Do I have the "Death Sway" Or is it something else?

[mateen110]

I have a 2002 infiniti qx4, and ive been doing my research on a particular problem ive been having with this car.

When I press the gas, I will feel an uneasy sway feeling in the rear of the car for a split second. Sometimes at highway speeds it goes on for a while, but in city limits, it only happens the second i press the gas and then stop. When I let go of the gas, I will experience that uneasy feeling again for a split second then back to normal.

Now, questions here...

is this the death sway?

the general info thread thread (pathfinder-qx4-general-information-and-q-a-t549378.html) claims it's the "lower control arm bushings ", but others state it is the "rear trailing bushings."
Which one is it? Is there a difference between the two?

I read that it could also be the stabilizer links? (see this guy: i-could-use-some-clarification-on-death ... y#p4853632)

Im just not sure if this is the death sway or not...Thanks!

EDIT:Sorry for bumping this old thread -- My car is still the same, maybe a little worse. I am still not convinced I have the death sway because my issue is basically a sway when I press/depress the gas pedal. Im not sure if its the trailing arm bushings or the stabilizer links.

Anyone have any info on what I have?? I tried yanking the ebreak and looking but I honestly could not tell. Maybe I was not looking in the right place?

[Towncivilian]

Wow, I really messed the wording there. The general information thread should say rear trailing arm bushings. I've fixed that, thanks.

Yes, your swaying sounds like the beginning of death sway. See this thread for relatively inexpensive replacement options.

[mateen110]

Thanks!

The bushings on the site are only $10 and it says rear lower. Do I have to replace just that? Is one set enough?

[Towncivilian]

I believe there are two bushings per control arm on each side, making a total of eight bushings. I'd suggest to replace all the upper and lower trailing arm bushings. I'm not so sure on the replacement procedure, however. It might be possible to remove the trailing arms and have a shop press the new bushings in and then reinstall the arms, however I'm not certain of that. Someone more knowledgeable will hopefully chime in soon.

[fueler]

Yank the e-brake, get under the rear of your car and have a friend rock the QX4 side-to-side or front-to-back. Watch the rear arms. You may be able to tell which bushing is broken. On mine, it was one of the lowers. I replaced only the lowers with poly-urethane like 5 years ago and everything has been solid and great ever since. Highly recommend the urethane bushings from http://www.4x4parts.com That's where i got mine.

Not only did it solve the sway problem, but it improved the handling. It made the SUV more "solid" in the rear.

[mateen110]

Thanks, I did just that and honestly I could not tell. Maybe I am looking at the wrong thing??
Are the ones on 4x4 really necessary? moog has some for $12.

http://www.amazon.com/Moog-K200275-Trai ... B006DYM0JG

[fueler]

I've never seen the moog ones.... if they are the same material as stock then i wouldn't do it, but if they are solid then yeah...

If you want stock bushings then you could get the entire arm with bushings already pressed in.... the parts would cost more but you save yourself a nightmare in labor.... (at least until they break again)

[mateen110]

Sorry for bumping this old thread -- My car is still the same, maybe a little worse. I am still not convinced I have the death sway because my issue is basically a sway when I press/depress the gas pedal. Im not sure if its the trailing arm bushings or the stabilizer links.

Anyone have any info on what I have?? I tried yanking the ebreak and looking but I honestly could not tell. Maybe I was not looking in the right place?

[PathyProject]

I had much worse problems when I first got mine. I'd hear a loud thud in the back of my ride whenever I'd come to a stop or accelerate. I'd also have a bad sway when I'd get to like 60mph. and a loud clunk whenever my transmission shifted. So, I did the following.

Replaced transmission mount, which caused the clunk when I shifted to go away.

Replaced all eight trailing arm bushings with polyurethane bushings. Which last for the lifetime of your vehicle, and the swaying at high speeds and the thuds in the rear went away.

I also replaced my shock absorbers too, which were leaking.

My vehicle runs much better now, but I still have a thud on my left or right side when I come to a stop after descending a hill. I checked my stabilizer bar bushings and links and they need replacement. Once they are done everything in the back will be perfect.

[KenVT]

The Sway sounds exactly like the issue I had, I have replaced bushings in one lower control, lots of laber, $15 per, $30 total, torch, chisel out the old one's, you need a press to get them in, Then I bought the other lower on amazon for around $50 and did it myself in 30min. No more sway. It's not poly, but for the price... $50 done in my own garage.... choice was easy.

[abnrjd]

I HIGHLY!!!!! reccomend using polyeurathane inserts bushings. Here's why. I had the same problem on my 04 Platinum Path.I replaced the rear upper and lower control arms and in about a years time wouldn't you know THE DREADED DEATHSWAY WAS BACK!!!. Well since I don't have deep pockets and I am very mechanically inclined I went online to 4X4 parts.com purchased a set of split polyeurathane inserts with all the hardware, nuts, bolts and did it myself at a local craftshop. I guess you're saying how did u get the old ones out? I used a reciprocating saw to cut the sleeve in two places, tapped them out after I used a heavy vise and socket to push out the inner bolt sleeves. I saved myself a metric ton of money. Make sure you have a haynes manual on hand and a good set of tools and a four point lift as you're going to need to remove all four control arms.

[KenVT]

Guess I'll be putting on poly bushings next year.....

Oh well....