[NTL1991]

I've got a rattle noise coming from the front of my '97 Eldorado. It sounds like it's low near the floor, and in the center of the car. It happens when I'm driving from 10-40MPH over bumps in the road.

I've replaced both upper strut mounts as per TSB 53-33-04B, "Rattle/Loose Lumber Noise when Driving Over Bumps" as well as both sway bar links, as they were shot.

I drove the car with both of the links off when I was waiting for the new links to be delivered, and the noise went away completely. When I installed the new links, the noise came back.

One link (Raybestos "Service Grade" Link) was defective as there was too much play in one of the ball joints. A replacement Raybestos "Professional Grade" link (much thicker, heavier duty, with grease fittings and larger ball joints) was sent as a replacement.

Removing the links determined that the problem is not engine mount related, so the only other thing I can think of is the sway bar bushings... Should I try to replace the other "Service Grade" link with a "Professional Grade" one to be sure it's not just another bad link?

Thanks,
Nick

 

[Ranger]

I'd suspect the sway bar bushings, nut you should be able to tell if the links are bad by looking at them.

 

[NTL1991]

I'd suspect the sway bar bushings, nut you should be able to tell if the links are bad by looking at them.

The problem I had with the new Service Grade link was that once I bolted it on, I could grab it and there was play in it...

I'm assuming replacing the bushings is a PITA with the sway bar running right through the engine cradle, right?

I took a video of the rattle. It's best heard from 0:03 to 0:10. Sorry for the low volume...



Thanks,
Nick

 

[Ranger]

Not really sure. I've never had to do one. I'm sure someone who has will chime in.

 

[N*Caddy]

The sound is not so great to discern what it is but if you have some play in the links then you hear it loud and clear.
I replaced both my links in the last 3-4 years twice, I use a craw bar between subframe and the bottom of the link. If it moves then that's where the noise comes from.

 

[MoistCabbage]

I never had to replace them on my '97 Seville, so I'm not sure how visible they are. But if you can get under there and are able to see them, it should be relatively easy to tell if they're bad. Do you have an oil leak? Oil or power steering fluid can degrade the rubber over time. I've seen cases where oil Caused the bushings to get so soft and mushy that they slid right out of the bracket. I only ask because the noise sounds pretty loud in the video, like the bushings is missing.

 

[NTL1991]

Hello,

After replacing the links, I don't have any play in them (as far as the ball joint in the link). I haven't tried to move the sway bar to see if there's any play in the bushings. I do have quite a bit of an oil leak, so its not out of the question that they're degraded from oil exposure.

Where do I get the size for the bushings? On RockAuto, I see about 4 different sizes. I have a standard '97 Eldorado, not the ETC.

I know removing the sway bar is a real pain, but if I can get to the bracket bolts on each side, the bushings should slide off relatively easily...

 

[MoistCabbage]

4 sizes? Maybe two are for the seville (SLS,STS) and 2 for the eldo (ESC,ETC)? Im sure someone on here (in their infinite wisdom) will know the size. But if not , just call the dealer with your vin and they can give you the correct part number.

 

[N*Caddy]

I am aware of two different sway bar thicknesses for Seville/Deville/Eldorado, the thinner one is the most common, the thicker one is the so called "sport" sway bar. FE1 and FE3 makes no difference when discussing sway bar diameter, some FE1 cars have the thick sway bar, and not all FE3 cars (not by far) have the thicker sway bar.
Only a vernier or the dealer can tell you witch sway bar you have.

 

[NTL1991]

Yes, RockAuto lists 4 front sway bar bushings. A 19MM, 21MM, 29MM, and 31MM. I'll probably just call the dealer to get the right part number and then cross reference it.

Nick

 

[Mark C]

Throw an adjustable cresent wrench on a straight section your bar somewhere near the bushings, tighten it down then pull it off without moving it, and measure it with a ruler, you should be able to tell what size the bar is. My 97 STS with FE3 springs and F45 suspension had a 19mm bar. The bushings are a royal PITA t change because the mounting bolts go thru the bracket from the top, and they are about 2 1/2" long. Unfortunately the distance from the top of the subframe to the floor pan is about 1 1/2". I spent about an hour on each side with an open end wrench turning it about a 1/16th of a turn, flipping the wrench over and doing it again until the bolt hit the floorboards. then I figued out it would be easier to take out the rear subframe to body bolts so I could lower each side of the frame for extra clearance and thenI could use a socket. Came right off then. Make sure you keep the bushings some where warm, or soak them in hot water so they are pliable, because straight out of the box they are very rigid and you can hardly even spread them with a screw driver to get them over the bar.

I'll be doing the ones on my 2000 this weekend, can hardly wait.

