rocco5446

iTrader: (2)

Part 1

About a month ago, I decided I was going to replace my front stabilizer bar, since the existing one was pretty much a bar coated in chunky rust. I had replaced the worn out bushings two years ago, but the crusty bar had partially chewed up the bushings again. I knew going into this that I probably wasn't going to feel much of a difference, but I have noticed that since I've installed the new bar and bushings, the Maxima doesn't wander around as much on rough roads, and hitting bumps while taking corners fast doesn't seem to cause any kind of wandering.

Step 1. Get a replacement bar

I decided to go the cheap route and get a used bar from a wreckers. This saved me about 80 bucks, since the only new bars I could find would have cost me about 100 bucks US (not including shipping, taxes, etc). I called around and finally found a yard selling one for 40 bucks Canadian. It was pretty rusted as well, but that's ok, since I planned on refinishing it anyways. By the way, based on the trouble I had removing the bar later, I wouldn't recommend trying to remove the bar from a Maxima in the open area part of a wrecker's yard.

Step 2. Refinish the bar

I started by taking off the chunks of loose paint and rust using a Dremel. I should point out that I concentrated my efforts on the areas surrounding where the brackets would be placed, down to the ends, since there's no need to worry about the middle section, which should be in good condition anyways. Once that was done, I started with 80 grit and then used 200 grit sandpaper to remove the rest of the surface rust. I didn't bother removing every single trace of rust, since I was going to use rust paint anyways. Once the sanding was done, wiped the bar down with brake cleaner just to remove the dust. I the applied a layer of tremclad primer I had lying around and let it dry for a day. Then I gave the bar a light sanding using 200 grit. Using black Tremclad automotive rust paint, I applied a thin layer and let it dry for two hours. Over the course of the day, I applied another three layers of paint, using the same drying time between layers. Then the bar was left alone for about 10 days, since that rust paint doesn't really dry so much as cure. After the 10 days, I used 2000 grit paper and wet sanded it smooth. Then I applied some Crystal Glo paint treatment and polished it smooth. Crystal Glo is also what I applied to my Maxima a few months ago, and I can't stop raving about the stuff, it really gives makes the car shine, and gives it that wet look.

Here's some pics of the 'new' bar and the old bar:





Step 3. Get new stabilizer bar bushings

Since I'd already replaced a number of suspension bushings with Energy Suspension bushings, I thought I'd go down the same route. I found a shop not too far away that sold them, so I went and picked up the bushings, which also included a small tube of their grease. (Which is basically marine grade grease, though I suppose any high quality grease would work, including petroleum based grease, since the polyurethane bushings are more resistant to chemicals than your standard rubber bushings) In case you're wondering, the part number is 7.5118G.





Step 4. Removing the bar

This was easily the hardest part of the job. Before I continue, here is what the Maxima FSM has to say about the subject:

Remove stabilizer bar

Ok, so then I looked at my Chilton's manual. Here's what they had to say:

1. Raise and safely support the vehicle.
2. Remove the ball joint socket nuts connecting the stabilizer bar to the lower control arm.
3. Remove the 4 stabilizer bar bracket bolts and then pull the bar from the vehicle.

It all sounds so simple, but as you guys all know, it's often not as simple as it sounds. In this case, the only really important details they left out was that 'pulling the bar from the vehicle' is impossible without taking additional steps. Also, you may want to douse the bracket bolts with WD-40 or something similar hours ahead of time, if the bracket bolts have neve been removed and resemble blobs as opposed to bolts. Before you begin, make sure that your wheels are pointed straight ahead.

