96TEXjAS

In the technical write up/how to section is a sticky for acronyms. I was lost on a lot of those when I first started searching the forum too.

Crimmy

I just replaced things i saw that were moving or not moving and htey should be. I recently did a buttload of repairs to the oil system on top and bottom. had the entire axle disconnected other than the control arms. I saw that the steering stabilizer was doing nothing. You can pull it and push it with no effort so i replaced that. I saw that the balljoint on the trackbar had play in it when my lady turned the wheel for me. I also knew it was iffy because i tried replacing the bushings first. Just buy a new trackbar. If its to the point it needs bushings then the non replaceable ball joint end is probably failing too. I saw the tie rod end on the pitman arm moving and it shouldnt. And most obviously when i went to start replacing all these parts the bushing for the sway bar links were pulled up over the retaining nuts and about to pop off so that was a definite...huh thats not normal...ok who can give me a ride to the parts store?!

Good luck jmrec!

Crimmy

Oh and most of this stuff was pretty cheap. Track bar was 30. Tie rod end was 16 i think. Steering stabilizer was 25. The sway bar link kits were 8 each so 16. So all in all around 75 dollars.

jmrec100

Where did you buy the parts !! I was quoted (Napa) like $110 for the track bar, Tie rod end was $40. Steering stabilizer cylinder (does it look almost like a shock )$70 - I'll post a picture of Napa steering stabilizer cylinder. Sway Bar links around $25 each.
Please where did you buy? At a wrecking yard? I can do that but since mine seem bad, and it is a Jeep issue, I'd want new? Right?
=======================
Is this it? Picture of Steering Stabilizer Cylinder from NAPA website.
I see something red and furry under my Jeep. One on each side. Is that it?
I'll post a picture of it later.

jmrec100

thanks
Found it and it is helpful
https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f30/acronyms-3600/

Crimmy

The steering stabilizer is a shock yes. And you dont need to buy the whole stabilizer link just the bushings. I used a large socket and a smaller one to hammer out the metal ring insert and then pulled the rubber out with pliers. The new ones went in effortlessly after greasing them. All my parts were new. Napa you will get the best quality but i just needed mine to be road worthy and im unemployed so i found the best prices i could. You might also check partsgeek.com Theyre really cheap but they dont offer free shipping so that can get pricey if you buy from different warehouses.
Track bar was at autozone http://www.autozone.com/autozone/par...=1873_10302_0_

Sway bar link kit was o'reillys. http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/de...2973&ppt=C0106

Amazon for the steering stabilizer
And autozone for the tie rod end http://www.autozone.com/autozone/par...5_648815_3155_

I have no friggin idea what you mean by read and furry. Nothing should be red and furry under the jeep unless you ran over a dog or something. =P So yeah post a picture up ill tell you what it is.

jmrec100

Good God, I hope not a dog.
Think it's the boot covering over the stabilizer. I'll be welcomed to the unemployed club soon so definitely budget dollar days - especially since my DD, better mpg chevy cavalier (never buy it- I got it cheap) is down for a while. Problems at work. Legal screwing with me. blah blah story there. Corporations are big AAHHoles these days.

Your Jeep is an 89, mine 94. Different PN track bar , around $56 PN DS1235. That works. NAPA lot more. Looks nice too. Saw it. "Pretty' blue but don't care.

I'll check the other parts too. Seems comparable $
Thanks. Napa had about $450 if went all their parts.

Crimmy

The older cavs arent bad. I had a 92 or 94 cav. The square bodied ones. The round ones are complete crap. Lol i blew my engine around 180k though. Dunno what happned but i loved that lil car.

Keep me informed of your progress. =)

jmrec100

My Cavalier is a '99, std 2.2L. Fun it is to a point. Ran pretty good. Long story how I got it but basically friend's DIL owned it, Pep Boys said Thermostat bad. They did some work, blew the engine. Wasn't the TStat. He rebuilt the engine, traded his car for it (Good FIL) Sold it to me cheap. I have it. I had Jiffy Lube do an oil change. Only time I had someone else do it. They Disconnected my computer trying to hard sell me service I didn't need. It Ran for bleep on way home. I found some connectors unplugged. Reconnected them. Found the ones I missed when pulled the engine. So Jiffy F Lube Blew my engine. It had 280,000 of MY miles on it up to then. Ran great. DO NOT GO TO JIFFY Fbleep LUBE. I found a new used Engine/trans (with 40,000 miles) for $400 and dropped it in. It's good now. Other issues like engine mounts bad (320,000 miles on it), exhaust hole somewhere and needs smog.

Now on the Jeep.
Found good diagram front end at AZ.


The fury Red things in front. Picture looks clearer than when I look at it. Inside the springs. Those are the shocks? right?


Passenger Side:



Drivers Side:

Crimmy

Yeah mine blew after an oil change at jiffy lube too. I wouldnt do the oil changes on the cav myself because it was hard as **** to work on being so small. Part of the reasons i like jeep. A bit more room!

As far as furry...where the hell youg etting furry from? Theres nothing furry there. But no the red things are not your shocks. They are your bump stops. In the first picture after the diagram you see the gray cylinder behind the spring? Not inside the spring but just past it on the right side? Those are your shocks. The red bits are bump stops. And they look fairly new.

jmrec100

True, Cavalier is small , tight to get to get to that oil filter. And the drain Plug. I'd jack it up a little, skoot under, loosen the plug, drop it down drain. Then squeeze under to replace the plug. .
=================
Jeep: Good. That is sort of what I thought being bumper stops. What are and where are the steering stabilizers?
Is that item 11 ? Steering Dampener?
That diagram is for 4WD, Mine is 2WD, should be similar less the Front 4WD drive axle.

Crimmy

Yes the steering stabilizer/damper is number 11. It bolts up above where the track bar bolts. It looks like a shock because it is one! =P It stiffens things up and makes it less jerky on your steering wheel by slowing things down. It was a pain to get it out though id recommend a small 2 pound sledge hammer or something along those lines.

jmrec100

Got the 4 lb sledge short handle hammer. Need to look and see what is bad, rotted or gone. First look (on the ground) looks and feels tight. Some looks newer like previous owner replaced it (2 years ago). Question on that stabilizer. I get hammering the old out. To put the new one in, since its a shock, is it difficult to compress it down to size to be able to install it. Haven't done one of these. Assume jack it up on jack stands to do the work

Crimmy

Yes jack stands on the frame!. Part of the problem is your suspension moves so when you have it jacked up some things become tight. I had access to a lift this time due to a buddy of mine but when i was fixing the oil pan and had to disconnect all of this stuff so that i could get the oil pan out. I hope you never have to do that! But i had to have a jack under the axel and lift it up and lower it until it hit that sweet spot where things would come loose.

And as far as seeing whats loose. Do a dry steering test. Get someone behind the wheel while your jeep is running and have them turn it back and forth and look for play in things. Nothing should move. It should all be tight.

jmrec100

The dry test? Jeep up on stands?