Hello-

I've got a reputation for only posting on this forum when something goes wrong with my XJ Since we're snowed in for the moment in DC, now's a good time to be fixing up some things around the house.

Anyways, I'm hearing a CLUNK every time I make a turn, especially at slow speeds. The tighter the turn, the bigger the CLUNK. I crawled underneath to see what's going on, and this is the photo I took:



I *THINK* that's a swaybar link. But I want to be sure. Would a broken swaybar coupling cause a clunking noise?

If so, any recommendations on what aftermarket parts/brands I can use to patch this up?

Thanks-

 

Swaybar link, and yes it would cause a clunking noise. Don't take any hard corners with it like that, you'll flip.\

You can go ahead and look up some quick disconnects, since you'll want to disconnect the swaybar at trails. Otherwise you can just get another one at the local junkyard.

 

Sir!

Thank you for such a quick reply. Any quick disconnect brand you'd recommend?

 

Nah i don't have any recommendations, I haven't really looked into them much. There's a few guys on here that make them, i think Lowrange2 is one of them.

 

JKs makes some good ones.. Zone sells them too... You could always get creative and make your own also..

Mine broke while installing my lift. I didn't have the $ for quick discos so I went to the junkyard got a new link and then went to pepboys and got energy suspension bushings...

 

I have JKS disconnects and they're real nice. Lots of companies make them: Zone, Rough Country, Teraflex, etc. I'm pretty sure the user dukie564 makes disconnects. Find and check out his build thread for a nice and cheap way to make them.

 

Go to your local parts store, sway bar links are cheap, spring for the moog

 

Thank you all for your feedback-

I ended up going with a MOOG part from the local parts store since I only have today to work on it. Taking off the broken part was a piece of cake--just took an impact wrench to the bolt and it came right off. It looks like I'll have to remove the wheel in order to have enough room to remove the bolt (I circled in yellow). I can't seem to remove that bolt--after tapping on it with a rubber mallet for a while, I started to wonder if it was screwed into place...

So, as of now the CLUNKING is solved but the problem is only half fixed! Until I figure out how to remove the lower bolt on the sway bar link, I can't install the new one!

 

Those bolts freeze up good sometimes. I had to cut the entire sway bar mount off the axle on my last jeep cause the damn things were so stuck.

Don't freak out and think that you can't drive cause you'll flip like the first guy said...

I've removed the sway bar on my last 3 rigs and never had a problem, even cornering at 70

 

The torx side is pressed in I think? I dunno.. I always just put a half inch breaker bar on the other side which is a 15mm I think and go to town. The bolt never moves on me lol

 

That bolt is pressed into the axle bracket. To remove the link you just have to take the nut/washer off. I've never had to hold that bolt while removing that nut before either. Also in my experience, if one is rusted enough to break the other is not far off - best to do those in pairs when one goes... and when removing the other it'll probably snap off on the top. That just makes it easier to remove though. hehe

 

Knew it! Lol

 

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f46/pr...-o-pics-72793/Scroll down a bit and you'll see this exact bolt/removal

 

I am totally confused. In the first photo, the sway bar links is not even connected up top. In the 2nd photo, it is connected. Yet, you say you have't done anything yet.

 

Looks to be the other side in the second pic