how do you know if the sway bar link is bad?

[Kwhistle]

Was changing oil in my 98 OBW and noticed that the sway bar link on the passenger side is loose. It clearly had some play when I grabbed it, and one of the bushings on the joint itself (not the one that holds the sway bar to the body) looks in a bad shape, rubber is all cracked.

 

Is this the time to replace? Should I replace just one, or both sides? Any brand is better than others?

[Timberwolf530]

If it has play in it, the bushings are definitely bad. I would go ahead and do both sides while I was under there. Can't help you on brand, or prices, but if you can find them, Urethane are the best (but expensive).

[Kwhistle]

Thanks.

 

I made a small video of one of the rear links. Trying to post the link, but it gets all messed up... is liking videos not allowed?

 

Hope this link works, just one short video:

http://www.youtube.com/user/MyCarIssues

 

That's the driver side rear, the pass side is the same, as is the passenger side front. It's as if it hangs pretty lose on the top bolt, and you can hear clicks when I'm moving it around.

Edited June 23, 2010 by Kwhistle

[EVOthis]

Thanks.

 

I made a small video of one of the rear links. Trying to post the link, but it gets all messed up... is liking videos not allowed?

 

Hope this link works, just one short video:

http://www.youtube.com/user/MyCarIssues

 

That's the driver side rear, the pass side is the same, as is the passenger side front. It's as if it hangs pretty lose on the top bolt, and you can hear clicks when I'm moving it around.

 

 

I will say I have seen worse, Personally, from the thousands I have inspected, I wouldnt say there that that bad... are you getting any kind of noise while driving or do you notice like a top heavy feeling like the car isnt hugging the corners well enough?

[Kwhistle]

I get a mild shimmy intermittently at highway speed. One of the inner tie rod ends had some play, so I had that replaced, and the shimmy diminished, but hasn't gone away. So I was thinking it could be because of my pass side front wheel is pretty banged up, not 100% sure of it though. Or could it be the sway bar links?

 

Other than that, it's my first Subaru, and it's a pretty old one with almost 200k, so I don't have much to compare it to. Have several Camrys in the family, but they are much newer, and they do ride/corner smoother. Cornering on my OBW is not awful, but then I wouldn't know if it could/should be better. How would I know for sure if the links need to be replaced?