How to Fix Noisy Sway Bar Links Effectively - Simple Fast Professional DIAGNOSIS

Cars can make a lot of funny noises. But when they do, something is likely wrong. One component that can generate a lot of noise when not working properly are the sway bar links.

In this guide, we go over what bad sway bar links sound like and why they happen. You’ll also learn what to do if that’s the noise you’re hearing from your vehicle. Keep reading to learn the best way to deal with noisy sway bar links.

What Does a Bad Sway Bar Link Sound Like?

The words most often used to describe the sound of bad sway bar links are: thunking, clunking, knocking, and banging. While the noise they make depends on your vehicle and what’s wrong with the stabilizer bar links, it sounds like pieces of metal repeatedly banging against each other.

This video provides an example of a bad sway bar link sound:

Bad Sway Bar Links vs. Bad Sway Bar Bushing Sound

The noise that comes from bad stabilizer bar links is distinct from the sound of bad sway bar bushings. Worn-out sway bar links have a higher pitch “clunk” sound compared to a lower-pitched “thud” of bad sway bar bushings. Both are issues that require your attention, but being able to distinguish one from the other can help you get the right fix for your suspension.

You Can Usually Feel Bad Sway Bar Links In Addition To Hearing Them

Noise isn’t the only symptom of bad stabilizer bar connections. These sounds are usually accompanied by vibrations or jolts in the steering wheel that mirror the severity of the sound. This sensation may be more prominent when turning the vehicle or coming to a stop.

What Does a Bad Sway Bar Link Sound Mean?

Rough-sounding noises coming from your sway bar links are a telltale sign that they’re worn out or otherwise broken. The noise occurs because the links are moving more than they should, separating and then banging into each other. Under normal conditions, the links don’t move enough to bang against the connection points hard enough to create a sound.

Causes of Sway Bar Link Failure

If you’re hearing noises from your stabilizer bar links, they are in the process of failing or have already failed. While dealing with sway bar issues is stressful and troublesome, it is a relatively normal issue in aging vehicles — in some brands more than others.

In this section, we go over some of the reasons why sway bar links can fail.

Natural Wear and Tear

One of the most common reasons for sway bar link failure is simply age and mileage. Stabilizer bar links move almost constantly while a vehicle is in motion to assist with steering and handling. Like any moving part, they will inevitably wear out and need replacing. If your vehicle is at or near the 100,000-mile mark, this is a likely cause for link failure.

Collision

Sway bar links can get damaged or knocked out of position when your vehicle is involved in a collision, either with another vehicle or a stationary object. The alignment of these linkages is critical to them working properly. Misalignment can cause them to move in ways they aren’t intended to and create the noise you’re hearing.

Abnormal Driving

Driving in challenging off-road situations or towing something heavy can also damage your stabilizer bar links. These and other scenarios that put a lot of strain on your vehicle may push the linkages harder than they can take. This is especially likely if your vehicle has a lot of miles on it, as parts may not be as robust as they were when they were new.

Corrosion

The sway bar links in your suspension are also susceptible to corrosion. Salt water, road debris, extreme heat or cold, and other environmental factors can erode the components in your linkages. When that happens, they may not fit or move as intended, causing loud noises.

Other Broken Suspension Components

If other parts of your suspension are broken or worn out, such as the struts or shocks, it can throw off the balance of your vehicle and put additional strain on the stabilizer bar and its links. This is one of the main reasons it’s important to attend to any suspension issues as soon as possible, so the issue doesn’t spread to other components.

What To Do If You Hear a Bad Sway Bar Link Sound

Noisy sway bar links should not be ignored. Stabilizer link issues don’t go away on their own — they just get worse. And when they do, they can cause any number of problems throughout your suspension and in other parts of the vehicle. 

Our Suspension Experts put together this step-by-step guide to help you address your bad sway bar link sound in the most effective way possible.

1. Take a Look For Yourself (If You Know What To Look For)

Your first step should be to do a visual inspection yourself. The sway bar links are located next to the wheels of your vehicle, between the wheel assembly and the long, curved bar that connects them — which is the stabilizer bar.

If you feel comfortable having a look, you’ll want to lift your vehicle or put it on ramps so you can get underneath it. Make sure to do this safely and in an area with good lighting. 

You’ll want to look to see if any of the components of the links appear worn out, corroded, or out of place. They should have thick rubber washers in between connecting parts, which are called sway bar bushings. These, too, can cause noises if any of them are cracked, broken, or missing.

