Sway Bar Endlinks - Greasable vs Sealed

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I believe the driver's side endlink on my front sway has gone bad and started making a mild clunking sound. I'm planning to replace both endlinks, and unless you all can convince me otherwise I'm going to replace them with sealed (non-greasable) endlinks. Is this a mistake, should I go with endlinks with zerk fittings so I can grease them?

The original endlinks were sealed, but I'm also replacing them because one of them went bad. My main thing is that there's nothing else on the car that needs greasing, so I would have to find my old grease gun and buy grease just to grease the endlinks when I change the oil. Obviously this isn't a big deal, but if sealed endlinks are "good enough" then I'd rather go with those.


Anyone have any input or opinions one way or another?
 
What make of vehicle? I bought cheap greaseable ones off rockauto and one of the fittings came off in less than 3 weeks. I ended up buying raybestos ones that were sealed. They work much better.

My vehicle is a 98 Toyota Sienna.
 
For Japanese OE endlinks, NOK, Senkei-555 sealed units are the preferred choice.

Many a time, they are the OE ones for Honda, Toy, Suzuki or Daihatsu.

For aftermarket ones, I use sealed units bought through B-A, which is repackaged BAW from Taiwan.

I currently am using Deeza greasable on my wifey's camry, holds up well.

I no longer use Moog or repackaged Raybestos (unless client's request, then liability is on them, not me), been inconsistent so far.

Q.
 
I'd use the sealed versions. Less maintenance, one less thing to worry about.

I like Deeza brand. High quality, great price.
 
I had a grease fitting strip out and break off on one of the greasable end links on my truck. It was not that old, either. I could not get a new fitting to thread in and could not get one of the fittings you tap in with a hammer to work either. I replaced both end links with sealed ones from Napa. They are holding up and doing fine so far. My OEM links were sealed too. Greaseable may not be the best way to go, IMHO.
 
If "Meyle HD" end links are available for your vehicle you may want to consider them. They are hard to find but well made.
 
Get the best quality you can buy if the part is clunking but not broken apart. There is obviously a lot of stress in this application on it if that is the case, and it should be replaced with a good part. Trailblaizers, for example, are notorious for eating sway bar links, and the MOOG is the only one I've found to last in them.

If it just broke apart from rust, any replacement will suffice.

5-6 years is pretty short for a sway bar links life. I would find one that has been redesigned from original, since the original design couldnt hold up 5ish years...
 
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The only advice I have is to stay away from the Driveworks endlinks from AAP. While I usually have no problems with their parts, I did with these. I installed them at a friend's shop out of state. BOTH of my front endlinks on my Dakota lost their grease fittings before I made it home (1 day / 600 miles). I need to see if I can replace the fittings or if I have to replace the links themselves. Smh.
 
+1 on Deeza. Got 3 on closeout at rockauto and one from Amazon. They were sealed which I prefer. $85 for all four, delivered to my door.
 
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Another vote for sealed and Deeza. Sealed is the way to go on all front end parts used in street only driven vehicles today, greasable just plain sucks.
 
Thanks everyone, glad to hear it's not a major step down getting a sealed endlink like I was worried about. I'm going to pick up a couple of Deeza endlinks and install them once we get a dry sunny weekend.

Thanks again.
 
Here's another one for you: pretty much most of the factory assembly line for mass-produced automobiles are on "Sealed" ball-joints, tie-rod ends, etc. and with the exception to certain automobile brand/model/application and actual field usage (which may lead to premature failure), most of them ball joints easily lasted over 100k or more before they need replacement.

Aftermarket ball joints, tie-rod ends, etc. are typically split between the "Greasable" type vs "sealed" type.

Sealed type has been in-use for over 50+ years now with excellent track record.

Use "Sealed" units with confidence.

Q.
 
Sealed all the way. Deeza is a definitely reputable brand if you're going aftermarket - I just wish they stopped with all this greaseable nonsense in some of their products. For a daily driver, you don't need to go under there with a grease gun every couple of thousand miles.
 
I recently replaced the original sealed sway bar end links with Moog end links in my 2003 Saab 9-5. There was a time when the greasable Moog ones had some quality issues that involved the rubber piece failing and allowing dirt to enter the bearing area. However, the greasable ones that Moog is currently making are great. You can see in the pic the Moog one is much beefier as well. It comes in bare steel, but I painted mine with Eastwood Chassis Black.

DSC_0320_zps98239c3f.jpg
 
Originally Posted By: tommygunn
I'd use the sealed versions. Less maintenance, one less thing to worry about.

I like Deeza brand. High quality, great price.


I have greaseable Deezas on my Equinox and they work great. I check them whenever I am rotating my tires and grease them when they look low. Have had them on for over 3 years without any issues.
 
Nice paint job Joel, kind of disappointing Moog would not paint it or powdercoat it, because up north it seems it would not last for long as bare steel.

But, at least, it seems, they are putting the money where it belongs; as you have attested to the new part working great.
 
All that time greasing suspension joints doesn't seem to matter.
I don't bother any more.

I find no rhyme or reason for the way parts last. I've had expensive moog suspension joints fail in less then two years and cheap Chinese junk last many years. My son't Cadillac has gone through 4 GM wheel bearings. Just bought another one, going cheap Chinese this time.
 
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