Did I just fix my front end sway bar?

Well, one dealer service manager didn't get back to me so I called another dealer. He said you pay $100 to inspect for the symptoms spelled out as indicative of a fractured idler arm attaching plate, and if it is fractured, its all paid for, else you're out $100 and any repairs they think you need.

This website describes the warranty repair procedure,

http://www.justanswer.com/chevy/11lpe-small-service-company-evening.html

It also quotes from a letter we got back in '07 (had to look at our records) which says:

"This letter is intended to make you aware that we have received a few comments from customers about free play in the steering, a clunking noise in the front end of the vehicle, a "binding" feel, and/or off-center steering wheel position. This may be caused by a fracture of the steering idler arm attaching bracket.

Do not take your vehicle to your GM dealer as a result of this letter unless you believe that your vehicle has the condition as described above."

To be precise, a groan w/ usually left turn at parking speed has been there since day 1. The off-centered wheel has occurred, but both times due to error in tightening tierod nut.

Dealers act like this repair just isn't being done.

Advice??

Is this worth a new thread, or has the matter been settled on this forum back in '07? We were travelling a lot at that time, and I may have missed some good posts.Honestly, have I

Yep! Always something.

Your vibrating/pulsating brakes is something I recall to be more common with the GM-based motor homes, though any vehicle can experience that, especially when sitting outdoors idle for extended periods. I think it has to do with uneven-rust that forms on the rotors. The area of the rotor where the pads cover, rusts at a different rate than the exposed rotor. After sitting for an extended period, most exclusively outdoors, the developed uneven rust pattern can create pulsation. Regular use of the vehicle keeps the rotor rust-free, therefore preventing that condition.

Our 2007 E350 is kept indoors when not being driven. Over the winter our garage is heated to near 60 degrees which dries out the garage nicely, no dampness even when other cars are parked inside with snow. The snow melts and then evaporates fast. So far we have not had a pulsating problem. If you look at my front sway bar pics up higher, you'll see the rotors are not rusty. They stay that way all year long. Funny that the calipers don't look so good.

Ron

I sorta saw it as funny too. I wasn't even sure that I
was looking at an antisway bas, the tube was a
seriousreplica of the bushing. I sorta figured if it
worked for who knows how long w/ nothing
there...maybe the tube was an improvement. It may
have been a long while so outer link rods never got a
workout, but I think the clunk was noticed within last
few trips.

As our trips are fewer and shorter anymore, putting
optional add-ons is lesss important now.

**********

Next test outing will be soon, as I am now gonna' be
getting a dealership to do the "Special Coverage
Adjustment - Steering Idle Arm Attaching Bracked
Fracture" design warranty fix. It was just brought to
my attention just today from a fellow rv.netter --
thank you SO much IAMICHABOD. I have 6 months
of a 10 yr time limit window to get free
replacement/redesigned stuff. I looked into this in
back '05, and they told me "you have no problem."

The special warranty coverage was issued in a
document ID#1976266 in '07, but I never knew of it.
Our VIN is included -- looks like all short Express 2500
and 3500 from '03-06 are too. As I have researched TSB and NHTSA all day, seems we have experienced all the symptoms of groaning left turn in parking lot, terrible vibration downhill w/ brakes applied, and a
loose tierod nut on passenger side (separate NHTSA
referenced problem) requiring an early alignment.

Have a feeling 1st dealer is avoiding and not retrning
a call - too little profit, I figure. (Same dealer that
happily overcharged me $675 for a rebuilt started
after 32000 mi, but had it been warranty, I bet they
would only gotten $350.

Always somethin'!

burlmart wrote:
.....thus saving a piece of inner tube for some other future redneck fix.

You know burlmart, you had me laughing out loud here in the office when I read of your initial sway bar repair. At least it confirmed where the noise was coming from.

Thank you for the great entertainment on a work day break. I am glad to read your are in great shape now.

Safe travels to you and the Mrs.
Ron

PS: I still think you should get a heavy duty rear sway bar installed, assuming you don't have any kind back there to begin with.

Nice vids by Tito.

You guys shamed me into putting fancy store bought bushings, thus saving a piece of inner tube for some other future redneck fix. The new 2 center bushings went on fine w/ a little grease on the bar and the 4 bolts. I felt all around on the end linkage rods and bushings and they reallydo seem OK. But I will know now to monitor them.

Will report on sway and noise improvement (including reworked overcab fixes) when we newt take it for spinercise.

I am telling Martha we should try to pull straight out driveway into our 30' wide street. The near 12' wheelbase will allow about18 ft to turn 90 degrees into the far lane w/o reversing. Yes/No? The 12" curb transitions a 4" driveway slab elev down to 3/4",then street elev.

Here are a good pair of videos of a nice fellow Tito detailing the process of upgrading his 2007 E450 chassis motor home with heavy duty Helwig anti-sway bars. He also compares side-by-side, the old to the new bars.

Video #1 - Front Sway Bar

Video #2 - Rear Sway Bar

This won't help the OP with his Chevy, but for the benefit of those with pre-2008 E350s and E450s. The fellow does the entire job with his rig on his driveway, using no special tools.

Our Hellwig bar mounts the same "way" the Roadmaster does. Just not as fancy looking a bracket. The 2008-and-later Fords I mentioned have an extra boss on each axle to accommodate end links so the RM and Hellwig aftermarket bars are adapted to that OEM change. I was very glad to be notified (thanks Bryan!) and confirm on install that the ones that mount like ours and Ron's also mount on the later axles. The bosses are still there but not used and not in the way.

There a bunch of youtube videos on bushing replacement. Maybe someone could find an appropriate one.

j-d wrote:
Problem with Ford front sway bars 1992-2007 is they didn't use End Links like 1991 and older Fords, the Chevys and 2008 and newer Fords. They're mounted to the frame with bushings like Burl is replacing, but instead of End Links the ends poke into bushings in the axle. The geometry of that arrangement guarantees that the bushings will wear quickly and introduce looseness into the Sway Bar.

Aftermarket Sway Bars for those Fords clamp to the axles and provide for end links.

Most accurately stated there j-d.

Here are a couple pictures of my 2007 E350 front aftermarket heavy duty Roadmaster bar with the clamp j-d mentions. The Fords from 2008 to today don't need a clamp. I guess the GM chassis does not need a clamp either.

Ron has commented on this Starflyte project before. Problem with Ford front sway bars 1992-2007 is they didn't use End Links like 1991 and older Fords, the Chevys and 2008 and newer Fords.
They're mounted to the frame with bushings like Burl is replacing, but instead of End Links the ends poke into bushings in the axle. The geometry of that arrangement guarantees that the bushings will wear quickly and introduce looseness into the Sway Bar.
Aftermarket Sway Bars for those Fords clamp to the axles and provide for end links.