PAUL T Posted April 21, 2011 Report Share Posted April 21, 2011 I turned into a sloping up driveway at an angle and heard a "pop". I figured it was just some part of the suspension in a little bind and never thought about it anymore and just drove 2 miles home. When I went to pick up my daughter from school and take her to her grandmas (about 3 miles) I started noticing something dragging the ground everyonce in a while. Tie rod came to my mind first so I slowed down but did not notice any steering problems. So arrived at my destination and looked under the car and the stabilizer bar was just hanging on the new stabilizer bar link that I replaced about 3 months ago. It sheared off near the bar bracket and was just hanging. I have never heard of one breaking, I have seen them bent but not break. I guess I will have to go to the dealer, salvage yard, or Ebay to get one. Rockauto does not even have it. GMdirect has them for about $85, I found one on Ebay for $25 plus shipping. Has anyone had this happen before or ever changed one? I don't think the one on my 94 Concours will fit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ranger Posted April 22, 2011 Report Share Posted April 22, 2011 Never heard of the bar breaking before. Sure it was not the link? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockfangd Posted April 22, 2011 Report Share Posted April 22, 2011 I have heard of them breaking. they most commonly break at the point where the link bolts to it. It is 2 parts welded and one side breaks and stresses the other side. Can you poost a pic. If it broke anywhere else I am shocked GM FAN FOREVER Nice, clean, luxury= fine automobile Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cadillac Jim Posted April 22, 2011 Report Share Posted April 22, 2011 I've driven a lot of cars a lot of miles and never broken a stabilizer bar myself, but I have heard of it. Usually it can be traced to an incident in which something struck the stabilizer or a link while parking or driving, like a parking lot barrier, a curb, a railroad track, or some such. It's hard to imagine one breaking on any car I ever saw without road damage first. -- Click Here for CaddyInfo page on "How To" Read Your OBD Codes-- Click Here for my personal page to download my OBD code list as an Excel file, plus other Cadillac data -- See my CaddyInfo car blogs: 2011 CTS-V, 1997 ETC Yes, I was Jims_97_ETC before I changed cars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAUL T Posted April 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 22, 2011 I replaced the stabilizer links about 3 months ago because the link on the side that broke was loose. I have had a rattle when you go over bumps for about 6 months. I check the front suspension and nothing was loose except for the one stabilizer link so I replaces it but the rattle was still there. I then replaced the dog bones and still had the rattle. My next move was to replace the stabilizer bar bushings. The stabilizer bar broke at the bar bracket on the right side, not at the stabilizer link connection. I am going to go out now between rain showers and see if I can get the stabilizer link with the piece of the bar off so it will be drivable. I will take some pictures and post them later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAUL T Posted April 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 22, 2011 Here is the pictures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAUL T Posted April 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 22, 2011 and another. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Göran W Posted April 22, 2011 Report Share Posted April 22, 2011 Definitly a previous roaddamage since some surfacees have old rust on. Failiure bound to happen! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockfangd Posted April 23, 2011 Report Share Posted April 23, 2011 for sure, you cam see where it sheared at one time and it probably was being held by a tiny bit and broke GM FAN FOREVER Nice, clean, luxury= fine automobile Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAUL T Posted April 23, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2011 Definitly a previous roaddamage since some surfacees have old rust on. Failiure bound to happen! I agree, I think there was previous damage to it before I bought it, because I have receipts for repair to that front fender and door from the previous owner. The good news is I do not have a rattle anymore. I checked on ebay and I should be able to get one at a salvage yard for $20-40. A new one is $85-100. I will also need new bushings. It only has 155,000 miles with no leaks, oil usage, or PCM codes. My 94 Concours with oil leaks and codes all the time lasted 166,000 miles until head bolts pulled. I expect the 97 to last to 250,000 miles easy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAUL T Posted July 5, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 5, 2011 O.K. everyone I found a used stabiliser bar on ebay for $42.00 with shipping. It even had the stabilizer links on it but they were not the same. I had just bought new ones for mine so I will keep them for spares. I attempted to try and get the old bar out and run into a snag. I was taking one of the bolts out of the bushing bracket on the drivers side and