Front sway bar bushing - loud front-end clunk fixed

[AlanAZ]

After 120K mls on well-maintained Scottsdale roads, my 2003 QX4 developed a loud clunk in the front-end, especially when going over rounded curbs into driveways, and over concrete gutters we have on some street intersections here. I would expect that on worse roads the clunking would have developed earlier.

I inspected the sway bar links, which I read can cause this clunk, but while worn, were not worn catastrophically.

On a hunch from some other reading, I ordered sway bar bushings. Looking at the original bushings before I took them off, I saw a rounding of the rubber on the ends facing the sway bar, but other than that, they looked intact and would not have replaced them based on a visual inspection. However, when I took them off, I found the rubber very hard, and both bushings split through on the upper, flat side that faces the frame (and out of sight.)

With the truck sitting on flat ground, no jacking or lift -- with the sway bar in as close to neutral position as possible. I replaced one bushing at a time, but still used a crow bar to create enough space on the second one to get the new bushing in. A breaker bar was used to loosen some of the bolts as they were very tight, and I put a little silicon grease on the inside and outside of the new bushings to help them position correctly while bolting in. I tightened the bolts next the bushing alternately until fully tight, before installing the sub-frame bolts.

I have driven over same the curbs and gutters that caused clunks in the the past, and the clunking is completely gone. The front-end also has a more isolated (in a good way) and controlled feel to it. Still more work to do, but a good start.

I went with Moog 'Problem Solver' rubber bushings: http://www.moog-suspension-parts.com/moog-k90024

[Karona]

Happy to hear!

I was getting this CRAZY uncontrollable wobble for a while, started happening once a month for a while, then twice a month, then one day it was happening every single time the road became uneven (specifically between 50-70km/hr).

I had a mechanic check it out and found the front bushing closest to the steering column completely gone except for scarps of rubber. The mechanic noticed the oil filter is directly above that particular bushing and strongly recommended washing and dripped oil off of it during an oil change (I guess polyurethane doesn't like oil?).

Anyway, had the front two bushings replaced and the truck ('98) drives like a dream now! Previously the steering had always been really funny, sometimes requiring turning of roughly 90 degrees before it actually began turning..

[AlanAZ]

Thanks. You're referring to the steering rack bushings? The steering is vague, I'll look at them the next time I have the belly pan off.

steering-rack-bushing-replacement-t582272.html

[Karona]

Sorry, I'm not too well versed with the mechanics of a vehicle, but essentially what I had replaced that fixed the wobble for me thus far are 2 bushings on the front of the vehicle, I cannot seem to find a picture at all, but I imagine I'm just not googling the correct thing..

I know there was a somewhat forward facing metal support panel that needed to be removed in order to remove the 2 metal brackets that were holding the bushings in place.

Very similar looking positioning such as in the picture below;

[AlanAZ]

What the mechanic in the photo has his wrench on is the sway bar bushing bracket bolt, but for an earlier R50.

You're referring to the steering rack bushings? The steering is vague, I'll look at them the next time I have the belly pan off.

I did have to replace the steering rack bushings also, which made a huge difference in the steering feel.