Ok, while looking underneath, I noticed that the bolt on the end of the Stabilizer Bar has some spaces in-between the rubber bushings and there is no NUT on the top of the bolt. This does not seem right and the Haynes manual does show a nut….is the manual right? Why hasn’t the bolt come out?

Thanks all![/b]

 

If the washer on the top is a large hex on the outer surface of the washer, then it has a threaded portion in it which extends down into the bushing. Many factory sway bar end links were like this.

 

i noticed the same on mine too. i went to replace the bushings and couldnt get the bolt out no matter how hard i tried. broke the head of the bolt in doing so. easier to replace after that..

 

Yah I had changed mine that looked like that just because they were dried up and they are cheap to change. I sawzalled the bolt then just pryed it out.

 

Odd....both do not have any kind of nut on the top, just a rubber bushing and I was wondering what is causing the bolt to stay there! What does it thread into??? Makes me wonder what will happen if you can get the bolt out....will the stablizer bar go flying....is the pressure of the bar holding it in???

Also my bushings on this bolt are separated...from memory 2 bushings at the bottom, space then the other bushing....should there be a space?

Could this be why I hear a grunting noise when rolling over a speed bump?

 

I cant remember if the stock ones had a small gap in the middle or not, the moog replacements I have do have a metal spacer in the middle. I think the bolt threads into that top washer. I had no luck unscrewing it though thats why I cut it. Depending on how the truck is jacked will detrmine what the bar will do. If I remember I pryed down on the bar at one point and jacked it up with a bottle jack at another point. The grunting could be almost anything in the suspension. Does it only do it speed bumps or also on holes and such. Also when you say speed bumps are they the quick like 4 inch wide ones or the more gradual 2 foot bumps.

 

The original sway bar end links had a plastic spacer between the upper and lower attaching points. An after market one will have a rolled piece of steel like the picture below illustrates:

 

As for the grunting….I never hear it except when I go over the speed bumps (4 inch made from milk carton type plastic…not very gradual either). I thought I would be smart and only hit the speed bump with the left tire…no grunt….tried only the right tire next….no grunt (so much for narrowing it down!). It only happens when both tires go over it!

As for the stabilizer bolt nut question…..guess I’m blind in my good eye.[:@] Last night with a flashlight in the garage, all I saw on top of the bolt was a rubber bushing. NOW I see a very thin black metal washer type of nut that is on top of the bushing….and yes there is a spacer in-between the other bushings. Thought I may have found something to get my grunts out!

By the way….it’s great to have found a GOOD forum! The other one still has no responses! Thanks for the help!