I want to know if any of you guys have ever broken a swaybar. Yesterday I was installing my new struts and springs and noticed when we pulled off the front drivers side wheel that the CV joint boot went out and was spraying greese all over my wheel well. It turns out that the reason the boot went out was because my swaybar broke clean at the bushing. My chilton manual says that I have to lower the entire drivetrain cradle to replace it. Is there any other way to do this?? Please help!!
I believe the sway bar is held on in 4 locations. Two connections via the bushing and two connections at the sway bar links. I wouldn't think you would have to lower the whole cradle. If you did that you may just want to take the whole week off from work. There has to be a better way.
That is what I am hoping to find out. I have never seen or heard of a swaybar breaking. I was under the car last night looking at it but it looks way to tight under there to wiggle a new swaybar in there.
Replacing the swaybar requires the engine cradle to be removed. There's no way around that I'm afraid. I'm no mechanic but thats what the Factory Manual says.
no. because of the bends on each side. The whole engine assembly and front end would get in the way. But then again I have not tried it and am no mechanic.
Unfortunately this seems to be the case. Not only do you seperate the cradle from the car but you have to raise the engine to open up the space to pull it out (don't know if raising the engine on its own would so it. I've always thought there has to be some other way. You could try snaking it out, what do you have to loose. The strut might be in the way though so you'ld have to drop the strut and steer it out of the way. The 1st gens have a bigger curve on the sway bar than the 2nd gens. Let us know what happens.
I looked a it again tonight and it can't be just slid on. There just isn't enough room. But it shouldn't be all that bad to drop the cradle. Has anyone ever heard of or seen this happen? I will let you know what happens when I get it done!
i dropped the cradle outta my *junk* car just before i got rid of it.. not that hard.. just becareful.. its obviously heavy..
we dropped it off the back of a roll back towtruck..
Get some stands (tall if you do it on a hoist) and set them under the craddle to hold it up at the height you want cause you only have to drop it enough to pass the sway bar. Not sure but you might get away with loosening the rear bolts and dropping the front.
I called the dodge dealer about getting a new swaybar and asked about different sizes and he looked it up and told me that they were the same size that year in all models. Even the 3.3L. I tought it was weird but he was the one looking at the computer. But a new one from them is $158 and I have already found one at a junkyard off a 97 ES with a 3.5L for $45. So I will be going with that!:biggrin:
Yeah I broke my swaybar to. I have yet to fix it. It was about 4 months ago now that I broke it. My mechanic said to stop taking corners at 60 mph! I laughed and explained that it happened in a spin out during rush hour. Screwed my lower ball joints over to. Debaiting of fixing or driving my 93 Concord in to the grave. Time will tell. Only really notice the missing bar when I am breaking heavy and driving in snow.
G!
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