How To: Replace stabilizer links on an Aerostar.

The front sway bar (or stabilizer bar) is connected to the cross member with a part called a stabilizer link. The bushings wear down, and eventually crack. Rubber bushings are OEM while aftermarket bushings are made out of a hard urethane material which is more durable. Here are a couple of pictures of the left & right links:


The OEM links are more difficult to work with than the aftermarket links. This is how you disconnect an OEM link:

This is how you disconnect the lower link:

If this method doesn't work (which is usually the case on the lower nut), then you could use a Vice Grip tool:

Here are the old pieces:

This is what a new urethane set looks like:

The job is pretty much straight forward. You have to align each part, then tighten it without crushing everything:

This is what it looks like when it's finished:

Do the replacement anti-roll bar urethane links improve "the ride" or just make everything much firmer?

It's the type of part that you don't really feel the difference during regular driving. I guess the only way to feel the difference is if you make very sharp turns without slowing down. The hard urethane bushings probably last a lot longer than the standard soft rubber bushings.

BrooklynBay said:

It's the type of part that you don't really feel the difference during regular driving. I guess the only way to feel the difference is if you make very sharp turns without slowing down. The hard urethane bushings probably last a lot longer than the standard soft rubber bushings.

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Right, but given that there's zero "give" with the urethane stuff, I thought perhaps that any movement up of the suspension would be met with a much firmer and instant resistance (no give as with the rubber), and so a firmer ride.......no?

Again, thanks for the information!

The old stablizer links in the van were completely worn out, and there was a lot of excess body movement. Replacing the front shocks & stabilizer links helped a lot.

the red poly bushings are firmer, I used poly bushes to mount the rack & pinion in my Jaguar and they made quite a difference in the feedback. The normal rubber bushes wear out quickly. Try the red ones, you will not regret it.

Jose A. said:

the red poly bushings are firmer, I used poly bushes to mount the rack & pinion in my Jaguar and they made quite a difference in the feedback. The normal rubber bushes wear out quickly. Try the red ones, you will not regret it.

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Might give the poly's a shot, thanks.

I have a Jag, a '68 E-type. Owned it for 18 years and am in the middle of a complete resto. Fun!

another Jag owner! The Series 3 XJ-6 came with an issue at the rack & pinion in which the rack had a side-to-side movement with the original rubber bushings; In a matter of months, new rubber bushings became like marshmallows. A company in Texas, John's Cars, came up with a red poly bushing kit that eliminated the problem completely and increases direction stability.

if you do not like the red bushings in the Aerostar front stabilizer bar, you can use them in your E-type, they are the same size. But I doubt you will go back to the rubber marshmallow bushings.

Jose A. said:

another Jag owner! The Series 3 XJ-6 came with an issue at the rack & pinion in which the rack had a side-to-side movement with the original rubber bushings; In a matter of months, new rubber bushings became like marshmallows. A company in Texas, John's Cars, came up with a red poly bushing kit that eliminated the problem completely and increases direction stability.

if you do not like the red bushings in the Aerostar front stabilizer bar, you can use them in your E-type, they are the same size. But I doubt you will go back to the rubber marshmallow bushings.

Click to expand...

I wont use them on the Jag. there's been much discussion over the years about using poly bushings on the E-type and the concensus is that they just ruin the smooth feel of the original suspension. Very few race the cars these days and those that do, do in fact use poly for all the suspension joints.

I'll give them a try on the Aerostar, it's too mushy to start with!