Rear Stabilizer Bar, ball popped out of socket! Options

[cassidy_bolger]

My rear factory stabilizer bar has popped out of its socket on one side. Forgive me if those are the wrong terms - but I hope people know what I mean. I have had my car only a week or so and don't know my way around it too well yet.

Here's what happend: My driveway is steep, so I am taking it at a slight angle to avoid destroying the LE spoiler up front. Just now, as I slowly pulled in turning right, in the right rear made a suspension grind kind of noise. I stuck my head under the back and saw a shiny ball! The other side looks to be intact. The car has 140lb springs and Bilsteins that were installed 50K mi. ago.

Can I just jack the thing up and pop the bar back into place? Did this happen because of the stiff suspension?

Other than this, I have been having a blast with the new car.

[Dave_Darling]

You can just jack the thing up and pop it back on. On my car, it takes a clamp; I cannot just squeeze it on with a pair of channel-locks or whatever. And most certainly not by hand!!

You may have to jack up the whole back of the car and use a jack to raise one trailing arm or the other to get the ball and socket to line up nicely.

My first guess as to why the drop-link came off is that the bushings are old and tired. Putting new bushings in the drop-link is a major pain in the butt. I wound up using a vise, some screwdrivers, I think a socket or two, and a lot of swear-words.

--DD