They said for everything. They said its harder to tell with the boost of the power mechanism. Also, having the engine off is effective to test it all.
And how much trouble is it, really, to have the engine off versus on while doing a dry bump test? I'll go off personally to test for it all.
Personally, zero play.
Our stabilizer bars up front are double function. A Stabilizer Bar is the same as a Sway bar is the same as an Anti-Roll bar. Ours perform that function AS WELL AS the function of a strut rod. A strut rod is a forward-facing rod/bar that ties into the lower control arm and bosy/frame to keep the control arm from moving front or back. A Radius Arm is the same thing, just facing rearward.
My drivers side has ZERO bushing left. Just metal retainers and the nylon "spine" for the front bushing half.
Cost me about $34 for each side to get new sway-control arm bushings. I also have new body-control arm bushings.
IMPORTANT!!!!!! If you do the body-control arm bushings, FOLLOW THE FSM PROCEDURE! If you do a LIFT OR A LOWERING MOD reset the bushings according to the FSM procedure.
The bushing is a Torsion bushing. It has an outer sleeve, pressed into the control arm, then a layer of very durable rubber, then an inner sleeve with teeth cut into either end that "bite" the body at the mounting point and help absorb some of the suspension movement. If you change the point of stable ride level (the height you're at when still and with a standard load) then the bushing will try to zero itself out. They are meant to aid, not take up a significant force. If it is constantly trying to zero out, it will destroy itself. They aren't that expensive, but cutting them out then pressing them in is kind of a bugger. I haven't done mine yet because I want to do springs, Rack (mines leaking bad) hoses and all the good stuff at once.
There is enough play in the bushing that if it breaks down significantly enough, the control arm can change angle, changing your caster.
As for bumps... The nasty scraping/bumping sound is something I'm used to. Lol. I'm a terrible person.
Front Ball Joints
I don't know why your ASE certified mechanics would say for everything, the boost has no affect outside the gearbox. In out cars, there is very little difference between the power steering gear box and the non power box. There are, or were cars made for which that was not true. If you ran some of those old power steering boxes without the hydraulic boost for very long, you would ruin them. A few minutes for a dry bump test would be ok though. Yes you can certainly do this test without the engine on, but for testing tie rod ends, you can run the engine, there is absolutely no reason why not.
You are about to learn a lesson. I did control arm bushings once myself, never again. Or at least it will be a cold day in hell before I do it again. It may be easier in a Toyota because it looks like you can press out those bushings. I did it on a 66 Dodge. I had to press out the inner cup, that the only part that can be pressed out. Then I had to cut out all the rubber. then the real fun part, I had to take a die grinder and grind slots in the outer cup to collapse it in order to get it out. Then I could press in the new one.
I was also replacing the ball joints. For a few bucks more, I could have gotten new control arms with bushings and ball joints already installed. Live and learn.
BTW, I'm fully aware of the function of our stabilizer bar. But cars that use strut rods (aka radius rods) sometimes have them facing forward. Example 88-92 Mitsubushi Mirage/Dodge Colt.
You are about to learn a lesson. I did control arm bushings once myself, never again. Or at least it will be a cold day in hell before I do it again. It may be easier in a Toyota because it looks like you can press out those bushings. I did it on a 66 Dodge. I had to press out the inner cup, that the only part that can be pressed out. Then I had to cut out all the rubber. then the real fun part, I had to take a die grinder and grind slots in the outer cup to collapse it in order to get it out. Then I could press in the new one.
I was also replacing the ball joints. For a few bucks more, I could have gotten new control arms with bushings and ball joints already installed. Live and learn.
BTW, I'm fully aware of the function of our stabilizer bar. But cars that use strut rods (aka radius rods) sometimes have them facing forward. Example 88-92 Mitsubushi Mirage/Dodge Colt.
I didn't mean to imply you didn't.
Strut Rods= Face Forward
Radius Arms= Face rearward.
Basically the same thing, 2 different names.
For ours you remove the rubber however you want (drill bit usually works pretty well) then cut out the outer piece, be it by die grinder, torch, or whathaveyou. So basically the same thing. Annoying? Heck yeah. Worth it? Sometimes.
If you have the right size press you can press it out. Or just cut it. (shrug)
Ball joints aren't hard to remove. Nor are ball sockets.
A bronze mallet will not ruin the threads unless you are deliberatly hitting the crap out of them. Bronze is soft and as such will depress and give before the hard steel. That and it usually doesn't take much to get it to pop itself out.
