How to tell if Front Sway-Bar End Links are Bad

[BigBody]

Hi guys, I have a front end clunk. The car drives more of less fine, but when i hit a bump or a rough patch of road the front end goes cuclunkaclunk... i took off the front sway bar end link and im trying to find out if there are any signs to see if it really is the culprit. The sway bar end link seems "soft" i guess, but there definitly isnt much play i can detect by hand. Is there any other way i would be able to diagnose the sway bar end link? Thanks

[Crowz]

Popping or clunking noises in the front are the only real symptoms of bad sway bar links.

But the only real way to tell is to raise both from wheels of the ground and see if they are loose.

At the same time they are dirt cheap so if they have a good bit of miles on them just change them

[BigBody]

Originally Posted by Crowz

Popping or clunking noises in the front are the only real symptoms of bad sway bar links.

But the only real way to tell is to raise both from wheels of the ground and see if they are loose.

At the same time they are dirt cheap so if they have a good bit of miles on them just change them

Both of the wheels are off the ground and i didn't get any clunking from the link when i gave it a shake down or took it off, perhaps i should just reattach the link and shake a rim while listening to clunks? I think that'll be my next approach... I will definitely pickup some link too, as they are getting old aswell...

[andrewwynn]

If you can twist left and right by hand they are most likely shot but there is a foolproof test: wrap about a dozen wraps of electrical tape around the top and bottom ball joints as tight as you can. If the clunks go away that was the cause.

I've used the trick when I didn't have time to install the new links and to "not go insane" while waiting to get them installed. The hack will last a couple weeks


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[BigBody]

Originally Posted by andrewwynn

If you can twist left and right by hand they are most likely shot but there is a foolproof test: wrap about a dozen wraps of electrical tape around the top and bottom ball joints as tight as you can. If the clunks go away that was the cause.

I've used the trick when I didn't have time to install the new links and to "not go insane" while waiting to get them installed. The hack will last a couple weeks


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Trying this immediately

[Fifty150hs]

Originally Posted by BigBody

Hi guys, I have a front end clunk. The car drives more of less fine, but when i hit a bump or a rough patch of road the front end goes cuclunkaclunk... i took off the front sway bar end link and im trying to find out if there are any signs to see if it really is the culprit. The sway bar end link seems "soft" i guess, but there definitly isnt much play i can detect by hand. Is there any other way i would be able to diagnose the sway bar end link? Thanks

How many miles? Any front suspension components like control arms or thrust arms been replaced? You could be due.

[X53Jay4.8is]

Originally Posted by BigBody

Both of the wheels are off the ground and i didn't get any clunking from the link when i gave it a shake down or took it off, perhaps i should just reattach the link and shake a rim while listening to clunks? I think that'll be my next approach... I will definitely pickup some link too, as they are getting old aswell...

Wait I just went through this and I had to disconnect my sway bar links and when I took out the link I found that the right side one had more play on one end of the link then then any of the others thus producing the clunk that I was hearing. Take them off and inspect the movement.

[BigBody]

Originally Posted by X53Jay4.8is

Wait I just went through this and I had to disconnect my sway bar links and when I took out the link I found that the right side one had more play on one end of the link then then any of the others thus producing the clunk that I was hearing. Take them off and inspect the movement.

As of now, im about to go try out my new polyurethane sway bar diy upgraded end links and see if the clunk is persisting Out of curiosity what side produced the clunk for you top or bottom?

[X53Jay4.8is]

Originally Posted by BigBody

As of now, im about to go try out my new polyurethane sway bar diy upgraded end links and see if the clunk is persisting Out of curiosity what side produced the clunk for you top or bottom?

My looseness was on the bottom section of the sway bar link so when jacked up you could not identify that it had excessive play. So when we disconnected the the links the clunk went away. Once we removed the links it was evident that excessive play was on the bottom connection to the the sway bar.

[BigBody]

Originally Posted by X53Jay4.8is

My looseness was on the bottom section of the sway bar link so when jacked up you could not identify that it had excessive play. So when we disconnected the the links the clunk went away. Once we removed the links it was evident that excessive play was on the bottom connection to the the sway bar.

Taped up the bushings, no change. Im starting to worry its the double joint in the steering column. Gave it a shake out of curiosity while the car was jacked up and it feels totally loose. Looks like i didnt luck out with the end links.