it was not moving very good. I sprayed it a lot with WD40 and let it set but I only managed to get it backed off 1/4". So I tried to tighten it back up but it seems to be froze. I did not want to break it so I quit. There was still about 1" of threads that had to come out. I am afraid if I break it I might have to drop the engine/transmission carriage to get it out. I thought about heat but there is not much room to work. Has anyone ever had problems getting the stabilizer brackets out just to change the bushings and what did you do? Any suggestions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockfangd Posted July 5, 2011 Report Share Posted July 5, 2011 best recommendations, Dont use wd40 use PB blaster or croyal. penetrating spray. Loosen the bolt enough to get the spray onto the threads and tighten it back up, work it slowly back and forth and see if it works its way out. Also see if you can find a way to get to the inner side of the bolt hole.(access hole, etc...) GM FAN FOREVER Nice, clean, luxury= fine automobile Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAUL T Posted July 5, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 5, 2011 I can get to both sides of the bolt. I have Liquid Wrench but not PB blaster, I will have to look for that. Thanks, I will keep up to date with this thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas Jim Posted July 5, 2011 Report Share Posted July 5, 2011 Liquid Wrench should work just as well... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cadillac Jim Posted July 5, 2011 Report Share Posted July 5, 2011 Patience is a virtue here. And Liquid Wrench. On on both ends of the bolt hole. -- Click Here for CaddyInfo page on "How To" Read Your OBD Codes-- Click Here for my personal page to download my OBD code list as an Excel file, plus other Cadillac data -- See my CaddyInfo car blogs: 2011 CTS-V, 1997 ETC Yes, I was Jims_97_ETC before I changed cars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KHE Posted July 5, 2011 Report Share Posted July 5, 2011 Hopefully liquid wrench, etc. will work but as my luck would go, the stud would start spinning and I'd need to use the acytlene torch to heat the nut. Kevin '93 Fleetwood Brougham '05 Deville '04 Deville 2013 Silverado Z71 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyG Posted July 6, 2011 Report Share Posted July 6, 2011 Actually GM has the best penetrating oil I've ever found P/N 1052627, but the can says "Made in USA" and "Printed in USA" so it's probably no longer available. It has graphite in it. Never underestimate the amount of a persons greed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAUL T Posted July 6, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 6, 2011 I am going to have to find time to get back on it. I take it to the body shop Wednesday to replace my outside drivers door handle and fix the bottom hinge. The door mount where the bottom hinge bolts has cracked and needs welded back in so the hinge will mount right. My wife also tore the inside door pad that you use to pull the door shut with off attempting to shut the door. I should get it back friday so I will have to work on it this weekend. Thanks guys. Still getting 24 to 25 mpg's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAUL T Posted December 14, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 14, 2011 I finally took the car to my local tire shop to put my stabilizer bar on. He had it on the lift for almost 2 hours and only charged me $20 bucks. They had a time with the bolt that was stuck and a little trouble getting the new bar back in position. After looking at it from below, I think it was installed from the factory before the cradle was bolted in. Back in business now with 159,000 miles. It would be nice to have some new tires for Christmas, but that may have to wait. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul S Posted December 14, 2011 Report Share Posted December 14, 2011 Just a note to JohnnyG, I work in an industrial setting and I use a product called Kroil. It is made by a company called Kano labs out of Nashville Tenn. They claim it will creep into areas as small as one millionth of an inch. From my experience it makes WD 40 and Liquid Wrench appear as you are using water. If it doesn't loosen it immediately, just let it set over night and most times it will. They can be found on the Web. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyG Posted December 16, 2011 Report Share Posted December 16, 2011 Thanks Paul. Yes, I've used Kano products before and I agree they are excellent. Never underestimate the amount of a persons greed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KHE Posted December 17, 2011 Report Share Posted December 17, 2011 My expierence with any kind of penetrating oil and I have used almost all of them including Kroil) is this: You never know if they work... if you spray a fastener and it comes apart, ask yourself this question: Would it have done so if I didn't spray it??? I always try them but if there is any hint that the bolt will snap, out comes the oxy-acetylene torch... problem solved. Kevin '93 Fleetwood Brougham '05 Deville '04 Deville 2013 Silverado Z71 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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