Getting ready to install rear sway bar on 2000 Lesabre

[jaj63207]

Went around a curve last night and was startled by how much body roll I had. Same issue when I I took the curve going the opposite direction. 2000 Limited with 45K miles. Drives fine on the straight but would hate to have to do any emergency maneuvers. I am quite sure the addition of a rear sway bar would help. My question is are all the mounting holes present in the car that would be needed to add the sway bay? Looks like parts new would run around $100.

Thanks,
Jimmy

 

[imidazol97]

I thought all the leSabres had a small rear sway bar.

But have you checked the links on your front sway bar. When they rust through the bolt, then you have no control from the front sway bar. Usually people get clanging or bumping sounds when the link breaks.

 

[jaj63207]

Nope, mine does not have a rear sway bar.
Jimmy

 

[WGesnerJr]

I, too, have been shocked at the "soft ride" suspension's ability to handle a quick maneuver. It's clear that this suspension option was designed exclusively for those new car buyers that limit their trips to the Doctor, Grocery store, Church and the occasional Senior Center run!!! All of which at a top speed of 40 MPH!! Under these conditions, the car operates well within acceptable parameters for this demographic.

Unfortunately, GM does not consider anything after a vehicle is 4 years old or any subsequent owners opinion. So in there eyes, you get what you get. Anyway, here is some interesting things I have found as I plan to address this with my car.

I have a 95 Bonneville that had this same suspension (FE1) and i upgraded to an FE3 out of a junk yard SSEi. What a wonderful difference it has made!! Worth every penny.

Now, we have just acquired an 01 LeSabre with the same cursed FE1 suspension. Even my wife noticed the car drives poorly and has pretty much talked me into another upgrade like the Bonneville. The LeSabre does have threaded holes in the rear body for the bushings as well as plain holes in the A-arms for the anti-roll bar end links; just no bar. Also, it has a front bar, but I have not been able to measure it as yet so I don't know the diameters.

So, with this project in mind, I have now purchased an 03 LeSabre parts car with the Gran Touring (F41) suspension. It is great to have them both side by side to look at and see the differences. The parts car does have front and rear anti-roll bars as part of the package. The rear bar will be transferred over soon but I will wait until I can measure the front bars to see if there is a difference in diameter. I can't imagine just the addition of a rear bar could make that much of a difference but research will tell. If it is bigger, I will move it over as well.

Another interesting fact, I have decoded the option codes on each car and found that the rear springs are the same code?? (FE1 vs. F41) Only the front springs have a different code. HHMMMMM!

Will keep you posted.

 

[jaj63207]

This old thread may answer some questions.
Jimmy

http://buickforums.com/forums/threa...age3?highlight=lesabre+rear+sway+bar+diameter

 

[jaj63207]

Since I cannot install this thing myself(severe vertigo when lying on my back), does anyone know how long it should take to install this sway bar? Looks like about half an hour to me. Under side of car is very clean and no rust.
JImmy

 

[WGesnerJr]

Some quick items i found this weekend.

The rear sway bar on the 2003 Gran Touring (F41) was 18mm

(used an 18mm open end wrench to measure)

and is part number 25604731.

This went on in almost no time at all. Maybe 1 hour counting time to jack both cars up. All the body mounting areas were all threaded and the rear A-arms had the end link holes in them. The only issue I had was the end link nuts were VERY large. Had to use a crescent wrench to hold them as I did not have a socket or an open ended wrench to fit.

Now the front was another whole story. Using the crescent wrench as my precise measuring device, the F41 was only slightly larger; but I did not have an open ended wrench big enough to measure it exactly and the tag was faded-so no part number. So I decided to swap that over as well. Boy what a job! ...and messy too thanks to a rear valve cover leak.

For starters, (according to the service manual) you have to disconnect the left tire rod end and the exhaust down pipe. Then the bar has to be snaked out the left side. Since it looks like a huge, greasy, cork screw and the space is small and cluttered, it was a bear to remove. Even with no engine in the parts car, it was not easy to remove. Since it is going to the junk yard soon, it will NOT be re-installed.

However, once the Gran Touring bars were installed into the 01, it's a different car. Handles curves with confidence and does not want to capsize at the smallest turn of the wheel. It is still VERY floaty as far as ride goes, so the next project will be new struts/shocks and spring swap.

So to answer your question, rear bar is easy-front bar is not.

 

[jaj63207]

Jay, thanks very much for the update. I just ordered the standard rear bar(20757300) and attachment hardware. As flat and straight as most roads around here are, I think just keeping the rear from felling like it is trying to rotate in an emergency will be enough for me. Your setup with stiffer springs sound like it would be fun, take it Autocrossing!
Jimmy

 

[SAYBER]

Jay, thanks very much for the update. I just ordered the standard rear bar(20757300) and attachment hardware. As flat and straight as most roads around here are, I think just keeping the rear from felling like it is trying to rotate in an emergency will be enough for me. Your setup with stiffer springs sound like it would be fun, take it Autocrossing!
Jimmy

I know this is old but want to do the same for my 03 custom. Do you have part numbers to the parts I may need to do this job? Thanks!

 

[2007LucerneCXL]

jaj63207 - Last seen Oct 13, 2015 so reply may not be coming.

 

[imidazol97]

Parts numbers might help, but I doubt this is available new from dealer parts. Otherwise
stop at a counter and ask about the numbers for the regular and for the firm ride version.
Might also check into the Bonneville version that was larger diameter.

Ebay has some offering stabilizer bars AND car-parts.com lets you search for
the stock offerings. I looked at Bonneville SSEi and leSabre versions there, and let
the interchange chart offer which various models fit the leSabre.

On the ebay offering AND on the car-parts.com pages, there's a lot to be learned about
the cross compatibility. I noticed that naked rear bars are in the $35 to $50 range for
pickup at a yard offering one.

I see that rockauto.com offers parts and that there is a difference in bushings for the
firm ride vs the soft ride (normal) versions.

Good luck.

I had thought about adding a normal bar to my 03 Limited when I had it. I had added a
rear sway bar to my 80 Mustang.

 

[455Buick]

I'm trying to install the rear sway bar on my 02, but can't figure out how or where to attach it to body/frame or rear a arms. Is it possible my lesabre won't accept a sway bar?

 

[2007LucerneCXL]

Here's the rear suspension, not sure if it's helpful if the vehicle doesn't have the necessary mountings.

 

[SAYBER]

Here's the rear suspension, not sure if it's helpful if the vehicle doesn't have the necessary mountings.
View attachment 31368

You need all the correct hardware but it can be done.