Hi I am Mark and a newbie -first posting on here.
The wifes 2000 Jap Yaris has developed a knock when driving at low speeds . Yesterday I got underneath it but could only find a loose exhaust shield which I repaired but this made no difference.
Now research tells me that the likely culprits are the anti roll link bar bushes. It would appear that is is possible to pay anything from £7 up to £70 for the parts and I am slightly confused; how do I know if I have to replace only the bushes or the link arms as well? Is there a guide anywhere on how to do the job, is it fairly straightforward and where is the best place to source the parts quality for cost?
The car by the way is mint and otherwise a joy to drive. Thanks.

Do a search for anti roll bar bushes, drop links etc and you'll find many posts on these. The rubber perishes easily but its not a cause for concern unless you can hear knocking like on yours. You need to replace the drop link as well as the bushes. They come in a kit - I've only ever had mine replaced with Toyota parts so can't comment on quality of others, but Toyota's are hardly high quality. If you're going to replace them yourself then look in a Haynes manual - it won't be that tricky.

I replaced mine with an ebay set costing c£20 vs Toyota's £50.

I reasoned as follows:

The genuine articles lasted 4 years.
Very cheap ones (£15) might last 1 year- I don't want to replace that quickly.
But as I DIY, £50 buys 2 sets of £20 ones and if they last 2 years I am £10 better off than buying Toyota parts at £50 lasting 4 years.

Of course, if you don't diy, the sums are different.

Mine have lasted 12 months so far with no problems.

Eay to o: you must soak the nuts for 24 hours in advance with penetrating oil or it's an angle grinder job.

Easy to do: iirc.. 30 minutes side 1, 20 side 2.

Thanks for the fast response and advice .Cheers Mark.

[quote name='markone' post='943267' date='Nov 9 2009, 04:58 PM']Hi I am Mark and a newbie -first posting on here.
The wifes 2000 Jap Yaris has developed a knock when driving at low speeds . Yesterday I got underneath it but could only find a loose exhaust shield which I repaired but this made no difference.
Now research tells me that the likely culprits are the anti roll link bar bushes. It would appear that is is possible to pay anything from £7 up to £70 for the parts and I am slightly confused; how do I know if I have to replace only the bushes or the link arms as well? Is there a guide anywhere on how to do the job, is it fairly straightforward and where is the best place to source the parts quality for cost?
The car by the way is mint and otherwise a joy to drive. Thanks.[/quote]
The "Knocking" noise may not be the bushes though, have you checked the struts, springs?

Does seem likely that it could be the bushes but make absolutely sure before splashing out cash for something the car may not need.

Lie under it and grab the roll bar and pull it/push it, if there's movement in the ARB, then you have your answer.

Incidentally, my 2000sr is still on the original bushes despite it having 82k on it, and occasionally thrashing the pants off it, so they do last well but strangely wear out faster on some Yaris models.

Keep us posted on this!

Thinking on doing this at the weekend. If it turns out to need new ARB links do the wheels have to be on the car to line up the new drop links or do I control the rise and fall by jacking under the strut with the wheel off? Is it easier to do the job on ramps ? Where are the trolley jack points on a Yaris? All advice gratefully received.

Don't mean to be funny but i was experiencing a knocking noise in my 2009 1.0L TR which the dealer diagnosed as a loose toolbox near the spare wheel in the boot, must say i wasn't convinced.

[quote name='Shednivashtar' post='945225' date='Nov 18 2009, 12:10 PM']Don't mean to be funny but i was experiencing a knocking noise in my 2009 1.0L TR which the dealer diagnosed as a loose toolbox near the spare wheel in the boot, must say i wasn't convinced.[/quote]
Easy to check that one then...Take the tool box out and go for a drive, if it's still knocking then it's not the tool box!

[quote name='Raeman' post='945374' date='Nov 18 2009, 10:11 PM'][quote name='Shednivashtar' post='945225' date='Nov 18 2009, 12:10 PM']Don't mean to be funny but i was experiencing a knocking noise in my 2009 1.0L TR which the dealer diagnosed as a loose toolbox near the spare wheel in the boot, must say i wasn't convinced.[/quote]
Easy to check that one then...Take the tool box out and go for a drive, if it's still knocking then it's not the tool box!
[/quote]

I've tried removing the spare wheel and all the tools. The back seat rattles and just about every panel makes some kind of irritating noise but this noise is a clunk heard at low speeds. Managed to do one ARB link on Sunday - what a ********* of a job! Naivly I had squirted the old links with WD40 to aid disembly a few days before. Obviously they have never been changed or someone had had a go before and given up because there were no flats left on the nuts. Ended up grinding the old one off and removing what was left took ages then ran out of daylight and enthusiasm. Near side to do next when I've next got some time off and there are no gales/snow/rain etc. Noise is still there but I reckon it's coming from the nearside .

Right, replaced nearside ARB link yesterday and the knocking noise is still there . Can't tell where it's coming from only that it's nearside. What to try next? The spring insulators on the rear springs how easy are they to change?

[quote name='markone' post='948531' date='Dec 1 2009, 04:02 PM']Right, replaced nearside ARB link yesterday and the knocking noise is still there . Can't tell where it's coming from only that it's nearside. [b]What to try next? The spring insulators on the rear springs how easy are they to change?[/b][/quote]
Hi Mark, the spring insulators are a doddle to fit, i did mine, you need 4 of them, 2 for each side.

This is how i did mine.... Jack one side of the rear up and remove the wheel..(or you could just jack the rear and remove both wheels, up to you)

Next you need some coil springs compressors (about £20 in Halfords) and apply them to the spring evenly, ie, one on each side or you might have 3 or 4 in the set it depends on different makes, i have 3 in my set though.

With the spring compressed and removed you can just slip the old insulators out, might be a bit awkward if they have been sat there for years like mine was, i used a flat blade screwdriver to prise them off as they were well worn out anyway.

Get the new one's, make sure their sitting the same way as the one's you just removed and put them in place....

Sit the spring (with the compressors still attached) on the new insulator's and then slowly and evenly undoo the compressors untill the spring is sitting right and tight. (Like it was before you removed it)

Check and double check the spring is sat correctly and tight, then put the wheel back on...

Same for the other side aswell, then try it out.

I noticed instantly with mine, the rear felt more solid and didn't bang and crash as much driving over road inperfections, sunken grids ect.. and evn since i fitted them in Feb 08, they still feel fine.

Oh, the spring insulators cost me £17.95 for a set of 4 from Toyota.

Good luck.

Thanks Raeman for the very good write up. It's definitely worth a try for £18 - I may be able to borrow the compressors.

Yeah, for the price it's definately worth doing, just hope it cures the problem for you.

Don't be blaming me if it doesn't though!!

Good luck and let us know.