 

[NTL1991]

Throw an adjustable cresent wrench on a straight section your bar somewhere near the bushings, tighten it down then pull it off without moving it, and measure it with a ruler, you should be able to tell what size the bar is. My 97 STS with FE3 springs and F45 suspension had a 19mm bar. The bushings are a royal PITA t change because the mounting bolts go thru the bracket from the top, and they are about 2 1/2" long. Unfortunately the distance from the top of the subframe to the floor pan is about 1 1/2". I spent about an hour on each side with an open end wrench turning it about a 1/16th of a turn, flipping the wrench over and doing it again until the bolt hit the floorboards. then I figued out it would be easier to take out the rear subframe to body bolts so I could lower each side of the frame for extra clearance and thenI could use a socket. Came right off then. Make sure you keep the bushings some where warm, or soak them in hot water so they are pliable, because straight out of the box they are very rigid and you can hardly even spread them with a screw driver to get them over the bar.

I'll be doing the ones on my 2000 this weekend, can hardly wait.

Aha! I didn't even think about that measuring tip. Thanks! I'll also make sure I get them warm. It did look tight in there, but it is doable. Have you gotten the same noise that I'm getting?

Thanks,
Nick

 

[ben.gators]

Throw an adjustable cresent wrench on a straight section your bar somewhere near the bushings, tighten it down then pull it off without moving it, and measure it with a ruler, you should be able to tell what size the bar is. My 97 STS with FE3 springs and F45 suspension had a 19mm bar. The bushings are a royal PITA t change because the mounting bolts go thru the bracket from the top, and they are about 2 1/2" long. Unfortunately the distance from the top of the subframe to the floor pan is about 1 1/2". I spent about an hour on each side with an open end wrench turning it about a 1/16th of a turn, flipping the wrench over and doing it again until the bolt hit the floorboards. then I figued out it would be easier to take out the rear subframe to body bolts so I could lower each side of the frame for extra clearance and thenI could use a socket. Came right off then. Make sure you keep the bushings some where warm, or soak them in hot water so they are pliable, because straight out of the box they are very rigid and you can hardly even spread them with a screw driver to get them over the bar.

I'll be doing the ones on my 2000 this weekend, can hardly wait.

Thanks for the tip. And please update us about the way you replace the bushings on 2000 STS too. I guess it shouldn't be very different from 97, is it?

 

[ponyboyt]

97 and 98 sevilles are not the same. I belive Eldo's are like 97 sevilles? The sway bar bushings on a 98 seville are easier to get at. FSM says to simply remove the 4 bolts holding the bushing cover to the frame. But how do you do that when the bolts are 4 inches long and there is only a 1.5 inch gap between the top of the frame and the floor of the car?

Been there(here) done that(this)

If the Eldo is like my 97 STS, you need to lower the cradle. Remove the 4 rear bolts completly, you can loosen the 2 fronts say half way. Use a jack to lower the rear a few inches. Once the rear bolts are out and a gap is made by lowering the cradle, its easy to get a ratchet in there. You will have each side done in minutes.

I have a thread on this somewhere, ill search around....

My old AND new bushings had cuts in them so you can spread them apart. They are not easy to slide off the ends of the sway bar. ***the bar is smaller diameter at the bushings than the ends/middle are***.

I measured my bar with a normal wrench, just grab a few and find the closest fit. Wrench size = bar size. But i dont know if they go by the narrow size or the thick size of the bar?

I ended up buying a smaller size and had a machine shop slow-dril the centers of the bushings out, made them a perfect fit.

And yes, i had this same noise, it goesr away when you take the end links off. The noise was totaly gone after replacing the bushings.

 

[ben.gators]

Hey guys, for some reason no online part store lists the sway bar bushing for my 99 STS. Where do you guys find the bushings to buy?

I went to Autozone, NAPA, O'reilly, Pepboys, and they did not carry the sway bar bushing for my car. I went to nearby Cadillac Dealership, and they did not too. They said I need to put an special order for a set of bushing!!!!

As fr as I realized, there are two different sway bar sizes for my car. One was 19 mm. The other problem is the sway bar is oval in cross-section. This 19 mm is the horizontal diameter or vertical diameter? The funny part is the dealership could NOT figure out what size is my sway bar based on the given VIN and asked me to measure it myself! That is so ridiculous... However no matter what the size is, they did not have it in stock.

 

[Skiller.]

I bought mine last year from Rippy Automotive (Chris Heath, the parts guy on the forums). Nobody else carries them.

 

[ben.gators]

So this is Rippy time!
By the way, how did you measure the sway bar? Or Chris could find the size based on VIN?

 

[Skiller.]

He just sent me the proper ones. He should be able to tell by year and model. Yours should be the same as mine and I honestly can't tell you what size mine are

 

[ben.gators]

Thanks, I sent Rippy a message One more question, could you manage to remove the sway bar bracket bolts without lowering the cradle? I think by proper jacking I should have more than enough clearance for removing those long bolts, but asking never hurts...

 

[drewsdeville]

Thanks, I sent Rippy a message One more question, could you manage to remove the sway bar bracket bolts without lowering the cradle? I think by proper jacking I should have more than enough clearance for removing those long bolts, but asking never hurts...

I've done it on older k-bodies. The newer ones are probably exactly the same.