I've determined that one of my many horible rattles is actually a horrible squeak, coming from my rear passenger trailing arm bushing.

I have neither the tools to replace the bushing myself nor the money to have someone else do it. I sprayed it with some white lithium grease and it stopped squeaking for a day, until that awful rain storm in Chicago on Wednesday washed it away. Obviously that will not hold. Can I spray it with the white lithium and then smother it with a thicker grease around the outside to hold it in?

Second question - how tight should the bolt through the bushing be? Mine is rusty as ***** and it's got a slight gap between the bolt and the bracket. Is that bolt in shear if the car's on the ground? Based on this it seems like if the car's lifted you'd have to lift the beam as well, so could I just not bother lifting it and replace it while it sits? Or perhaps just hit it with some pb blaster and tighten?

TIA

 

I dont know how to help you.. but you can pick up some new Es bushings for 45 ish dollars after tax and your car will handle better and not squeak any more. but good luck

 

Aren't they a PITA to install? I thought you have to take the axle out and press hella hard to get the bushings out.

Anyway, I noticed today that the bolt was not only not tight, it was loose enough to wiggle with my hand. So I set about fixing it in the most ghetto way possible:

Naturally, this was a terrible idea and now I have a minor exhaust leak.

That aside, the bolt is still somewhat loose, though not as badly as before. Considering that I'm able to wiggle it about by hand, I feel like there's not a load on that bolt when the car is sitting, so I will try to replace it. Don't have any more of them handy but I will stop by the hardware store and pick up some of deez nuts and bolts to install later.

 

Anyone know what sort of bolt I will need? I don't want to take it off and then drive to the hardware store. I know it's 18mm but I dunno the length. Also, I'm assuming it should be partially threaded? I don't want to cut up my rubber bushings.