lumbee1
Native American
TL: DR Replaced front sway bar bushings and rear sway bar ball joints, Cruiser is now quiet.
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My Cruiser has rattled for as long as I can remember, and I just chalked it up to being normal for a truck of this age, however my LandCruiserPhil sway bar ball joints for rear sway bar began to rattle and squeak more than normal. Over gravel, offroad, railroad tracks, the Cruiser sounded like loose metal parts in a box being shaken. Unfortunately, I lost one of my drop brackets for the front sway bar and decided to remove the sway bar temporarily until I can make some new drop brackets. I also tried to grease the ball joints on the rear sway bar to reduce the squeaking.
Test drive with no front sway bar and greased ball joints in the rear. The grease only seemed to make the squeaks and rattles much worse. Every time the rear axle moved during the drive, the ball joint squeaked loudly. Driving dynamics without the front sway bar was actually pretty good but not the most confident inspiring on twisty roads.
I ordered 12" piece of 1.5 x 2 x 1/8 wall aluminum tubing for drop brackets and 1/2-20 LH self lubricating replacement ball joints from McMaster Carr. It took me a while to find high quality replacements for my sway bar end links that didn't cost an arm and a leg. I also ordered front sway bar bushings for both the frame side and axle side.
Ball joints for the end links were replaced first and it made a huge difference. No rattles no squeaks and it only took about 5 minutes per side.
I cut up the 12" aluminum stock to make new drop brackets. New bushings installed on the front sway bar. The axle side bushings were clearly original and completely worn out. Reinstalling the front sway bar was an aggravating tetris puzzle but I eventually got it installed.
Test drive with the new bushings and end links and the Cruiser was both quiet, stable, and easier to drive. I didn't realize that both sway bars were the cause of most of the rattles. Having the front sway bar in with new bushings made the Cruiser drive flatter through the corners with reduced roll. The changes made the Cruiser feel 20 years younger. The ball joints cost $25 and the bushings were $20.
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My Cruiser has rattled for as long as I can remember, and I just chalked it up to being normal for a truck of this age, however my LandCruiserPhil sway bar ball joints for rear sway bar began to rattle and squeak more than normal. Over gravel, offroad, railroad tracks, the Cruiser sounded like loose metal parts in a box being shaken. Unfortunately, I lost one of my drop brackets for the front sway bar and decided to remove the sway bar temporarily until I can make some new drop brackets. I also tried to grease the ball joints on the rear sway bar to reduce the squeaking.
Test drive with no front sway bar and greased ball joints in the rear. The grease only seemed to make the squeaks and rattles much worse. Every time the rear axle moved during the drive, the ball joint squeaked loudly. Driving dynamics without the front sway bar was actually pretty good but not the most confident inspiring on twisty roads.
I ordered 12" piece of 1.5 x 2 x 1/8 wall aluminum tubing for drop brackets and 1/2-20 LH self lubricating replacement ball joints from McMaster Carr. It took me a while to find high quality replacements for my sway bar end links that didn't cost an arm and a leg. I also ordered front sway bar bushings for both the frame side and axle side.
Ball joints for the end links were replaced first and it made a huge difference. No rattles no squeaks and it only took about 5 minutes per side.
I cut up the 12" aluminum stock to make new drop brackets. New bushings installed on the front sway bar. The axle side bushings were clearly original and completely worn out. Reinstalling the front sway bar was an aggravating tetris puzzle but I eventually got it installed.
Test drive with the new bushings and end links and the Cruiser was both quiet, stable, and easier to drive. I didn't realize that both sway bars were the cause of most of the rattles. Having the front sway bar in with new bushings made the Cruiser drive flatter through the corners with reduced roll. The changes made the Cruiser feel 20 years younger. The ball joints cost $25 and the bushings were $20.
