWER end links. Very well built, stout, and all have zerks fittings for greasing as needed. We'll see how they work out long term.
The end result of all this is that all noises from the front and rear (golf ball sounds) are now gone and it feels and sounds great going over rough sections of the roads.
Thanks for the input and suggestions.

Oro

Awesome. I went through all this on our ES and now I have to do it on my SUV in the next few weeks; worn ball joints.

I forgot to ask, where do you live in Missourah? My dad grew up there and we still have family there.

koreywill

Hey ORO! Good luck with the SUV ball joints. I imagine I'll have to do that on the ES one of these days. I'm a transplant from CT but have been living in Branson, Missoureeee for 33 years now.