Installed two new front sway bar links today. I’m happy to say the slow speed clunking I’ve been hearing is finally gone. I didn’t want to believe that sway bar links would fail within 2 years, but that is what seems to have happened. The left front tension strut for that matter was on its way out too (replaced a couple weeks ago with the Turner monoball struts). The roads are horrible in New Orleans, but I wonder too if the lift and Method wheels/tires contributed?

On the other hand, I think I could have swapped left and right links 2 years ago when I changed them, and maybe that brought about an early demise? I can’t fathom why there is a left and a right side to these things, but there is with the front sway bar links. Hopefully no up/down!

New inner and outer tie rods tomorrow, and a rear differential flush and refill with some LiquidMoly that finally arrived. It’s one synthetic gear oil that doesn’t include friction modifiers. Tough to find otherwise. I’m hopeful that nothing scary comes out of the diff, or is stuck to the magnetic plug.

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Current
Original owner 2002 E53 X5 4.4i to 4.6i swap
2026 G80 M3 6 spd
2025 G06 X5 50e
Former
1972 Audi Fox
1986 Saab 900S
1996 BMW Z3
1998 BMW E36 M3 Sedan
2004 BMW E46 M3
2006 Audi A3 Quatro
1993 Mopar 318 Jeep Grand Cherokee
2015 V6 Jeep Grand Cherokee