Sway bars / Dodge Grand Caravan

[Mark72]

Need opinion on a 2000 Dodge Grand Caravan with 113K. I’m getting a thumping noise in the front end when I turn onto a rough or angled surface, or when I’m going straight and I hit dips or bumps in the road.
I’m 99% sure It’s the sway bars. And I’ve been told that I should replace the links and bushings. I’ve also been told that it is not a safety issue and will not cause any problems with the alignment. Should I save my money and just let it go for a while? I’ve heard this is a typical problem with Dodge Caravans.

 

[Jimmy9190]

I don't know about the safety issue part. I don't believe it is something to let go and not replace/repair. I have replaced my own stabilizer bar end links twice now, and last year I replaced my original stabilizer bar bushings with Moogs. This problem can not be good for the suspension and steering.

 

[SLCraig]

That is indeed a typical problem with Caravans.
I wouldn't let it go forever, but I really do not think you are going to suffer from not doing it right away. But as you know, it will not get any better on its own.

 

[Mark72]

My mechanic told me I don’t have to rush to replace them because it is simply a sway bar. All it does is reduce the sway motion of the vehicle during turns. Will not cause any problems or wear with the steering components, tires, or anything else in the front.

 

[dsmdriver2588]

yea, take your time. It just provides better handling. When I put a stiffer sway bar in the rear of my car, it made a huge difference in handling when I autox.

 

[Hokiefyd]

This is an extremely common problem on these vans. I believe this components was designed poorly from the get-go. My '07 T&C went through about 6 pairs of sway bar bushings in the 46k miles that I owned it. Some the dealer replaced under warranty with standard rubber, some I replaced with thermoplastic Moog bushings, some I replaced myself with the updated sleeved rubber bushing from Chrysler. Either way, it only lasted 5-8k miles before needing the job again. My former '03 wasn't nearly as bad, requiring 3 pairs in the 76k miles we owned it.

Do the bushings and links at the same time, because it could be either. You'll probably have to cut the links out, because of rust. There is not necessarily an urgency to fix the problem...it's just highly annoying. I would not consider it "safety related".

 

[Mark72]

Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
This is an extremely common problem on these vans. I believe this components was designed poorly from the get-go. My '07 T&C went through about 6 pairs of sway bar bushings in the 46k miles that I owned it. Some the dealer replaced under warranty with standard rubber, some I replaced with thermoplastic Moog bushings, some I replaced myself with the updated sleeved rubber bushing from Chrysler. Either way, it only lasted 5-8k miles before needing the job again. My former '03 wasn't nearly as bad, requiring 3 pairs in the 76k miles we owned it.

Do the bushings and links at the same time, because it could be either. You'll probably have to cut the links out, because of rust. There is not necessarily an urgency to fix the problem...it's just highly annoying. I would not consider it "safety related".


Thank you..this is exactly what my mechanic told me and I just wanted to see what some of you thought or new about this issue.

 

[IndyIan]

Well, its sort of safety related. Basically the sway bar is there to make your van understeer when you reach the limit of its grip. How much does it matter? I don't know, depends how stiff the front springs are by themselves. Usually though the front bars are pretty massive and transfer lots of spring rate between the sides. (Lawyers likes safe boring understeer!)
If your van is frequently loaded right up with people and stuff and driven at high speeds, I wouldn't ignore it too much, as dodging a ladder at 65 mph is now a bit trickier. If your just doing 55 mph roads and in town its not as big a deal.

 

[oilboy123]

I think they have a TSB on it through Dodge.

 

[lifeson2112]

I had a 2004 Caravan, so apparently Dodge didnt get the message in 04 either. Mine did the same thing. It sounded like the front end was about to fall out from under it. I had a 1995 Dodge Neon that did it too, soooo, I guess American car builders like to let problems carry on, and carry on, and carry on...oh and carry on, without addressing them. But then you're talking about a company that paid it's janitors $50,000 a year before the "big bailout", so eveidently priorities were on toilet care and not cars.

 

[Hokiefyd]

The 5th generation (2008+) does the same thing. A number of issues have gone unchecked for over a decade with those vans. Sway bar bushings, rear HVAC lines rusting, leaking power steering racks. Problems through one iteration is understandable. But through the THIRD successive generation, at least for problematic sway bar bushings)?

 

[mechtech2]

Normal easy driving should pose no safety hazards.
But how can you plan that? A quick swerve to avoid an accident can cause another worse one.
And repeated pounding can wear parts.
End links are usually cheap and easy to replace.
I'll give you a tip: Cut them off instead of trying to unscrew them. Unscrewing a rusty bolt/nut vs. a quick hacksaw or cut off tool ? My vote is for cutting them unless everything is in really great unscrew mode.

 

[Ross]

I had a 2000 GrandCaravan. There are swaybar bushings and endlinks. It is much more comon for the bushings to go before the endlinks. My van had 165,000 miles on it before I sold it. I replaced the bushings at about 100,000 miles nad never had to replace the endlinks. The bushing are very cheap.