I have a '96 4 wheel drive Pathfinder that sways when it drives down the road. The dealer replace the shocks and while the ride improved a little, it was a long way from being perfect.
Now they tell me the problem is that the rear bushings for the upper and lower links are worn out. The problem is that they cannot get just the bushings. The dealership wants me to replace all four rear links.
Is this true about not being able to get just the bushings? Do I really need to replace the upper and lower links?
Very few makers supply bushings without the link. I know you can get bushings made from polyurethane for sports cars. There must be some firm that does the same for 4x4's.
Getting the old one out is a task few shops will take on. 1: Drill hole in rubber. 2: Insert ARBO file (a thin wire with file teeth that fits a fret saw or junior hacksaw). 3: File though all rubber holding inner metal bush to outer. 4: Remove ARBO file 5: Insert hacksaw blade and mount in frame. 6: Carefully cut radially though outer metal cylinder of bush in at least 2 places but don't cut link eye.
7: collapse outer inwards and remove. 8: Clean and paint link. 9: Fit new bush using big press or long bolt, thick washers and assorted scrap plate.
The other tactic for 1-4 is to turn a gas welding torch on it and burn the rubber out. As MIG welding is so much more common some shops may not have gas bottles. Could try a jig saw. If you have to pay someone shop labor rates to do this it's cheaper to buy the whole thing and you can be sure there are no accidental saw cuts in the link ends.
I had the rear arms rot out on a 120A FII coupe rear suspension. I got replacement rear arms off a 100A at the scrap yard. The bushings had shorter inners, I tried getting the old ones out so I could put them in the replacement arms. I gave up and just shimmed it to size with washers.
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