LHS Sway Bar

The rattling noise is caused by the end links anyway. They're hard, and that's how they're able to make a rattle.

The end links dont get hard, they just wear out. The sway bar bushings get hard.

Glenn Beasley Chrysler Tech

I disagree that it can't also be sway bar bushings. End links or worn bushings either one can cause pretty much the same symptom - I know that one first hand.

Bill Putney (To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my address with the letter 'x')

Normally the sway bar bushing noise is heard as you sway right to left. You hear the bar clunking. The stabilizer link noise is heard as you are hitting a bump or pot hole.

Glenn Beasley Chrysler Tech

I'm surprised to read that since the sway bar pretty much puts sudden and reversing-direction stresses (it's the reversing-direction stresses that makes the clunking noises) on both parts under exactly the same circumstances, i.e., the sway bar has to push hard against one to push hard against the other. I'm not saying you're wrong - I'm just saying I don't see how, under a given situation, one would be banged around (clunking) and not the other.

Bill Putney (To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my address with the letter 'x')

Let me clarify the last sentence ("I'm just saying I don't see how, under a given situation, one would be banged around (clunking) and not the other."): By that I'm saying the stresses are there, and if either or both parts (i.e., bushing or end link) are worn out, the opportunity is there for the clunking noise to be present (due to whichever part is worn out). What I'm trying to clarify in this post is that the stresses will not cause noise if neither part is worn out, but if either part (or both parts) is (are) worn out, you will get the clunking under the same conditions.

Bill Putney (To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my address with the letter 'x')

You are correct. If the sway bar bushings are far enough gone (and I've seen them this far gone on my son's '87 Lebaron) the sway bar just sort of rattles freely in the bracket.

My 2004 Chrysler mini-van developed a front end rattle over bumps. I changed the sway bar bushings and the rattle went away. I then changed out the end links (not as easy as it should be) just to cover my bases.

Richard.