Front End - '91 Previa LE AWD - Ball Joint, Tie Rod Ends, Sway Bar link & Bushings

[Ari]

Hi All,

Thought I'd start a new thread as this is a separate issue to my intermittent starts, that I hope to have rectified later today. But that's another story..l

I will be tackling a bunch of loosey goosey issues starting very soon (just waiting on parts that are in transit) and I was hoping to get a bit of helpful advice such as what is posted on this thread http://www.toyotavantech.com/forum/s...ours-%282wd%29 for what I'm about to get into with my Previa.

Another one that I'm looking at is http://www.autozone.com/autozone/rep...00c1528008a513 and I'm wondering if I do need to drain the oil for the diff first, as recommended, or will I be sitting in a pool of oil as soon as I pull the outer CV/axle?

I will be replacing:
- the Drivers side outer CV/axle shaft
- the passenger outer CV boot
- the passenger ball joint
- both sway bar links and bushings
- both outer tie rod ends

Any helpful hints/diagrams would be great, and I'm aware that once I'm done I'll need to go directly to an alignment shop.

Thanks in advance,

Ari
1991 Previa LE AWD
www.simplydeliciouslodge.com

[timsrv]

Out of the 4 Previas I've had, so far all of them needed struts (they typically fail between 150 -200k miles). None of them have needed anything else regarding front suspension (yet), so I can't comment from experience on the other suspension issues you mention. Here's a link to a thread about struts: http://www.toyotavantech.com/forum/s...eady-need-help!! Enjoy. Tim

[Ari]

Hi again,

I'm happy to say that after many hours on the internet doing research, that it payed off and after nearly as many hours actually working on the van after waiting on parts and visits to my local wrecker, I've successfully redone the front end (a 1st for me) on the Previa.

Here is a list of what I replaced:
- Driver side half shaft/CV (wrecker)
- Driver side strut/spring assembly (wrecker)
- Both sides ball joints (new - rockauto.com)
- Both sides tie rod ends (new - rockauto.com)
- Both sides sway bar links (new - rockauto.com)
- Both sides sway bar bushings (new - rockauto.com)

... and the end result is that what used to bang like a S.O.B. when going over bumps now glides over like its got a new and stiff front end. No sway, no wobble, and no loud noises! It's going in for an alignment on Tuesday and with a bit of luck there will be no more front end issues for years to come.

Thanks for all the help...
Ari

[Jonny]

I'm posting this on an old thread because it seems appropriate and may save someone a bunch of cash and hassle.

I have a 91 previa which was making all sorts of hellish clunking noises going over bumps.
To cut a long story short, when I had my sway bar links off I noticed that one of them had the teeny weeniest bit of play on one end of the link. No way that could be the source of the godawful clunking. Well, way it could. Replaced the link and all noise has gone. I would never have believed that this almost inperceptible looseness was the source of the noise.

If you have front suspension noise going over bumps, check the links. It's really simple to take them off and if you can detect ANY play in either end, replace the link.

Edit... btw it's an all-trac manual 5 speed with 210k miles.

jw

[Jonny]

My newly purchased '93 5 speed with 214K miles had the same awful noises. One sway bar link had a little play. Replaced both links ... noise substantially reduced but not gone.
I noticed there was a crescent moon gap around both of the sway bar bushings. Are these things meant to be snug? I assume so, but I don't know. Anyway, they are $25 each from Toyota so to test whether that indeed was the source of the remaining noise without shelling out $50 I made two crescent moon pieces out of some 1" PVC lying around and hammered them into the gaps. No more noise. Although this was just a test I'm leaving them in there as another test. If they fall out I'll post here again.

DSCN4687.jpg
DSCN4688.jpg

[apham8]

Here is a list of what I replaced:
- Driver side half shaft/CV (wrecker)
- Driver side strut/spring assembly (wrecker)
- Both sides ball joints (new - rockauto.com)
- Both sides tie rod ends (new - rockauto.com)
- Both sides sway bar links (new - rockauto.com)
- Both sides sway bar bushings (new - rockauto.com)

... and the end result is that what used to bang like a S.O.B. when going over bumps now glides over like its got a new and stiff front end. No sway, no wobble, and no loud noises!

Thanks for providing information about your front end rebuild. I'm considering this for my 1992 Previa LE and was considering Proforged parts. What brand did you end up going with for the parts?

[Previologist]

My newly purchased '93 5 speed with 214K miles had the same awful noises. One sway bar link had a little play. Replaced both links ... noise substantially reduced but not gone.
I noticed there was a crescent moon gap around both of the sway bar bushings. Are these things meant to be snug? I assume so, but I don't know. Anyway, they are $25 each from Toyota so to test whether that indeed was the source of the remaining noise without shelling out $50 I made two crescent moon pieces out of some 1" PVC lying around and hammered them into the gaps. No more noise. Although this was just a test I'm leaving them in there as another test. If they fall out I'll post here again.

How is the PVC pipe holding up? I'm still having noise after changing my driver's side strut, strut mount and sway bar link, and hoping its something like this instead of a ball joint waiting to separate. Will go under tomorrow hopefully. Part of me wonders if its the new link, which was very inexpensive but a supposedly well-regarded aftermarket brand.

[Jonny]

Thank you for posting, because I realize I had not updated as promised.

After a few months the noise came back. The PVC shim pieces had fallen out.

So, I modified the design. Basically just made the PVC pieces longer so I could hose clamp them to the sway bar. It's been good for a long time now.

DSCN5152.jpg

This still seems much easier than replacing the bushings.

[John Kaufmann]

... After a few months the noise came back. The PVC shim pieces had fallen out. So, I modified the design. Basically just made the PVC pieces longer so I could hose clamp them to the sway bar. It's been good for a long time now. This still seems much easier than replacing the bushings.

Nice! Many points for the creativity; it looks like a better solution than just replacing the bushings (which, like the swaybar links and strut mounts, were replaced every time I changed struts). Not clear, though, why you find it much easier - it seems like you have to do the same work as when you replace the bushings, plus a little more to modify the bushing design.