1995 Mercury Sable clunk in rear end

[Hookmaster]

My daughter’s car had a clunk in the left rear. I finally had time to take the wheel off and take a look. This is what I saw. Broken piece is to the left of the strut in this picture.

Broken piece is to the right of the strut in this picture.

I don't know what the name of the part is but it attaches to some arm on the bottom and to the side of the strut on the top.

My questions:

1. What is the name of the part I need to replace?

2. How easy is it to replace? It looks like a bolt on top and

bottom, but do you have to elongate the strut to get it in

place?

3. Do new nuts come with the new part? What torque?

4. Any other tricks to replacing this part?

5. Should I do the passenger side also if its easy and cheap

to do?

6. What is the torque for the lug nuts on this car?

It's funny to me but it's only been a few days without the car and she's already bugging me when is it going to be fixed?

Any and all help is greatly appreciated.

I've been on the site for many years but this is the first time I posted pictures. It was pretty easy with the directions on the photography board. I'm sure there will be more to come. I'll have to figure out an avatar now.

[jeffreyd]

Rear stablizler bar. Take it to a shop have them check the struts, could cost some bucks, but you dont want to mess with it. It will need an alignment when done. Do all four wheels when you have it aligned. Good luck

[Shack]

It is just a stabilizer link. IMO I would still be driving the car and fix it when you can.

Very easy to do unless the bolts need to be torched off (rusted frozen or stripped). Should have no effect on align. when replaced. Just jack up car, zip the top nut off, take out the middle bolt/nut and try and buzz of the bottom nut. If the bottom just spins in the bushing you might need to torch/cut it off.

You can do the other side if you want but most times these only come for one side when you buy them from the store. Make sure all nuts, bolts and washers come with the kit. At the dealer all parts come separate.

A broken sway bar link’s bark is worst than its bite. IMO

Good luck!

"Position the link into the stabilizer bar. Install the insulator, washer and nut on the link. Tighten to 5-7 ft. lbs. (7-9.5 Nm)."

It also looks like aftermarket links do not use the factory middle bolt and nut.

[para1911]

Sway bar link. They are quite common to fail sooner or later (saw a lot of them when I was working at an auto service shop). If you can get the old one off you won't have a problem getting the new one on. This link has nothing to do with allignment or struts. They almost always come as a kit with all the hardware you need but double check. Just snug the nuts down as they are usually nylon lock nuts. I had a 99 Taurus and torqued the lugs between 85-95 ft-lbs on aluminum rims.

[Hookmaster]

What is the middle bolt/nut, the one on the stabilizer bar bracket? I only saw the upper and lower bolt on the stabilizer link.

[Jeremy airjer W]

Rear stablizler bar. Take it to a shop have them check the struts, could cost some bucks, but you dont want to mess with it. It will need an alignment when done. Do all four wheels when you have it aligned. Good luck

[fishing tech]

If you want , I would replace both sides at the same time as the other side probably won't last long after the new one is installed.

[Hookmaster]

I got the parts (one for each side) last night. Only $9.99 each. I'll let you guys know how the installation goes.

[Hookmaster]

I put the sway bar links in this evening. It went very well. The one that wasn't broken was rusted about 30 percent through so it could have gone any time. Airjer's tip on where to put the jack really helped a lot. Thanks to all.