I could use some clarification on death sway fix as well....thx.

[Buzzman]

Ok, there's a lot of info regarding the rear sway fix and stuff, but I'm still confused (old age I guess). Which exact arm/bar(s) needs to be replaced? I've looked under the truck, and went to the dealer as well. Is it the (about 3 foot long) arm that comes off the rear axle and goes forward, or are we talking about the 8" sway link that comes off the sway bar? Maybe it's neither?The long one is about $160.00, while the link is only about $30.00. I've also read a thread about the replacement bolts being in the $50.00 range, but when I asked the dealer for a price, they quoted about $3.00 apiece.Makes me wonder if I'm on the right track in all this.The reason I'm asking is that my suspension is starting to feel a little loose, and I want to tighten it up before it gets worse.The truck is going to the shop on Monday for some routine brake work, and I wanted to have the guy check it all out.Sorry if I sound like a bit of a dummy, but I want to get it right.Thanks a bunch.

[W O T]

I had a sway / uneasy feeling when I let off the gas at highway speeds and I changed the stabilizer links on the front and rear, and it went away completely.

http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAP...01168

[Empty V]

If you have the death sway which is when it sways left and right while going between 55-75mph then you need to change out your trailing arm bushings, not any arms. It's not when you let off the gas, that's wrong. The only way to get it to stop is by letting off the gas. I had it fixed last year and my underbody meachanic and I still joke about it and and how frightening it was. After I had this done it felt like a new car.

Billy

[W O T]

It's not when you let off the gas, that's wrong.

Billy

My sway was left to right, car would feel light in the rear and sway when I let off the gas at highway speed. Stabilizer links fixed that.

You mean youre car would start swaying when just cruising at those speeds? Thats crazy

[fueler]

there are two lower control arms (from the axle going forwards to the body) as well as two (shorter) upper control arms. ANY ONE of these can cause death sway. the only way to check (without taking apart) is to park the truck level, parking brake pulled tight, get underneath and have a friend push the truck forwards and backwards in a rocking motion and look for which bushing has excessive play. also look at the pinion coming out of the axle, if that thing is moving up and down then you def. have a bushing problem

An expert (xplorx4) said that the lower arms usually go out before the upper, but not always. Mine happened to have been in the lower control arm... I got the 4x4parts urethane bushings and my death sway is solved permanently

not to mention how much tighter/precise my rear suspension is

[fueler]

and i had it pretty bad too. one bushing was totally destroyed immediately after a 4x4 trip it would sway violently when cruising at a constant temp between 55-75 and it would switch from right to left or vice versa when completely letting off the gas or getting on the gas 100%

like empty v said, "frightening" is the perfect description

[hospitalbuilder]

Is this something I should consider as a preventative maintenance thing? My 99Q has nearly 180K miles on it. By the descriptions and the "scary" tag, clearly at this point I do not have any problems. Sounds like a fairly reasonable DIY job, if you can find someone to press the old bushings out and the new one's in. I do not do much off-roading, if any, so maybe it would be overkill anyway.

Anything to gain?

[Buzzman]

Fueler, thanks for the clarification. Much appreciated.I don't have a bad sway yet, but the truck is definitely getting looser over time.I want to fix it before it becomes a problem.(I'm not complaining though. Seven years and 200,000 kms., and no major problems yet.)Happy motoring.

[Andrew224]

I just experienced the "death sway." I had to drive my buddy's '02 QX4 with 102k miles on it (I was the DD this past Saturday night. Took it on the highway and the rear end was pulling the truck left and right like it was tracking the low spots on the road. But in curves on the expressway were frightening. I know now why they call it the "death sway." I'm getting his truck over to my house to fix ASAP.

All the help on this board is greatly appreciated.

Andrew

[lightimages]

My 2001 Pathfinder usually, but not always, has a heavy clunk or thud when accelerating from a stop. Sounds like whacking the rear of the car with a big rubber mallet and it is coming from the rear.

It has done this since I bought it. Has 100,000 miles on on it now. Drives and handles great though, no Death Sway, tracks very solid at any speed.

I have had two shops check the rear bushings and both said they are fine. The owner of one shop has an identical PF and he has changed bushings twice on his.

Is there a heavy Clunk that is not rear control arm bushings? What else can I look for?

[patqx4]

My 2001 Pathfinder usually, but not always, has a heavy clunk or thud when accelerating from a stop. Sounds like whacking the rear of the car with a big rubber mallet and it is coming from the rear.

It has done this since I bought it. Has 100,000 miles on on it now. Drives and handles great though, no Death Sway, tracks very solid at any speed.

I have had two shops check the rear bushings and both said they are fine. The owner of one shop has an identical PF and he has changed bushings twice on his.

Is there a heavy Clunk that is not rear control arm bushings? What else can I look for?

I'd look to the U-Joints first