Front and rear sway bar end links
- Thread starter BeenChevy
- Start date
Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.
So follow up on this, I still get a popping noise when turning slowly in and out of the driveway. I believe it is the cross member attach bolts based on other threads/comments about this.
Also had a "clanging" noise when going over bumps at speeds less than 50mph. Found out one of the rear GM sway bar links was defective. You could hit the sway bar at the connection and hear the same clanging noise. Wasn't a loose bolt/nut either. The articulating bolt in the link is loose inside the housing causing the metal to metal contact. So I ordered a pair of Hellwig HEL7961 adjustable end links. Once I get those, no more noise.
Also had a "clanging" noise when going over bumps at speeds less than 50mph. Found out one of the rear GM sway bar links was defective. You could hit the sway bar at the connection and hear the same clanging noise. Wasn't a loose bolt/nut either. The articulating bolt in the link is loose inside the housing causing the metal to metal contact. So I ordered a pair of Hellwig HEL7961 adjustable end links. Once I get those, no more noise.
OP
OP
BeenChevy
Full Access Member
The hellwig rear links look beefy with that outer sleeve. Glad you did away with the junk stock rear links with your hotchkis setup. So far the $30 rear links I bought off e-bay in post #1 are working out great. Probably should have bought 2 sets as they're sold out.
As for the noise you hear turning slow out of the driveway... if not the cross-member bolts - I had similar on the 05 Tahoe and it turned out to be a bad bushing in the panhard bar. Swapped it with a cherry red one from spohn and about a week later the noise was back. Turned out that the nut used to lengthen or shorted it had loosened and needed a little lock tight and the clunk noise has been gone ever since. If you can get a pry bar in there you could see if those bushing might also have slop.
As for the noise you hear turning slow out of the driveway... if not the cross-member bolts - I had similar on the 05 Tahoe and it turned out to be a bad bushing in the panhard bar. Swapped it with a cherry red one from spohn and about a week later the noise was back. Turned out that the nut used to lengthen or shorted it had loosened and needed a little lock tight and the clunk noise has been gone ever since. If you can get a pry bar in there you could see if those bushing might also have slop.
check the condition of the rear panhard bar & bushings, if the bushings are worn and if the bar "bolts" are not super tight it will make a pop noise, needs to be torqued as tight as you can get it.
Got the endlinks installed this morning. The old ones (20 months old) were on their way out. One of them was notchy in it's movement due to moisture intrusion and it causing rust. There wasn't much grease in the boot either.
But enough of those. The Hellwig units are ALOT better and I can tell a difference with the way the truck handles corners. Remember this is also paired with a Hotchkis sway bar.
I forgot to look at the panhard bar. I will this week.
I also got the Brembo's sorted. Borrowed a neighbors Snap On diagnosis tool to use on the ABS system. Had some air in the system after doing the swap. Thanks everyone for the great input and topics. Forum has been a time and money saver.
Edit:
Drove the Yukon to work. WOW what a difference the sway bar links made. The stock rear sway bar links are not your friend. For those looking at a Hotchkis sway bar you must not re-use the stock links. Get the Hellwig or something comparable in design.
But enough of those. The Hellwig units are ALOT better and I can tell a difference with the way the truck handles corners. Remember this is also paired with a Hotchkis sway bar.
I forgot to look at the panhard bar. I will this week.
I also got the Brembo's sorted. Borrowed a neighbors Snap On diagnosis tool to use on the ABS system. Had some air in the system after doing the swap. Thanks everyone for the great input and topics. Forum has been a time and money saver.
Edit:
Drove the Yukon to work. WOW what a difference the sway bar links made. The stock rear sway bar links are not your friend. For those looking at a Hotchkis sway bar you must not re-use the stock links. Get the Hellwig or something comparable in design.
Last edited:
So I pulled the stock panhard bar to find the body side bushing has leaked all it's grease out. Assume it is filled with grease as the fitting and housing were all caked with dirty grease. The bushing was also free to move around, where as the axle side was still stiff.
So I ordered a QA1 Panhard Bar taking the risk that it would fit, even though it's not listed for my model year (2015+). Looks like hole to hole distance is off by about @ 3/16 inch and the bushing is about an 1/8 inch too wide. I'm not to worried about hole to hole because I can shift the axle to get it to line up unless someone says otherwise.
I tried to slide it into position to see if the holes would line up but it won't even fit into the bathtub brackets. The axle and body side bathtub fittings are too narrow, where as the stock one drops right in. It starts to go in as the fittings have a taper to them. Any thoughts? It would appear any of the aftermarket arms would have this same issue.
So I ordered a QA1 Panhard Bar taking the risk that it would fit, even though it's not listed for my model year (2015+). Looks like hole to hole distance is off by about @ 3/16 inch and the bushing is about an 1/8 inch too wide. I'm not to worried about hole to hole because I can shift the axle to get it to line up unless someone says otherwise.
I tried to slide it into position to see if the holes would line up but it won't even fit into the bathtub brackets. The axle and body side bathtub fittings are too narrow, where as the stock one drops right in. It starts to go in as the fittings have a taper to them. Any thoughts? It would appear any of the aftermarket arms would have this same issue.
Last edited:
OP
OP
BeenChevy
Full Access Member
See if you can get a photo of that. I'd imagine you can pry them open a bit to get the replacement panhard in. Do you have a caliper you could measure the inside of the brackets compared with the new part? Thinking of swapping all the rear arms and pan hard as well.
Update: I finally took the stock panhard bar off and chucked it in the trash. In it's place I installed a Spohn panhard bar. It fit like a glove.
I did compare the Spohn unit to the QA1 unit. As you can see in the picture, the QA1 unit is larger in diameter, but the ends are also wider, which was the main reason I couldn't install it. So for anyone wondering.....
I did compare the Spohn unit to the QA1 unit. As you can see in the picture, the QA1 unit is larger in diameter, but the ends are also wider, which was the main reason I couldn't install it. So for anyone wondering.....
Attachments
Last edited:
Similar threads
