ok, so i've been getting a noise coming from my front suspension, my car hasn't held any alignment i've gotten in the last two years, and i'm experiencing the sloppiness in my steering that any 9 year old car is bound to get. i saw a deal on some suspension parts on ebay and figured i'd go for it.

i'll be replacing both lower control arms, both inner and outer tie rod ends, and both stabilizer bar endlinks.

i was just wondering if you guys had any advice for me: special tools i'll need, any areas that are a particular PITA, where i should start, etc. i've read my chilton's manual and the fsm (and the stickies!), but none of them have any really great detail about exactly what i'm doing.

one more question: my steering wheel has been WAY off-center since my last alignment. i know alignment shops are SUPPOSED to be able to fix this, but is there anything i can do while my suspension is apart to "reset" it? obviously i'll be getting yet another alignment after i do this, but can i get the wheel straight in the meantime, or should i leave it and hope the shop gets it right?

thanks.

 

Everything you are replacing sounds right. You will need an inner and outer tie rod tool. I would replace the inner sway bar bushings with OEM ones, the outer ones with Energy ones. I would also replace the sway bar end links. "Flush" the power steering fluid out too, I used Mobil1 ATF.

All the howto's can be found in the 4th gen forum, you will have to search for some of them.

 

the steering wheel is centered during alignment (or should be) by aligning the car by adjusting the outer tie rod ends etc etc etc...

I would suggest replacing bushings all around, while you have the suspension apart.

BTW kev....wtf is an outer tie rod tool? All you have to do if you're not going to re-use them is take off the bolt and pop it out with a hammer.

 

which bushings am i missing? i know i would need both sets of swaybar bushings, i'm drawing a blank on anything else.

also, unfortunately, i'm on a pretty strict schedule: replacing these parts monday, getting an alignment and my new tires mounted tuesday, and going back to gainesville for school on wednesday... so i won't be able to get any es bushings in (i want to do it at some point, but didn't have the $ before and don't have the time now). would i be able to get the oem/oem replacement bushings through autozone or napa... or are they pretty cheap at the dealer?

also, there was another thread that mentioned being able to replace the lca's without removing the axle nut, and after the nightmare of a time i had replacing my transmission because of those, i'd love to skip it if possible. i couldn't find any details though, any input?

thanks again, i don't want to do all this work then leave out some big part... or worse, have so much trouble doing it that i don't get to replace this crap before i leave.

 

The c-clamp type thing. I don't use a hammer


If you are getting new LCA, they will have new bushings/