What happens if you keep driving with a bad SRB??

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DonDotta

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Ok

I know the SRB topics have been beaten to death, and I've been searching and I know what parts to get, and what not to get.

My Mark has a bad Strut Rod Bushing on the passenger side. I can pull the wheel back and forth by hand with the wheel on the ground kinda like this video

http://youtu.be/PWlDty4U2n8

The car rides smooth even at speeds about 70mph I have no shake or vibration in the steering wheel, but the only thing I notice is it kinda pulls to the right on occasions, and a clunking noise (sounds like it's coming from the drivers side however). I also tested the front suspension for any play (12-6 & 3-9 shake) when I did the brakes, and I had no play. I didn't even think to look into the SRB until I looked at my wheel on day, and saw it was slightly pushed up more than the other one.

My question is can you drive the car like this. I am ordering parts this week (OEM Bushing), but I have alot of driving to do this week for work, and I really need to drive the car. I just want to make sure because I don't want anything to break.

Thanks
 
That question don't really make a whole lotta sense. Can it break and cause a wreck? Sure. Will it? Who knows. Should you drive a car with known bad front end steering components? Prolly not.
Really the car ain't gonna be able to pull the nut and washer through that hole even if the bushing was completely gone so if it completely fails it prolly wont be catastrophic.
 
Thanks Laser. Sorry If I didn't make sense, I was kinda rushing through it. I've been reading about your problems in the past with aftermarket SRB's, and thanks to 'searching' and finding your post I know what parts to get.
 
i actually totally collapsed a set of bushings and drove it for awhile and i'm still alive. so..
 
I replaced mine with the blue moog ones, and shortly after I noticed power steering fluid or oil was leaking on to it. Shortly after that, the front one by the nut almost completely disintegrated. I'm gonna fix the leak and put the old one back on for now. I get a clunk when backing into my driveway, and that's about it.
 
Funny cause that is a video of my 96' :D

My 98' was close to that when I got it but not that bad so as a quick fix I just put some Autozone bushings on the back side of the rod.
 
2002WRXSTi said:
Funny cause that is a video of my 96' :D

My 98' was close to that when I got it but not that bad so as a quick fix I just put some Autozone bushings on the back side of the rod.
Click to expand...

I figured it was someone's car on the forum lol.

So what are the chances of my OEM SRB sleeve being bad. I heard that the factory sleeve can rust out or break during disassembly, and they are discontinued at the dealer and expensive. Also aftermarket one I heard are crap. I guess I won't know until I take it apart.
 
I drove my car for a year with every feasable front end part in dire need or replacement.

Other than a cocked steering wheel, chopped tires, a bouncy ride, and constant pulling to the left.... especially under breaking.... it was fine! LOL
 
Stangman said:
I drove my car for a year with every feasable front end part in dire need or replacement.

Other than a cocked steering wheel, chopped tires, a bouncy ride, and constant pulling to the left.... especially under breaking.... it was fine! LOL
Click to expand...

Well that's good to hear lol.
 
DonDotta said:
I figured it was someone's car on the forum lol.

So what are the chances of my OEM SRB sleeve being bad. I heard that the factory sleeve can rust out or break during disassembly, and they are discontinued at the dealer and expensive. Also aftermarket one I heard are crap. I guess I won't know until I take it apart.
Click to expand...

Well the sleeve is a 2 piece with 1 being in each bushing. The Autozone replacement has a straight tube style sleeve the just go's threw both. U don't really see them going bad as once you torque it down the LCA is sandwitched between the rubber. So even if the bushing was gone I don't think it would make a difference :confused:
 
2002WRXSTi said:
Well the sleeve is a 2 piece with 1 being in each bushing. The Autozone replacement has a straight tube style sleeve the just go's threw both. U don't really see them going bad as once you torque it down the LCA is sandwitched between the rubber. So even if the bushing was gone I don't think it would make a difference :confused:
Click to expand...

I think he's asking about the forward sleeves....

DonDotta said:
I figured it was someone's car on the forum lol.

So what are the chances of my OEM SRB sleeve being bad. I heard that the factory sleeve can rust out or break during disassembly, and they are discontinued at the dealer and expensive. Also aftermarket one I heard are crap. I guess I won't know until I take it apart.
Click to expand...

In a northern car the chances are pretty good that the sleeves are going to be rusted together and almost impossible to remove.

How long do you intend to keep your car?

http://www.lincolnvscadillac.com/showthread.php?t=77865
 
DLF said:
I think he's asking about the forward sleeves....



In a northern car the chances are pretty good that the sleeves are going to be rusted together and almost impossible to remove.

How long do you intend to keep your car?

http://www.lincolnvscadillac.com/showthread.php?t=77865
Click to expand...

I intend on keeping the car for a little while until I upgrade to a Gen2 LSC, but I don't know. I would say between 3-6 months.

EDIT: Oh and I also don't drive much. I probably only put around 400 miles on the car a month, and most of my commute is rural city and highway driving with minimal potholes or train tracks ;)
 
DonDotta said:
I intend on keeping the car for a little while until I upgrade to a Gen2 LSC, but I don't know. I would say between 3-6 months.

EDIT: Oh and I also don't drive much. I probably only put around 400 miles on the car a month, and most of my commute is rural city and highway driving with minimal potholes or train tracks ;)
Click to expand...

If that's all the longer that you plan on keeping the car, then just get the AC Delco 45G25057 forward bushing kit from either Rock Auto or Amazon for less than $40 and call it a day.
 
more difficult. but not significantly so.
to get to the rear bushing, you can either remove the lower control arm and slide the strut rod out, or move the nut on the strut rod enough to wiggle it out.
either way, an alignment is needed.
 
2002WRXSTi said:
Funny cause that is a video of my 96' :D

My 98' was close to that when I got it but not that bad so as a quick fix I just put some Autozone bushings on the back side of the rod.
Click to expand...

Oh damn I didn't know this was your YouTube page? I've watched a bunch of your videos, I remember seeing a few videos several years ago of a yellow malibu..one of my favs. Also that lemans was cool, sounded pretty mean if I remember correctly.
 
keVIIIn said:
Oh damn I didn't know this was your YouTube page? I've watched a bunch of your videos, I remember seeing a few videos several years ago of a yellow malibu..one of my favs. Also that lemans was cool, sounded pretty mean if I remember correctly.
Click to expand...

Malibu I do believe is still for sale and Lemans just turned a 10.5@127.9 a few weeks ago. Same owner of both cars. As you may have noticed I take a lot of video :rolleyes:
 
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