Liberty CRD Rear end handling issues

tomasnc · **Posted:** Thu Dec 19, 2013 4:32 am

I am wondering if I have a rear end issue. I thought my springs & shocks were worn out but the car doesn't drive anywhere as well as my first CRD. The swirling feeling that randomly happens in the rear end is very unsettling.

[url]Recall ID # 91165 - SUSPENSION:REAR Hide Details

Read more: http://www.motortrend.com/cars/2005/jee ... z2nuJrV8Oz[/url]

I'm going to call my dealer in the morning and see if this recall applies to this vehicle. I'm the third owner.

Pippobug · **Posted:** Thu Dec 19, 2013 7:53 am

Hi,
I had the same issue, it's the rear bushes on the Arms that have warn out. In my case the ones where the arms attach to the body, I had already changed the ones attaching to the Axel. Also might be worth checking all the other rear end bushes at the same time they do tend to go very quickly over time.
Fil.

mass-hole · **Posted:** Thu Dec 19, 2013 10:23 am

Do these have Panhard bars on them from the factory? My dad's Trailblazer SS had one, but even with that it was fairly wonky. He upgraded to a stiffer one with poly bushings and it made a night and day difference.

tommudd · **Posted:** Thu Dec 19, 2013 12:25 pm

Different setup
we have lower control arms - which the bushings wear out and will cause the rear to sway ( dance) back and forth
we also have a upper tri link which attaches in two points in the front and a ball joint that attaches to the rear diff in the back
then a "sway" bar that attaches to both lower control arms

tomasnc · **Posted:** Thu Dec 19, 2013 12:40 pm

Tom,

Do you suggest replacing all bushings? I have 143,000 miles on this vehicle?

Thanks guys,

Tom

Pippobug · **Posted:** Fri Dec 20, 2013 6:09 am

tomasnc wrote:

Do you suggest replacing all bushings? I have 143,000 miles on this vehicle?

Tom,

yes, if you haven't by now, I did all of mine and I don't even have 110K.

Fil.

tomasnc · **Posted:** Fri Dec 20, 2013 2:29 pm

All bushings are on order and headed my way.

tomasnc · **Posted:** Tue Jan 14, 2014 10:19 pm

I wanted to bring everyone up to speed with my bushing replacement on my CRD.

I ordered new bushings for the rear control arms and the Y-link.

The Y-link bushings were totally gone. I mean nothing left. Concerning the control arm bushings, the bushing closest to the axle was completely worn and the bushing at the "body side" was in perfect condition.

pressing the bushings out of the Y-link and re-fitting the new ones was not a problem. The control arms was a PITA and I have a very well equipped machine shop too. I'd buy the aftermarket c-arms next time.

At this writing I have not test drove the CRD but I can only imagine the improvement that I will feel tomorrow.

Tree Catcher · **Posted:** Sat Jan 18, 2014 7:24 pm

I had the same problem. I ordered the bushings but could not get the bushings out of the control arms... Then I ordered a set of lower control arms and I no longer have any sway in the rear end when I get off and on the throttle pedal. Now I have a set of bushings that I can't use tho... Save em for next time.

Sean

tomasnc · **Posted:** Wed Jan 22, 2014 4:00 am

Sean, I agree fully. If I hadn't had the hydraulic presses I'd bought new arms also. The tubing is thin to begin with and there's little room for error. My wishbone center bushing was completely gone and the knocking sound made me think my rear end gear had failed also. Now the KJ handles like new.

KJScott · **Posted:** Wed Jan 22, 2014 12:46 pm

I will be doing the bushings and BJ this Friday or Sunday for the rear UCA, if my parts get here in time. Hope R and R goes as well for me. I have been presoaking with PB a few times in the last week.

Mountainman · **Posted:** Thu Mar 06, 2014 12:24 pm

Great thread, I did all of the front bushings and ball joints, but of coarse that didn't fix the rear on mine which sways like crazy. It has 164k miles. Anyone find any superior aftermarket parts that might be worth getting for this? I'll probably end up with all moog if nothing else like I did on the front.

