Got a bag of suspension bushings and a day of lift time booked for Friday. Going through the manual to make sure I have everything I need. Do have a question? Why support the rear lower link brackets and axle casing with stands/jacks? Asking 'cause I would love to avoid this... I hate working under a car on stands / jacks 'cause my back is all screwed up and working prone just hurts. Would much rather have the car higher on the lift and work at head height, but that means I cant use a jack or stands. I guess the purpose is to take weight off the sway bar, maybe releasing torque on the bushing... but instructions say support rather than lift upward so want to make sure I understand whats going on with the supporting jack and stands.

Thanks!

 

Floor jack + 2x4 ?

 

I think they just recommend supporting the front ends for your own safety... so you dont whack yourself in the head with the bar. The new swaybar bushings should come with silicone grease to lube the bushings on the axle, so it's not like the suspension links where you're worried about the ride height.

I've removed and installed the rear swaybar with no supports under it. Car was on jackstands. It was easy. But if your car's up on a lift you might want a helping hand, or some tie wire. The bar's not heavy, but is a bit awkward.

 

Thanks all. Going to use a big heavy bench as a base for the axle stands and jack and follow the fsm instructions. Still not sure I understand the physics, but just in case.

 

Are you replacing the suspension bushings too, or just the sway bar bushings?

 

In this order… cut our teeth on the easy stuff first and move up as we gain confidence.
Front sway bar
Front tension rods
Rear sway bar
Rear Watt links
Suspension bushings
I can see how the Watt link may require jacking the axle to line everything up when reinstalling, and for suspension bushings you would defn need to be supporting axles. But for the sway bars and tension rods seems that the suspension assembly would be held up by the shock being topped out? Then again, we are very much new to this.

 

I have replaced my entire suspension (every single piece, including the rear axle) over the past 2 years. So here's my take -

Rear:
*Sway bar is super easy.
*The 4 suspension links NEED you to support the axle at ride height when you retighten the bolts / nuts BECAUSE the inner sleeve binds when tightened. If the axle is drooping when the links are tightened, then the car will be "jacked up" a little when you're done. The rubber bushings flex/stretch when the suspension moves - they don't just swivel on the bolts.
*Watts Links - I assume the same as the 4 suspension links. Tighten them at " ride height" (axle related to body).

Front:
*First you need to drop the undertray to access the tension rod mounts.
* The actual SwayBar is the most difficult sway bar I have ever changed out, on old cars and new. (I replaced mine with a larger aftermarket bar). If you are only changing out the bushings then you will have a much easier time. The sway bar bushings are held in just like on the rear axle - a small bracket held in with a single bolt. Fairly easy to replace the bushings.
*The tension rods need the front nut removed (big ol nut) first, then remove the two bolts that hold it to the control arm / lower suspension arm. Change the bushings and reinstall, tightening the 2 bolts on the suspension arm before you tighten the rod-into-frame bracket.

*Go get an alignment. Replacing the tension rod bushings will affect your castor and possibly toe.

 

Thanks Maxwedge. Got the front tension rods and sway bar done! Not too hard at all. And a California car so everything unbolted pretty easily. Moving on to the rear next!