Sway bar bushings missing in action

potshotscott

Registered User
Have any of you guys ever seen this? Late last year I picked up a 94 LX and have been slowly fixing little things. Today I decided to try and figure out why I had so many little rattle noises under the rear end. Got under there to find loose shock bolts on the top in the trunk and the sway bar link bushings missing in action. Did they deteriorate over the last 22 years and finally fall out? Did someone pull them out? The small metal bearing/sleeve inside was still there. Car feels considerably better with new bushings (that I happen to have from another sway bar kit that I used on my SC last year).

I took this pic today after I had already removed the mounting bolt.

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Had that happen

We had that happen to our 5-speed '90. The link went missing. That was last October. Believe we got new links for both sides locally. Can't recall if they came from the Ford dealer or a parts store.

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Eddie Donato
'90 5-speed SC highly modified
'90 auto SC - stock (except for double intercooler)
 
Not lowered is it?

Not sure the blue bushing on the top is original...

How many miles on that car?
 
I don't think it's lowered. I was wondering about the blue bushing too. It might be the result of previous owner(s) not knowing better. Not sure. Was told it had recent shocks and struts done. Whoever did them didn't tighten much. This car has about 108K on it. I replaced the ODO gear 3000 miles ago. I could be off by about 3-5000 miles but no biggie. Hey - for $450.00 plus the small amount of money I've put into it I'm happy to have a daily driver in this good of shape.

All I need now is a clean grey headliner, a new push button for the shifter (internal tab broke) and a clean white driver fender. If I could find a manual adjust seat bottom or some new (old) seat motors I'd do those too.

As of now all I've had to do is:

New PCM (old one caused a cylinder misfire by leaving the injector open)
2 New idler pulleys (one for the idler and one for the tensioner)
install rear sway bar bushings
install new battery
odds and end clean up and such
 
I don't think it's lowered. I was wondering about the blue bushing too. It might be the result of previous owner(s) not knowing better. Not sure. Was told it had recent shocks and struts done. Whoever did them didn't tighten much. This car has about 108K on it. I replaced the ODO gear 3000 miles ago. I could be off by about 3-5000 miles but no biggie. Hey - for $450.00 plus the small amount of money I've put into it I'm happy to have a daily driver in this good of shape.

All I need now is a clean grey headliner, a new push button for the shifter (internal tab broke) and a clean white driver fender. If I could find a manual adjust seat bottom or some new (old) seat motors I'd do those too.

As of now all I've had to do is:

New PCM (old one caused a cylinder misfire by leaving the injector open)
2 New idler pulleys (one for the idler and one for the tensioner)
install rear sway bar bushings
install new battery
odds and end clean up and such

When I got my car the rear sway link bushings were gone just like yours. I replaced them with Energy Suspension pieces. I have a driver side manual seat track listed in the classifieds if you are interested.
 
It's quite common for the factory bushings at that location to deteriorate and fall out, just as you've experienced.
 
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