Our control arm is something like $200 from Toyota. Noone else has them that I can find.
About to learn a lesson? I fought with one of them for 3 hours before I got enraged and cut the thing out with a Sawzall. Its off the bent-beyond-use one from the 86. I'd do the same if it weren't for the lack of control cause me to screw up the arm itself. I don't have cut-off discs for my old Dremel, and I have no tools at all for my die-grinder.
Strut Rods= Face Forward
Radius Arms= Face rearward.
Basically the same thing, 2 different names.
For ours you remove the rubber however you want (drill bit usually works pretty well) then cut out the outer piece, be it by die grinder, torch, or whathaveyou. So basically the same thing. Annoying? Heck yeah. Worth it? Sometimes.
If you have the right size press you can press it out. Or just cut it. (shrug)
Ball joints aren't hard to remove. Nor are ball sockets.
A bronze mallet will not ruin the threads unless you are deliberatly hitting the crap out of them. Bronze is soft and as such will depress and give before the hard steel. That and it usually doesn't take much to get it to pop itself out.
Our control arm is something like $200 from Toyota. Noone else has them that I can find.
About to learn a lesson? I fought with one of them for 3 hours before I got enraged and cut the thing out with a Sawzall. Its off the bent-beyond-use one from the 86. I'd do the same if it weren't for the lack of control cause me to screw up the arm itself. I don't have cut-off discs for my old Dremel, and I have no tools at all for my die-grinder.
RIP 10-07- 1984 Toyota Tercel SR5 4wd Wagen 6 speed
RIP 04-05- 1986 Toyota Tercel SR5 4wd Wagen 6 speed
1st Terc- 1987 Tercel SR5 4wd Wagon 6-speed, Sadly cubed
1985 Tercel Standard 4wd Wagon w/ 3-speed auto, Living a happy life in Boulder last I knew
RIP 04-05- 1986 Toyota Tercel SR5 4wd Wagen 6 speed
1st Terc- 1987 Tercel SR5 4wd Wagon 6-speed, Sadly cubed
1985 Tercel Standard 4wd Wagon w/ 3-speed auto, Living a happy life in Boulder last I knew
Typrus, you're going to have to be a little less rigid on terms. When you go from one FSM to another, the names often change. I.e. Honda's "radius arm" faces forward, as does Nissan's "tension arm". In the rear, the exact same arm is called a trailing arm. I believe Mitsubushi called it a strut rod, but I gave away that book, didn't need it any more. Regardless of which term is used, you know what they mean, thats all that counts.
We have been referring to an inner tie rod end on our cars, but you won't find one in the FSM. Instead you will find a "rack end". If you refer to it as a rack end, few people will know what you mean, say inner tie rod end and everyone knows.
We have been referring to an inner tie rod end on our cars, but you won't find one in the FSM. Instead you will find a "rack end". If you refer to it as a rack end, few people will know what you mean, say inner tie rod end and everyone knows.
?? Rack end? Oh... The big ole threaded bit that ties into the Rack itself.
Well, I call them strut and radius. Thats how I've been educated. If ever I get a car that calls it something else, I might start calling it that. But for now, my struts are forward and radius' back. I just thought you meant that I was saying struts were rearward.
Heck, our 81 Corolla Tercel has a Radius arm. God knows what Toyota calls it though.
Well, I call them strut and radius. Thats how I've been educated. If ever I get a car that calls it something else, I might start calling it that. But for now, my struts are forward and radius' back. I just thought you meant that I was saying struts were rearward.
Heck, our 81 Corolla Tercel has a Radius arm. God knows what Toyota calls it though.
RIP 10-07- 1984 Toyota Tercel SR5 4wd Wagen 6 speed
RIP 04-05- 1986 Toyota Tercel SR5 4wd Wagen 6 speed
1st Terc- 1987 Tercel SR5 4wd Wagon 6-speed, Sadly cubed
1985 Tercel Standard 4wd Wagon w/ 3-speed auto, Living a happy life in Boulder last I knew
RIP 04-05- 1986 Toyota Tercel SR5 4wd Wagen 6 speed
1st Terc- 1987 Tercel SR5 4wd Wagon 6-speed, Sadly cubed
1985 Tercel Standard 4wd Wagon w/ 3-speed auto, Living a happy life in Boulder last I knew
