I live in the Bay Area, but recently had my front control arm bushings replaced by a shop in Portland, OR, while passing through visiting family. My car sat for 2+ weeks after returning to California, but when running some errands I noticed a thunking noise coming from the front right suspension, and a local mechanic identified that the sway bar bracket is out of the bushing, and that the problem was caused by the bushing replacement.

When I called the shop in Portland, they claimed their mechanic "recalls not removing the sway bar bracket when replacing the bushings." In addition to growing up in a family deeply suspicious of auto mechanics (something that I'm trying to get past, but carries through in situations like this), based on my conversation with the local mechanic I am under the impression that the bushing replacement process requires removing the sway bar bracket. That said, I'm a complete car rookie - could someone vouch for the shop and clarify if there's a way to replace the control arm bushings without removing the sway bar bracket? Also, does anyone know how else the sway bar bracket could have come out of the bushing?

Thanks!

TL;DR: My sway bar bracket is out of the bushing, just after a shop replaced my front control arm bushings. Shop claims they did not remove the bracket when replacing the bushings. Is this even possible? How else could the sway bar bracket come out of the bushing?

 

If they have the on car press tool they could replace the bushing without touching the sway bar bracket bolts. As for a bracket coming out of the bushing I think they mean the bushing came out of the bracket?? that is possible if the bushing deteriorated enough.

 

which shop did you use in Portland?