If you don’t feel comfortable looking for yourself or feel like you may not be able to recognize an issue when you see it, it’s ok to leave it to the professionals. Just don’t wait to do so.

2. Have a Professional Look at Your Sway Bar

It’s also a good idea to have a trained technician examine your sway bar links. They’ll likely notice any issues right away and can pinpoint the source of the problem or problems. 

If you noticed any issues yourself, providing your mechanic with that information can be very helpful and speed up the process. It’s also never a bad thing to show that you know at least a little about cars to discourage a bad-faith diagnosis and estimate.

3. Get a Diagnosis for the Bad Sway Bar Link Sound

Your technician should be able to tell you specifically where the problems are coming from and how they want to proceed in fixing them. If they don’t, be sure to ask or get a second opinion. 

There is a small chance that whatever is causing the bad stabilizer bar sounds is a simple fix. Some issues can be corrected by tightening or adjusting the assembly. If the rubber bushings are the only part of the assembly that’s worn out, replacing them is also an inexpensive and relatively easy fix.

However, most of the time you hear noises coming from your sway bar links, you’ll need to replace one or more components. 

4. Find the Right Replacement Sway Bar Link Components

If you do need to replace some of your stabilizer link components, it can be worth it to get the replacement parts yourself. This allows you to choose the new parts that go into your vehicle and avoid getting charged more for your mechanic to order the parts for you.

At Strutmasters, we carry high-quality replacement sway bars, sway bar links, and complete stabilizer bar assembly kits. All of our kits have been tested for the specific models we sell them for and are made to some of the most stringent quality standards in the industry. Our sway bar links and other components come with a one-year limited warranty to ensure you get a long-lasting, dependable fix.

5. Replace Worn-Out Components

Once you have the right replacement components, it’s time to do the work of changing them out. If you have some basic mechanical skills, this may be a DIY job you can complete at home. Strutmasters sway bar replacement kits come with detailed, step-by-step instructions to walk you through the installation.

Replacing the noisy sway bar links is also an easy job for a trained technician if you’d rather trust the professionals. Our kits contain everything needed to replace your entire assembly, so you should only have to pay for labor. Since it is a relatively quick job for an auto shop, that labor bill should be manageable.

6. Ensure Other Suspension Parts Don’t Need Replacing

If you’ve allowed the sway bar link noise to go on for a while, there’s a good chance that other parts of your suspension are damaged as a result. Make sure you or your technician completes a thorough inspection of the sway bar bushings and the shocks, struts, and other suspension components. If they do find any problems, make sure to address them immediately if you can, or as soon as possible if you can’t.

7. Get an Alignment

Replacing any suspension parts — sway bar links included — often alters the alignment of the wheels on your vehicle. This is normal and to be expected. That’s why it’s a good idea to get an alignment service done on your vehicle after replacing the stabilizer bar links and other components.

Driving your car while it’s out of alignment can easily damage your stabilizer bar assemblies and other parts of your suspension. Assume that you need an alignment done after your repairs and schedule one as soon as possible after completing the replacement.

8. Test Drive Your New Sway Bar Link Installation

The last step before you’re free to enjoy your noise-free vehicle is to take your car on a short test drive. Listen for any noises coming from the stabilizer bar links and see if you notice any vibrations or jolts, too. Test how your vehicle takes tight turns and brakes to ensure that the installation was completed properly and you don’t have any other issues with your suspension.

Once your vehicle has passed its road test, you can drive it normally with confidence. If you used a Strutmasters sway bar replacement kit, all of the components will be new and you can expect a noise- and issue-free stabilizer bar link experience for a long time to come.

Bad Sway Bar Link Sound: Wrap Up

Scary noises coming from your sway bar links can be stressful, but they’re not the end of the world. It’s perfectly normal for these components to need replacing after long enough. With Strutmasters sway bar replacement kits, you have a very affordable option for getting rid of those noises and having a safe, reliable car that’s easy and fun to drive once again.

We carry sway bar replacement kits for a wide range of vehicles. You can use the search field at the top of the page to find a kit or individual components for your vehicle. If you want assistance, reach out to our Suspension Experts at 844-548-0348 Monday through Friday from 8AM - 9PM or on Saturdays from 9AM - 6PM at our Roxboro, NC headquarters.