Based on what I learned, here is the correct set of steps for removing the bar:

1. Loosen your wheel nuts.
2. If you have a front strut brace, remove it, and then hand tighten the three strut mount bolts back on each side.
3. Raise and safely support the vehicle.
4. Remove your wheels.
5. Remove the ball joint socket nuts connecting the stabilizer bar to the lower control arm.
6. Remove the 4 stabilizer bar bracket bolts.
7. On the passenger side, remove your strut. I'm not going to bother with the full details on how to remove your strut, that's been covered elsewhere, but here's the quick and dirty. If you have ABS, detach the bracket behind the strut, then detach the line on the side of the strut. Remove the clip that keeps the brakeline in place and detach the line. Under the hood, remove the three strut mount nuts. Remove the two big bolts at the bottom of the strut. Remove the strut.
8. Warning: make sure that you are using jack stands to support your vehicle before continuing. Underneath your car, you will find a metal bracket, just beneath your y-pipe. (That crusty stuff on the y-pipe is the remains of a grocery bag that ended up getting caught underneath my car, and is the source of one really annoying smell. I'm told it will burn off eventually...)



The bracket is basically located where the two pipes merge into one. There are three bolts holding it in place. The first two bolts should be easy to remove. Of course, the third one is in an awkward place. I managed to get this one out using a combination of rachet extensions. Once the bolts are off, just leave the bracket loose. It turns out moving this bracket, along with removing the passenger side strut is the key to removing and installing the bar.
9. On the passenger side, grab the bar and making sure that the end is pointed up, pull it straight out. At about the halfway point, it will hit an obstacle. Lift the bar until it's just about touching the top of the wheelwell. Pull the bar a few inches now to clear the obstacle, then lower the bar, and continue pulling out the bar.

Part 2 below

rocco5446

iTrader: (2)

Part 2

Step 5. Installing the new bar

1. Take your new bar and apply some grease to the end, starting from the just before the bracket point down to the 'eye'. This will help in protecting the bar, and to help it slide through in those really tight spots. Slide in the bar in the reverse order of removing the bar. (slide in, lift up, slide in, lower, slide in). Once it is in place, go to the driver's side and wipe down the grease.
2. Slide underneath your car and re-attach the bracket bolts.
3. Take your new bushings and apply some grease to the inner section. Take that same grease and apply a thin amount to the section of the bar surrounding where the brackets will be placed. See photo below.



4. Making sure that the slit in the bushing is facing towards the front of the car, stretch open the bushing and put it on the bar. Then take the bracket and place on top of the bushing. Make sure that the arrow on the top of the bracket is facing towards the front of the car. Bolt on the bracket, but don't tighten it all the way. Leave it slightly loose, with about an 1/8" gap. Repeat on the other side of the car.



5. Now that both brackets are on, you will need to attach the end link rod on both sides. I found that the easiest way to do it was to attach the end link rod on the driver side first. The go over to the passenger side, whose lower control arm should be lower than the driver side, and using the hydraulic jack, slowly lift the lower control arm while holding the end link rod in place. Slide on the end link rod bushing and washer, then the nut.
6. Re-attach the strut.
7. Re-attach the wheels on both sides, but don't bother torquing them tight, since the wheels will be removed again shortly.
8. Lower your Maxima.


Step 6. Final Step

1. Bounce the front end up and down several times. This helps seat the stabilizer bar into it's correct position.
2. Raise and safely support the vehicle.
3. Remove your wheels.
4. Tighten the stabilizer bar bracket bolts.
5. Re-attach your wheels.
6. Lower your Maxima.
7. Torque your wheels to spec.
7. Reach underneath and properly position the end link rod by turning the rod below the end of the stabilizer bar. The bottom of the rod should be parallel to the bracket on the lower control arm. The reason why this is done after the car is lowered is that you can't properly align the rod when the lower control arm is lowered while the vehicle is raised. Since my Maxima is lowered, I basically had to make the alignment based on feel, since I couldn't actually see what I was doing.



8. If you removed your front strut brace in Step 4, re-attach it now.

That's it, you're done.

njmaxseltd

iTrader: (19)

You should have saved yourself the $40 and simply refinished your existing bar. You would have accomplished the same thing.

jremignanti

does anyone happen to know what the diameter of the stock stabilizer bar for an SE is? Does 21mm sound right?
I need to replace the bushings and there are different sizes.

rocco5446

iTrader: (2)

yeah, but if I just reused my existing bar, that would have meant either no car, or driving around without the bar for over a week, as the paint needed to harden properly. This is my daily driver.