e720689

To start off, a big hello to all my fellow Vette owners out there, I share the love. I am pretty new to this forum, and this is my first posting.

I could use some of your wisdom here. After scouring the web and weighing heavily on the content from this particular forum, I've decided the rattle noise I hear, typically heard over smaller bumps at under 20 mph, is most likely from my factory OEM sway bar end links, most probably at their end-of-life. Noise seems to be coming mainly from passenger side, most likely from the back end.

I visually inspected and checked for any loose parts, including the whole of the exhaust system, and found nothing. I am out of warranty, so this means out of pocket expense to fix this. I've included photos and would invite anyone to weigh in on my issue.

I'm pretty confident with a wrench, and it looks fairly easy to remove/install these end links with new ones. However I've never replaced these on any vehicle before, so am I right in thinking this is a simple job? I have a 2 ton jack and the lifting pucks for the vette, so I'm thinking I'm good to go.

- Any words of wisdom?
- Is this not as easy as it looks to be to replace the end links?
- Should I be looking at anything else? (I don't have noise related to turning, so I don't think this is the differential fluid issue)

I've had no problems with this car so far and have only had to replace the tires thus far (got my Michelin PS2 run flats!). Current mileage is about 30K, with original everything.

The links to photos of my sway bar and end links are immediately below.

Thank you all!

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/phot...eat=directlink
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/phot...eat=directlink
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/phot...eat=directlink
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/phot...eat=directlink
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/phot...eat=directlink

DSOMC6

Did you actually take a torque wrench and check the torque settings of the endlinks and also the swaybar mounts. If they are under/over torqued they have been know to make noise.

With only 30k miles I'd be surprised if the endlinks are shot? Although it's possible I suppose.

fennerhillpro

When I change sway bars mine began at 30k. I change the links problem resolved. It is very easy to change but you will have to loosen the sway bars.

Swiftrider08

I put a Z06 sway bar and bushings on my C6 about a week ago and the entire job took me about 15-20 minutes.

One tip of advice is to keep the weight down on the tires. Put the rear of the car up on ramps if you have trouble getting under it. If you jack up the car and let the tires hang, then there will be tension on the sway bar and end links making it harder to get them out and back in. With weight on the tires, no tension on the sway bar or end links and then everything is a piece of cake!

HOXXOH

Currently on my 4th set at 92K miles. Easy to change. 18mm socket and 18mm open end wrench. Lots of room if you pull the wheel first. 53 ft/lbs torque IIRC.
Sands Chevy on Grand, ask for Jesse or Adrian. PN 20822934

Join us for lunch on 9-10-11. http://www.arizonacorvetteenthusiast...0&#entry260262

mjs013

I recently purchased my first Corvette (after dreaming about one for 50 years), a 2006 coupe. It had less that 27K miles and was pristine. But after a month I began to hear a strange knock at low speeds on uneven roads. Had it checked by my mechanic and then an exhaust system shop...nothing could be found. Thanks to this Corvette Forum thread the problem has been solved. Not sure why the front sway bar end links failed with so few miles on them but that was the source of the noise. I bought OEM parts online and had my mechanic install all four. Many thanks to all who helped nail this issue.

2k Cobra

When I had my 07 Z, I replaced links at very low mileage and the new ones made noise. I had these replaced with the latest by Abel Chevrolet and never looked back. They were fine when I sold it at 43K miless.

If your car is an 07 with original links, I would replace them with the new type. Pretty easy to to at home...

Be safe, 2k

boraxman

Bought 4 new OEM's from Covettegarage.com $108 shipped. Easy job, about an hour and half taking my time. Torqued the new ones in and noises were gone/

zali0104

GM sway bar links.......These thing are garbage. Recommend you get 'Moog.' It's a much stronger part, has a grease fitting to service.
By the way, GM uses nylon locking nuts on their links. Sometimes you get lucky and they come out easy. If not heating up the nuts until the nylon melts make extraction much easier.
Torque value has no significant effect on lifespan of link except if left too loose.... lol

Dano523

Note, when you go to tighten the new end link bolts, notice that the end of the threaded shaft on the end links has a torques bit socket to use a torque tipped tool to keep the shaft from spinning!!!!

As for when you install the end links, have either that end of the car tires up in the air or on the ground when you install the sets in a pair on either the front of back of the car!!!!

So the easy way to change the end links put the E brake on and choke the back tires, loosen the lug nuts on the front tires, jack the front end up and put the front end on jack stands, remove the tires, change out both end links on the front, put the tires back on with lugs hand tighten, pull the jack stands, drop the front end back down, and torque the lug nuts to 100ftlbs in a star pattern.

Front down, now do the back end links, and make sure to choke the front tires before you put the back end in the air. As for removing the rear tires, gives you more room to work, but is not really needed for the back end links.

Also a little tid-bit, when you have the end links off, its a good time to pull the sway bars to clean the bar bushings, and maybe add some dielectric grease to the bushing inside and out as well. The stock bushings are rubber, and the dialectical grease on cleaned bushing/bar points does wonders to keep keep the sway bars quiet and the bushing last longer as well.
Note, the dielectric grease will not harm the rubber bushings, when if you use a petroleum base grease, it will start to do harm to the rubber bushing instead.

As for changing out to poly sway bar bushing while you have the sway bar out, think long and hard about if you want to do that or not. The downside to poly bushings is that you will need to grease the inside of the poly bushing to bare contact point of the sway bar yearly, or they are going to make a lot of noise when the grease is washed away, and you have a dry sway bar contact point against a dry poly bushing instead.

Torque values
Front:

Stabilizer Shaft Insulator Clamp Bolts
58 N·m
43 lb ft

Stabilizer Shaft Link Nuts
72 N·m
53 lb ft


Rear:
Stabilizer Shaft Insulator Clamp Bolt
65 N·m
49 lb ft

Stabilizer Shaft Insulator Clamp Nut
95 N·m
70 lb ft

Stabilizer Shaft Link Nuts
72 N·m
53 lb ft


As for the moog, or the oem, both are around $100 for all four, and lets face it, neither is going to out last the other; with the OEM ones lighter and prettier anyways.