• Welcome to the Contour Enthusiasts Group, the best resource for the Ford Contour and Mercury Mystique.

    You can register to join the community.

Replacing suspension bushings

ck42

CEG'er
Joined
Jun 4, 2005
Messages
99
This will be the first time replacing any bushings on this car. It's 13yrs old with almost 150K mi.
Just looking to address some squeaks and groans and stuff.
Just want to see if there are any good recommendations for replacement parts (OEM or aftermarket)

NOT looking for upgrading. I'd be perfectly happy just getting it back to 'new-car' state.
But, if I can get an upgrade for little or no extra costs, that's fine too.

Looking at front (20mm) sway bar bushings
Rear (19mm?) sway bar bushings
Rear end links
Are there front end links??

Anything else I should be looking at?
 
This has come up quite a bit lately so I'm glad you're thinking about it. You should be able to find all the bushings and all the links at your local parts store, although they may have to special order them for you. Front links will cost you $10-20 per side while rears will run $20-30 per side. Check to see if the rears come with bushings though because Energy Suspension makes a great endlink and bar bushing set for the rear.
 
I have a full set of endlinks (front and rear) that ill sell you for a lot less than you can buy them all new. they are all almost new with less than 2000 miles on them. the rears are Ford OEM and the fronts i got from advance auto parts. PM if you want them.
 
The front sway bar bushings will be a massive PITA to replace. Especially with the motor still in the car. It is sandwiched in between the firewall and steering rack.

The front sway bar end links can be had from Moog. The moog replacements are much thicker and better made than OEM.

They also make the rear end links as well as bushings.
 
The front sway bar bushings will be a massive PITA to replace. Especially with the motor still in the car. It is sandwiched in between the firewall and steering rack.

+1
did mine couple weekends ago and a real PITA especially the passenger side. From memory I don't think it would have been any easier with motor out. If not for the last 1/2" of threads on rear bolt being able to finger loosen I think I would have abandoned. PB'd and then wrenched as far as I could. Then PB'd again and tightened back in some. PB'd and then wrenched out again. Repeat this until you can finger loosen after no more space for wrench to turn.

I wonder what book labor hours is for this job?
 
I did my front sway bar bushings a few weeks back and can confirm that it is a major PITA but definitely doable if you are patient. Now that I have done them I could do it again much quicker, I used bushings from BAT.
 
when i did my front sway bar bushings..i loosened the rear subframe bolts ..levered the subframe down and put a socket between the subframe and the underside of the car. This held the subframe just low enough to allow the removal of the sway bar bolt and bushing. ..G.
 
Wow....ok. You guys have me nervous now about the sway bar bushings.

On a side note, I'm thinking of replacing front end components (struts, strut mounts, LCAs, etc).
Can you guys recommend which brands/places to buy from?
I'm not looking for performance enhanced versions of stuff. Even stock parts would be fine with me, but if I can go with aftermarket and get something decent for less $, that would be ideal.
 
Dont be nervous, but look at the front sway bar bushings before you decide to tackle them. The front endlinks and rear stuff are super easy though so dont sweat those.
 
Yep...going to be ordering tomorrow the rear links and sway bar bushings and front links.
I'll get those installed and then see if the squeeks continue. If they do and I can pin them down to the front sway bar bushings.......THEN I'll look at tacking it.
 
Back
Top