KJScott · **Posted:** Thu Mar 06, 2014 12:30 pm

I purchase my rear UBJ and upper bushings from Napa. They seemed to be of good weight and quality. Time will tell. So far no problem.

Mountainman · **Posted:** Sun Mar 09, 2014 6:32 pm

Well, I pulled all of the rear arms out last night, and started pressing away on the bushings. I figured I'd try to press them out without any pb blaster, not a good idea. The glorified sheet metal UCA started to collapse when I put a little pressure on it, so I hit it with blaster and it came out ok. Almost trashed the UCA though. Now I'm about to try the LCAs, soaked them with blaster overnight, but I can't see any good way to press them out without cutting away the bushings outer lip. I'm about to go grid off that lip so I can have some support to pressing the silly thing out. If anyone has a better method I'd like I hear it. I'd try the saws all and torch method, but both my saws all and torch is 1000 miles away :banghead:

Good luck!

KJScott · **Posted:** Mon Mar 10, 2014 9:07 am

rent the good press kit from Advanced, use the large ring in the kit to place on the backside of the bushing. Set everything on the concrete, use wood blocks to get everything supported and level. Get a big hand held sledge hammer, pre soak with PB, and go to town. Hitting it will, knock the rust loose, get a pick and scrape out the rust after a couple blows, spray some more, then beat on it some more. After it starts moving you could then use the press or just fininsh with the hammer. When they are out, emory cloth the surfaces and coat with oil to aid install.

Worst case you ruin the boomerang and you buy a new assy with the bushings.

KJScott · **Posted:** Mon Mar 10, 2014 9:49 am

Maybe this will help you

http://www.jeepkj.com/forum/f196/replac ... row-55283/

Mountainman · **Posted:** Mon Mar 10, 2014 10:29 am

thanks for the advice :rockon:

It's a 3 hour trip to a parts store so I just battled through them with my press and grinder. I didn't have the right size receptacle for the bigger of the two LCA bushings, so I ended up pressing the guts out of the bushing and then used a hack saw on the inside. What a job, I spent about three hours on two bushings. Now that I've got it figured out I will probably be able to finish the other arm in an hour or so. I missed the mention of aftermarket arms in this thread before, now I'm going to go see how much they run just for kicks :5SHOTS:

Is it normal for independent rear suspension to trash the bushings and "wag" like out liberties do in 100k or so miles, or are these mexico bushings just junk? Maybe these glorified sheet metal LCA's need to go? :dizzy:

KJScott · **Posted:** Mon Mar 10, 2014 10:39 am

it's just a maintenance thing, Mexican bushings I like to think are better than Chinese ones :SOMBRERO:

If our KJs had the aftermarket support like wranglers and cherokees do, there would be endless options for LCAs. I think my stock LCAs are still good at 129K but I could be wrong. My uppers were defenitely shot, and the UBJ was close to a catastrophic failure, fortunately it gave an annoying squeek which made me investigate it before it let go and gave a new dimension of axle wrap.

I am glad you were able to get the bushings out, maybe the other will go much easier.

Mountainman · **Posted:** Mon Mar 10, 2014 3:04 pm

Yeah, I bet you're right about that. Glad you caught that before it let go while driving! Mine was pretty loose also. You know what's funny, I pressed everything out of the boomerang just to end up buying a complete new one. I couldn't trust that it would hold up to pressing new ones in, and had some rust. I went with the raybestos professional UCA. Hopefully it lives up to its name. I also got the raybestos professional bushings for the LCAs. Hopefully they don't give out and sway so soon. Mine were the same, the frame side is the weak link, but I'm replacing them all anyhow.

KJScott · **Posted:** Mon Mar 10, 2014 3:50 pm

good deal, should last a while at least!!

Liberty CRD Rear end handling issues

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