odd suspension problem

[deadstock]

Mods: Espelir springs, Tokico HP, Progress swaybar, stock endlinks.

Problem: I installed the progress swaybar about 2 months ago and just 2-3 weeks ago the rear end developed a "creaking" sound. Didn't think of it much but I knew something was up and I started to be a bit more careful of my driving. Just 2 days ago the "creaking" developed a clunk. Sound is coming more from the right side than the left side. Besides the clunk what I noticed is that the handling of the car has kind of gotten worse as if the rear isn't rotating as much as before because swaybar isn't doing it's job. I took a quick look underneath the car today and the swaybar is still in place but the crappy stock endlinks (that had to be replaced by napa oem replacements when i lowered the car last year) and they look as if they are worn to hell. On the right side endlink (where noise is coming from most likely) is a leak from the ball joint that connects to the strut tab. Could the clunk, leak, and handling be caused of that endlink/s? Any input would be helpful.

 

[poison]

hell yes. even a slightly loose endlink will clunck like crazy. take it back to napa, see if they'll replace it.

 

[deadstock]

Does the leak on the ball joint mean that it's pretty much shot? It's been pretty much a year since i've bought those endlinks so I don't really want to settle for another pair of stock endlinks. Might get adjustables...if the endlinks are the actual problem.. Car handles like crap now.

 

[deadstock]

UPDATE:
So this morning I jacked the car up and had a look at the endlinks. First off, it seems as if the swaybar bushings are what's creating the "creaking" noise when i pull up on the swaybar. I checked for any loose suspension components and I didn't find any. I took the endlinks off and had a closer look. There isn't any play in the ball joints but 1 ball joint on each endlink are much easier to rotate than the other. I put them back on and made sure I tightened them as much as I could and took a spin around the block. No more clunking but the creaking is still there, and the car still doesn't handle as it used to...again as if the sway bar isn't doing it's job. I tired moving the sway bar by hand but it's stuck on there tight, and stock ball joints have to be rotated closer to each other for it to match holes with the strut tab and sway bar (assuming because stock endlinks are too long after being lowered?). Before I go off buying, are the endlinks the problem to the decreased handling performance aka: the whole problem?

 

[Mike R]

get some synthetic brake slide grease, sta-lub makes some good stuff. Use that for the bushings, worked great for me.