Sway Bar End links does diameter matter greatly?

S

Sequoiasoon

Joined
Jan 12, 2008
Messages
2,361
Location
Long Island, NY
2010 Kia Forte EX 2.0L with 187k on it. Daily driver, commuter car for my son. He heard some clanking going on so I checked. Broken end link, I think it was a Moog, didn't get greased enough or just got old.

No other cars home for another couple hours. Autozone had the Duralast ones in stock. The diameter is much thinner than the ones that are on there. They were also $40 each. I did the broken side so I can the car on the road. I can do the other one also or just grease it for now. I can ordere any version if one is better than the other and swap the one I just did.

On RA the "greaseable" versions seem to be the thicker ones and the sealed ones like Centric, Delphi, AC Delco seem to be the same thinner diameter.
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I'd say for that service, the thinner one will be fine. If it were a tie rod end or something critical to steering, I'd say go with a heavier duty one.
 
Sequoiasoon said:
2010 Kia Forte EX 2.0L with 187k on it. Daily driver, commuter car for my son. He heard some clanking going on so I checked. Broken end link, I think it was a Moog, didn't get greased enough or just got old.

No other cars home for another couple hours. Autozone had the Duralast ones in stock. The diameter is much thinner than the ones that are on there. They were also $40 each. I did the broken side so I can the car on the road. I can do the other one also or just grease it for now. I can ordere any version if one is better than the other and swap the one I just did.

On RA the "greaseable" versions seem to be the thicker ones and the sealed ones like Centric, Delphi, AC Delco seem to be the same thinner diameter.
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I used to use the Moog sway bar links because of their stoutness and Zerk fittings. However, I now prefer the Sankei 555 brand for Asian vehicles. They are lubricated for life (sealed) and are excellent quality and affordable from PartsGeek.
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Trav said:
A lot of good the grease fitting did on the one that is broken, go for one of the LFL models.
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In general I agree - but my friend's 2012 Sonic ate several sets of front stabilizer-bar end-links - at least one set under warranty, one set installed by Midas, and then at least two sets I installed.

@14Accent recommended greaseable Moogs. So far, so good - they're outlasting all the other replacements.

Caveat - I'm sure if we miss greasing them during the seasonal tire changeover, they'll fail quickly.
 
Won't affect performance, since sway bar diameter is all that matters. However, thinner drop link would be weaker and could be more prone to breaking/bending...not likely. Personally, I would go with a link of equal size for the extra $$, it's not going to break the bank.
 
Ronn said:
Won't affect performance, since sway bar diameter is all that matters. However, thinner drop link would be weaker and could be more prone to breaking/bending...not likely. Personally, I would go with a link of equal size for the extra $$, it's not going to break the bank.
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Not necessarily true. As explained by several individuals on a previous BITOG thread about Moog sway bar links, the strength of the rod is not just dependent on the diameter. The type of metallurgy and hardening play an equal (if not bigger) part in the tensile strength and deformability of the sway bar link. Look at it this way, would a 0.25" thick aluminum nail be stronger than a 0.20" thick heat-treated steel nail?
 
Trav said:
A lot of good the grease fitting did on the one that is broken, go for one of the LFL models.
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That would be me also. Not part of my normal maintenance routine anymore since almost everything is sealed on my vehicles. I think last vehicle really was my '03 Sequoia as it had zerks on the driveshaft, u-joints and some suspension.
Number_35 said:
Caveat - I'm sure if we miss greasing them during the seasonal tire changeover, they'll fail quickly.
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Maybe we didn't look or even really notice them on all those changeovers. Maybe we did but grease gun was semi buried in garage and said next time.

I've only changed end links a couple times over all my years. One thing yesterday and thinking to the lug nut thread with Capt W. and the impact sockets of no need.

Having a good impact gun is SO NICE! Those nuts/threads were rusted on there and it impacted the whole way off, not break free and spin easy. If I didn't have that it would have sucked. Last I recall that way was the Sequoia with a a wrench and ratchet or 2 wrenches. Heat to red hot, try it, strain to get an 1/8" turn, repeat, try liquid wrench, repeat, cramp muscles, repeat. This was wrench at back side, squeeze trigger, done. I did spray the 2 nuts with Gibbs before taking bike 1 mile down road to get the links.

I might return the other Duralast on to AZ and add a less expensive same LFL version to next RA order to have here.
 
Kantaro said:
Do greasable ball joints lose grease quickly?
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I don't know. I was surprised that the ball joints on the aftermarket LCAs on the Kia Sedona lasted over six years without being greased. (I didn't install them, and didn't see the zerks.)

I try to grease any greaseable parts 2x annually - conveniently enough, with seasonal tire changes.
 
Kantaro said:
Do greasable ball joints lose grease quickly? I've only used sealed units without grease fittings
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From what I understand the problem with the joints with fittings, is the people doing the maintenance.
They don't always clean the fitting, and can't resisting adding more, and often burst the boot.
The grease installed at the factory, in the right quantity (theoretically), will stayed sealed in and remain clean, if you eliminate who knows who down the line.
 
Maybe from a perspective of rust. Just stands to reason a smaller link would have less metal to eat up and to get weaker faster. It looks like you live where that could be an issue I suppose. Just spitballing.
 
I'd pick an end link based on what options they provide for eventual removal. Like having wrench flats between the stud and ball joint, so I can grab something to zap the nut off without damaging anything in a few years if I need a new strut or whatever.

As it stands now I usually grind up the protruding stud and a little bit of the nut. Heat from grinding loosens the nut and it zips off. If that doesn't work I have to put in a notch to hold a slotted screwdriver to keep the middle from spinning.

Typically this doesn't show well in photos of the part, and I buy them on price anyway, assuming it's the last time I'll do the job, LOL.
 
I'll just mention ....... I have a 2007 Hyundai van with 220k miles and I have changed stabilizer links at least a half dozen times. They do seem to wear out fast & then "rattle" a tad.
I have tried multiple brands and found Moog to be the most substantial. I even "buy ahead" and have several on hand for both sides.
 
Follow up to this. Originally he said heard noise front and back. After we changed the broken link we drove to get gas and didn't hear anything else so never removed the rear tires. Yesterday after a bit longer drive and more bumps he says still noise but sounds like the back. So we jack it up and discuss how much we love NE salt and rust.

Left rear bump stop rusted off. Hind sight I should have made a nice batch of JB weld and stuck it back up there. We ended up cutting the rubber so we could remove it. I'll bring to shop next week and ask opinion. I was planning on some new springs for him anyway as the rear sags especially with his friends in it. We changed shocks not too long ago as part of it because they were shot and rear was bouncing around on highway bumps/corners. Bump stop was still attached back then but definitely got used also.

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Kantaro said:
Do greasable ball joints lose grease quickly? I've only used sealed units without grease fittings
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No, they don't lose grease quickly unless the boot is damaged, but in that case a lubed for life can have issues too, but the lubed for life typically have a plastic bearing in them so if they get dry there is less friction, and yet that bearing is also subject to more impact wear. The greasable don't necessarily need greased with every oil change, but it's a good idea to add a little, every 2-3 years. It's not as much an issue for DIYers with a grease gun, but if having a shop change your oil, they won't necessarily expect or look for lube points on aftermarket parts if the original factory part wasn't greaseable, and sometimes even if it was.

That variable is not as important as overall quality, but I do prefer quality greaseable lower BJs on vehicles driven on rough roads.
 
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