driving van without swaybar links

I am trying to issolate a problem on my 2001 chyrsler voyager. I am hearing a clunking noise in the suspension when I drive over small bumps. I am almost 90% sure that the problem is the swaybar links. I am thinking of removing the links and taking the van for a test ride. Is there any danger in doing this. Can the suspension be damaged without the swaybar links on the car?

Thanks
Rick

it should be ok... these vans are famous for th sway bar links and bushings goind bad

Before you go through all the trouble of taking it apart, take a look at the sway bar mount bushings while you have someone rock the van side to side. You will probably see the sway bar moving inside the bushings.

Thanks for the tips........I'll check out the bushings also.

Thanks for the tips........I'll check out the bushings also.

Hi Rick,

I have got the same problem with my 2001 Grand Voyager (60,000 miles on the clock) - dealer replaced the swaybar links, steering rack & bush at the bottom of the suspension arm. This improved the handling but I still got a light bang noise when going over small bumps. I gave up on the dealer as the warranty had run out and had a look myself. I found that the noise was coming from the bush at the back of the lower suspension arm. This bush looks like it prevents the wheel & strut from moving too much under breaking. When I took the bush out I found that it has a metal sleeve in the centre with small rubber ridges to locate the spike on the lower suspension arm. The rubber ridges are about 1mm thick on a new bush and were worn away on the old one. I replaced the bush and everything was very quiet for about 3,000 miles then it stated all over again until it’s just as bad as ever now! - I fitted the bushed to the lower suspension arm by pressing then tightly into position! I wonder if this was wrong & I should have just lightly pressed the bush into position. I'm not sure what to do next but will probably have a go at pushing the bushes further up the spike on the end of the suspension arm.

Please let me know if you find out how to do the job correctly

Steve

I removed my passenger side swaybar end link and drove the van. No noise at all! So I believe I have isolated the noise to the end link. I order the parts and just waiting for them to come in. Sounds like your problem is a real pain. Did they ever replace the swaybar bushings? Try rocking the van back and forth and if you can reproduce that noise it is probably the bushings. good luck.....let me know how you make out. Seems these chryslers have alot of suspension problems. My voyager has only 28K miles on it.

Thanks for the comments Rick,

I think that my problem is slightly different as I can rock the car without hearing any noise but I can reproduce a faint knock if I rock either front wheel back and forth in line with the vehicle.

What bushings are you replacing? Are they the ones that hold the swaybar to the bulkhead.

Maybe you could help me with one more question. My 2001 Grand Voyager has not got a plastic guard inside the RHS rear wheel arch is this normal or has something fallen off!

Steve

do you have play in the front wheels when you rock them back and forth? Might want to check out your wheel bearings. Yes, I am replacing the bushings that cushion the swaybar against the bulkhead. About the plastic piece I don't quite understand what you mean. Are you talking about the rear wheel well? I'll check my vehicle and see if I have plastic up in the wheel well.

Rick

I had a noise that sounded like the front end was going too fall off when I hit bumps in my 2001 grand caravan, I bought swaybar bushings and repaced them. It was easy to do. I didnt have to take off a tire or remove the crossmember. I used an air ratchet, an impact gun, 1 15mm deep socket and a 15mm wrench. Took half and hour. worst part war jacking the thing up. These are the cheapest to replace at $6 canadian each.
When I had it in the air I checked the links they seemed ok.
If you do do this I would rcomend lubing the bushings with vegitable oil before installing them.
I just did this last night. Funny thing is when I did this I found out I had a tie rod end with a little play too.

Good luck.

I thought it was the end links, but when I put the new ones on I still had the clunking noise. I then replaced the bushings. The noise is gone and van handles great through turns. I thought I had isolated the problem by removing the pasenger side end link. When I removed it the nioise was gone. By removing the end link I took the pressure off of the swaybar.....so the noise disapered. My passenger side end link was bad though, but it turns out that the problem was the swaybar bushings.