Suggestion for Sway Bar End Links?

My front sway bar bushings are shot at least the front driver's side and has been groaning for the last thousand miles. If I spray WD-40 it goes away for a little bit.

Anyway I ordered Moog replacement bushings for my stock 30 mm bar (06 R/T with Road and Track pack). I was going to just change them myself but got to thinking about the sway bar end links should I change them as a set?

I'm a bit less comfortable trying to change the end links with the car on jackstands in my garage. I know that Pedders and BWoody make them any other decent better than stock end links that are reasonably priced?

Also any recommendation for a place to do the install? I got an oil change this morning from the dealer since I had a coupon and asked him the rate for sway bushings and he said it was $180 labor no matter if the end links get replaced or just the bushings.

Talk to Adam (moparcharger) about doing the install. He does great work. As for the end links, I hear great things about the BWoody links.

I have bwoodys but if I had to get them again there are some beefier replacements that are cheap. They sell them at the local part store. I'll see if I can find the info for you.

Don't get me wrong, I love my bwoodys. But those look strong and are way less expensive.

Which local parts store? That would be great if you can figure out the maker. I'm fine with my stock 30 mm bar but I figure if my bushings are shot might as well swap the links out at the same time.

If you aren't road racing, there are no better end links than stock oem one's. They are only springs. The big beefy road race one's will be noisy and won't do anything that the stock end links won't do for normal street driving. Save your money.

I can do the install man, it's no problem at all, pretty straight forward, just let me know what and when you wanna do it ; )

I'm not road racing that's for sure I just figured I'd ask since there is usually a better part aftermarket that is cheaper than stock. My car is a daily driver 70+ miles per day. I love the Road and Track Performance suspension much tighter than the standard R/T setup. I'm not really looking to put in a beefier sway bar or change the springs/shocks etc. until they fail.

I bought the car with 23k miles I've put on 8k since April and started noticing the terrible groaning sway bar bushing around 30k miles. The car had the outer tie rods changed during the pre-owned certification (along with the trans o-ring) two of the very common issues from what I gather.

You guys tell me maybe I don't need to even change the end links? I just figured if I'm changing the bushings it might make sense to do both at that time or is that flawed logic? I know everything is connected as a system in the front suspension what are your guys findings as far as when things fail (control arms, ball joints etc.).

Adam do you have a shop? Hainsville is a long ways from Naperville

BigM wrote:

I'm not road racing that's for sure I just figured I'd ask since there is usually a better part aftermarket that is cheaper than stock. My car is a daily driver 70+ miles per day. I love the Road and Track Performance suspension much tighter than the standard R/T setup. I'm not really looking to put in a beefier sway bar or change the springs/shocks etc. until they fail.

I bought the car with 23k miles I've put on 8k since April and started noticing the terrible groaning sway bar bushing around 30k miles. The car had the outer tie rods changed during the pre-owned certification (along with the trans o-ring) two of the very common issues from what I gather.

You guys tell me maybe I don't need to even change the end links? I just figured if I'm changing the bushings it might make sense to do both at that time or is that flawed logic? I know everything is connected as a system in the front suspension what are your guys findings as far as when things fail (control arms, ball joints etc.).

Adam do you have a shop? Hainsville is a long ways from Naperville

Maybe the bushings just need some grease on the 2 on the swaybar. Spray won't last, grease will.

Well I checked both out and the noise is coming from the driver's side one which is more deformed than the passenger side. It is starting to get oval or egg shaped. Since the Moog bushing are like $6 I figure if I'm going thru the trouble to remove and grease I might as well replace.

I picked up some Mobil 1 grease to lubricate.

So I guess maybe I let the end links roll for now. I think I can handle the bushing in the garage but didn't really want to tackle the end links solo. I think my wife wouldn't want to see me cranking off those bolts under the car on jack stands. The bushing is a little more straightforward.

Question on the bushing replacement, will I need to use a floor jack to relieve some pressure if I have the front end on jack stands?

If you open your hood and peer over the center of the radiator you will see a hole in the frame. Just slide in the racing jack (low profile) until the pad on the jack is centered out in the hole. Jack up the car and let it down on the jack stands on the frame spots where they go while leaving the jack in there for safety with pressure still on it. Take off the wheels and remove the 2 bolts on each side of the swaybar and the endlinks on each side. Take out the swaybar so that you can clean up the bushing area and lube it up good. Good time to inspect the endlink bushings too.

Good tip on jacking up the front like that. When I put on the front lip spoiler I jacked each side separately this will be a time saver.

I did read elsewhere the advantage of removing the wheels which is easy enough.

What about leaving the end links in place? Can I remove those heat shields and the sway bushing bolts only to get at the bushing? When I've got the car on jack stands with the wheels off when I drop the sway bar bushing bolts is there some torque on the bar? Wasn't sure if I'd need to jack up the side I'm working on the level out the suspension geometry.

Is there anything I'm looking for in particular on the bushings? I know if they are torn and cracked and out of round that's one thing but not having seen them fresh I'm not sure how much they protrude when new.

