Your sway bar is what keeps your car from leaning too far when cornering. It does this by connecting your suspension to its opposite side. The sway bar link is what connects the sway bar to the suspension. It’s usually encased in bushes to prevent annoying squeaks and rattles. 

What is a sway bar link?

It is usually a steel pin that slots through the sway bar and into the control arm or whatever it’s connecting to in the suspension. It has some urethane bushings to dampen down the vibrations that it will experience while cornering. 

Why do you need a sway bar link?

The sway bar link is what allows the sway bar to do its job. By connecting the sway bar to the suspension, it allows it to control the behaviour of the car while moving. If the bushes fail or if the links themselves fail then it will render the sway bar useless.

How to tell if you need a new sway bar link

The links failing are much the same as any other sway bar failures. If you notice the car handling poorly, making rattling sounds when cornering, or you can see the link has broken, then it will need replacing.

What’s involved in getting a sway bar link replaced?

The mechanic will hoist the car up and locate the faulty links. They will then unbolt the links from the control arms and remove the sway bar. The links will be disconnected from the sway bar and the new one fitted with new bushings. The new links will be connected to the control arms and the car lowered down ready to go. 

How much does a sway bar link replacement cost near Nelson Bays?

The links themselves aren’t too hard to get to. This helps keep labor costs down and you can expect to pay around $250 and up for a replacement.

How often do I need a sway bar link replaced?

Usually it’s just the bushes that will need replacing. It’s rare, but not unheard of, for the links to require replacing.

Is a broken sway bar link unsafe?

It can be if it affects your cornering and makes the car unsafe to drive on the road. You can fail a warrant of fitness based on a faulty link. If you need it to be replaced, then get it replaced. 

You can find a mechanic near Nelson Bays with My Auto Shop