Trying to DIAG possible worn out sway bar bushings on a Honda Accord. On this car, the bushings appear to be molded/formed directly to the sway bar, and you are not supposed to attempt to replace just the bushings, and get a brand new sway bar. I would like to confirm that the sound I am hearing is coming from the bushings. Is there any safety issues with temporarily disconnecting the sway bar links, to see if the sound goes away, as long as I drive around turns very slowly?
The service data says to use Honda tool VSB02C000016, which appears to be a front subframe adapter for a transmission jack. I wouldn’t mind buying the Honda made subframe adapter, but I can’t find it for sale anywhere. Is there a universal front subframe/engine cradle adapter that I could buy? Interestingly, it seems like on this car, the entire front subframe can come out, and the engine or transmission are not mounted to it.
As long as you are following the the speed limit and the rules of the road, you might not even realize the swaybar is even disconnected, lots of broken and missing swaybar links out there on the roads… Now if all 4 struts/shocks are blown out and you are pushing the car hard in the corners, you gonna have a lot of body roll…
A lot of Tacoma/4runner guys (and probably others) remove the front swaybar even when new for better off roading and say they still handle very good if driving normal around the curves…
Street strip drag racers will sometimes remove the front swaybars also, so don’t overthink doing it for a diagnostic test drive… Just make sure it can not come in contact with the outer cv boot while driving, or you will be adding that to the repair bill…
You didn’t say what year it is so I didn’t look it up, but just because the OE manufacture says the bushings are not replicable, doesn’t mean the aftermarket doesn’t make them to be replaced… Toyota doesn’t make an inner tie rod end for the 17 Corolla, they want to replace the entire rack-n-pinion, but the aftermarket makes a replacement that works great…
That type of equipment, which is distributed to dealers usually costs a thousand dollars or more. For others, the subframe can be lowered using a common floor jack.
For some cars it may be necessary to lower the subframe to replace the stabilizer bar. If instead of replacing the bar, you use aftermarket replacement bushings, they can be installed without removing the stabilizer bar.
Wouldn’t removing any rear sway bar create just as much advantage for off road use while still maintaining more stability by having the heavier end of the vehicle more stable?
Well none of the 4x4 Tacoma’s ever (not sure about the 2024^^) came with a rear swaybar, the Tacoma guys that do a lot of off roading do not run any saybars, front or rear, most of them do run upgraded shocks which seem to offset the need for a swaybar… Note; The reason they don’t just unhook the end links is the swaybar ends tend to drop down and rub the cv axle damaging it… Note 2; The only Tacoma to ever run a factory rear swaybar was the rare 2wd manual X-Runner street truck afaik, used for the track, it was also lowered out back…
Not familiar enough with the 4Runners to comment on rear swaybars options if any, but they do have a lot in common with the Tacoma’s…
BTW; The whole reason for removing the swaybar(s) is to maximize suspension Flex(articulation)…
Besides, on the Tacoma’s you get more Flex out of the rears anyway…
I understand. You would get up to twice the amount of articulation if both the front and rear are able to go fully from side to side, since the rear already lacks a sway bar.
One additional advantage… That front bar can lift one wheel off the ground. Unless the truck has a locking front differential, you lose all drive traction from the front tires. With no center diff, the rear still drives.
I have previously temporarily severed sway bar end links for diagnostic purposes, which can aid in noise isolation. The automobile will have greater body roll than usual, so just keep your speed low and be especially careful around corners.
May I digress? As a 17 y.o. with little money I notice the sway bar link was loose on my 59 Catalina hardtop, I proceeded to attempt to tighten it, busted the bolt. Late in the evening, stores were closed. So I removed the link on the other side of the car. Then went out with some friends, going around the cloverleaf on the interstate with no sway bar and worn out shocks was great fun.
