Sway Bar Walks Off of Bushing
#16
07-29-2015, 12:14 PM
I will share that years ago, soon after I gained mechanical abilities that, when replacing the shocks, I found that the right front spring had broken. Here is the story, up until 5 years ago the van had it's factory shocks. We had taken it to a local shop after warranty had expired and been going there since. The mechanic said that the shocks were too tough to get to, but the suspension will be fine. I was informed of this and I took the van and replaced the shocks with a couple of buddies. When we undid the RF that is when we found the bad spring. So we have since stopped going to said local mechanic and I now do most of the work needed to keep up the van.
#17
07-29-2015, 12:25 PM
#18
07-29-2015, 01:14 PM
#19
07-29-2015, 01:51 PM
#20
07-29-2015, 03:33 PM
Well my family and I have owned it since new. We did take a wild trip on I40 near Little Rock. The RR tire blew out and we got sent into the grassy median after 3 spins. We had a couple years ago slid into the curb hard in winter when roads were not plowed. We tried to avoid a car at a red light and we almost took out a fire hydrant.
No wrecks, no collisions, except my father slid into our retaining wall at 3mph, dented the bumper and cracked the plastic.
Have you been spying on me? It's like you know what has happened lol.
No wrecks, no collisions, except my father slid into our retaining wall at 3mph, dented the bumper and cracked the plastic.
Have you been spying on me? It's like you know what has happened lol.
#21
07-29-2015, 03:45 PM
#22
07-29-2015, 03:55 PM
#23
07-31-2015, 05:53 AM
A little late to the party here........
Couple of things I see in your pictures........and you mentioned that the sway bar bushings are different part numbers?
First, there are 2 different sway bars on the E vans, 7/8" and 1", you need the correct bushing for the size bar you have.
Have you check the radius arm bushings? If one, or both are flatten out, the rubber bushing is crushed, or missing the plastic bushing, this will push back your radius arm, and cause the sway bar to become loose, and really mess up the front end alignment. I blew out a plastic bushing from hitting a huge pothole one time, even jarred my back teeth on that one.......
The jack pin on the left side is bent down? This is almost impossible to do, really wonder on how that happen, after all, that's the jack point for the front axle, that takes a lot of pressure to bend that.
Oh, and your line......... "So we have since stopped going to said local mechanic and I now do most of the work needed to keep up the van." .....That right there is golden
That is the same reason most of us on this fourm are here for 
Couple of things I see in your pictures........and you mentioned that the sway bar bushings are different part numbers?
First, there are 2 different sway bars on the E vans, 7/8" and 1", you need the correct bushing for the size bar you have.
Have you check the radius arm bushings? If one, or both are flatten out, the rubber bushing is crushed, or missing the plastic bushing, this will push back your radius arm, and cause the sway bar to become loose, and really mess up the front end alignment. I blew out a plastic bushing from hitting a huge pothole one time, even jarred my back teeth on that one.......
The jack pin on the left side is bent down? This is almost impossible to do, really wonder on how that happen, after all, that's the jack point for the front axle, that takes a lot of pressure to bend that.
Oh, and your line......... "So we have since stopped going to said local mechanic and I now do most of the work needed to keep up the van." .....That right there is golden
That is the same reason most of us on this fourm are here for
#24
07-31-2015, 08:21 AM
A little late to the party here........
Couple of things I see in your pictures........and you mentioned that the sway bar bushings are different part numbers?
First, there are 2 different sway bars on the E vans, 7/8" and 1", you need the correct bushing for the size bar you have.
I have never heard that, I'm not doubting you, but this is new to me. I will investigate.
Have you check the radius arm bushings? If one, or both are flatten out, the rubber bushing is crushed, or missing the plastic bushing, this will push back your radius arm, and cause the sway bar to become loose, and really mess up the front end alignment. I blew out a plastic bushing from hitting a huge pothole one time, even jarred my back teeth on that one.......
I had these done before an alignment, so the radius arm bushings and Brackets are new.
The jack pin on the left side is bent down? This is almost impossible to do, really wonder on how that happen, after all, that's the jack point for the front axle, that takes a lot of pressure to bend that.
It is the right side bent down. Beats me. I felt like econolinemanor had the best explanation.
Oh, and your line......... "So we have since stopped going to said local mechanic and I now do most of the work needed to keep up the van." .....That right there is golden That is the same reason most of us on this fourm are here for
Well I noticed that since we stopped going, the repairs are fewer, cheaper, more robust and less frequent.
Couple of things I see in your pictures........and you mentioned that the sway bar bushings are different part numbers?
First, there are 2 different sway bars on the E vans, 7/8" and 1", you need the correct bushing for the size bar you have.
I have never heard that, I'm not doubting you, but this is new to me. I will investigate.
Have you check the radius arm bushings? If one, or both are flatten out, the rubber bushing is crushed, or missing the plastic bushing, this will push back your radius arm, and cause the sway bar to become loose, and really mess up the front end alignment. I blew out a plastic bushing from hitting a huge pothole one time, even jarred my back teeth on that one.......
I had these done before an alignment, so the radius arm bushings and Brackets are new.
The jack pin on the left side is bent down? This is almost impossible to do, really wonder on how that happen, after all, that's the jack point for the front axle, that takes a lot of pressure to bend that.
It is the right side bent down. Beats me. I felt like econolinemanor had the best explanation.
Oh, and your line......... "So we have since stopped going to said local mechanic and I now do most of the work needed to keep up the van." .....That right there is golden
That is the same reason most of us on this fourm are here for Well I noticed that since we stopped going, the repairs are fewer, cheaper, more robust and less frequent.
It is all very important as my family and I are going on a trip to New York soon.
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