I've been working too many Saturdays and Sundays lately need a long weekend to knock this out plus my first plug change!

ok. so if you want to replace the end links with the beefy ones i was talking about anyways, i found the info. they are Duralast brand. the shafts on them are as big as the bwoodys but they have factory style pivot joints on the ends instead of bushings. they are like 45 bux each.

duralast has two styles. one is the exact match for the stock that is skinny and the other is the fat beefy ones. make sure you get the upgrade ones, take it out of the box and see that it is the beefy ones.

duralast can be bought at autozone.

Those would be a great replacement since they aren't himes. I still say that the skinny oem type are best for street use, since they are actually springs for rebound. The beefy ones would be nice to have on a bad street with a bump and a chuck hole going hard around a corner, lol.

When I was out cutting the lawn I popped the hood and took a look at that hole you referenced Chaos. Pretty nifty. My jack isn't long enough to take advantage of that location I guess I need a better jack

I'm dying to to mess with the bushing and change my spark plugs but I've been working so much lately my wife has been guilt tripping me since I don't spend time with the family. Oh well these projects can wait a bit longer.

I see on ebay you can get the BWoody front and rear links for $199 shipped. Not a bad deal.

Do the stiffer end links diminish ride quality? You seem to imply that by the stock ones being thin they act as a spring and the stiffer ones will just be harsher. I've always preferred a firm ride. I don't want to get stiff end links only to stress out another weaker stock part.

Even on my wife's Journey I was sure to find one with the 19 inch wheels and uprated suspension. I had a rental Journey with the 17 inch wheels and touring suspension and it reminded me of a 1991 Caravan.

I test drove a few base R/Ts and even a few 300Cs before getting my R/T R&T. There was a sweet Heritage Edition 300c with smart beams and headlight washers but it made me feel 10 years older Really like the stock R&T set up I've had lots of heavy stuff in the trunk recently and the nivomats keep me on the level.

jontoad wrote:

ok. so if you want to replace the end links with the beefy ones i was talking about anyways, i found the info. they are Duralast brand. the shafts on them are as big as the bwoodys but they have factory style pivot joints on the ends instead of bushings. they are like 45 bux each.

duralast has two styles. one is the exact match for the stock that is skinny and the other is the fat beefy ones. make sure you get the upgrade ones, take it out of the box and see that it is the beefy ones.

duralast can be bought at autozone.

Thanks man I just looked at Autozone's site. They have them listed as "Sway Bar Repair Kit". Seems like one is listed as "standard design" and the beefier one looks to be the "improved design". Skinny ones are $30 and the beefy ones are $47



This pic looks like the image for the "improved design" beefy one and it show washers, what is the little thing looks like a grease fitting? Where would that go?

lol. the factory end links would not act like a spring. if it bends it stays bent. no positives there.

jontoad wrote:

I have bwoodys but if I had to get them again there are some beefier replacements that are cheap. They sell them at the local part store. I'll see if I can find the info for you.

Don't get me wrong, I love my bwoodys. But those look strong and are way less expensive.

my opinion is the same as JTs here, i have bwoodys also but a bit pricy

Ok so I swapped in the new Moog bushings the hardest part was reinstalling the heat shield on the passengers side (the inside bolt is a bitch).

I had to install them with the slit facing down instead of rearwards because that is how the center ridge is designed on them. Stock ones were really deformed and flattened. Moog ones have a nice outside lip that isn't on the stockers.

Anyway, I went for a test drive and while the noise is better I've still got a groan I looked at the end link bushing and they seemed ok (not sure what I'm looking for beyond tearing/deformity).

Any guess on what it could be maybe tension strut? Lower arms? Kinda bummed this didn't fix the entire issue, now I wish I had tackled the spark plugs instead! I don't get much time to mess with the car I would rather have it pay off!

Any trusted shops in Naperville area to look at suspension and diagnose?

Definitely driver's side of car and a groaning noise. Can reproduce on bumps or tar strips or just bouncing the car by hand or with a foot on the floor pan.

Could be a tension strut (the ball joint going dry) or even the other end making the creak with the bushing, if ya wanna make a trip to Deerfield, I can look at for you at my work man

could also be the upper strut mount/cup, Might need some grease or replaced.

Easy to check, jack the car up, have some turn the wheel and take a listen

If I turn my steering wheel even with the car not jacked up it groans from that same point. Never realized that. Maybe it is the upper strut mount?

It makes the noise when I tap the brakes and the spring compresses a bit it also groans if I put some weight on the passenger floor pan with my foot.

The sway bushings are nice and solid though!

The upper strut mounts don't turn when the wheel is turned

I ignore the groans and just make everything else louder! These suspension parts suck on our cars. Aftermarket needs to build some heavier more durable components. Then again it adds weight and I have taken a whole bunch of suspension parts off. Only kept the ones I need to go really really fast in a straight line.

Ok so after hitting a couple new pot holes today the noise is worse.

I now get a creaky groan when turning the steering wheel at low speeds. If I push the car down on the driver's side to recreat the groan/creak it sounds like it is coming up high like the top of the spring or the upper arm.

Is it possible something is loose or is it a bad upper arm?

It started off subtle but now I creak and groan like crazy especially at low speeds over small bumps and tar strips.