Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Suspension Updated Rear Links mean new Sway Bar?

I've been getting a lot of noise from my rear suspension on my 95 SE (MTX). The dealer says that I need new sway bar links -- no biggie. Except that they claim that there has been an 'update' to the links and they will not mount on my sway bar. Instead I'll need a new bar as well.

The claim is that the new links include the 'ball' as part of the link (which then bolts to a hole in the sway bar) while my current bar has the ball welded on to the end.

I can't find any reference to this change in the forum, and all the pictures that I can find show the link without the attached ball. Is my dealer full of it? And if not, is there anyway that I can avoid replacing the (perfectly good) sway bar? Thanks for any help.

Never heard of this. You can make your own end links if you feel so inclined to. I don't know the specifics, but it's not hard. I bought mine from stazi.

A followup: Assuming the new (if there was any change) end-links are usable with the existing sway bar -- How do they mount onto the ball? That is, how does the opening of the socket expand to allow the ball in? I don't have the part in front of me and I can't tell from the pictures.

I think the dealer is full of it. there was -- indeed -- a change in the end link design from pre 98 to post 98. but the links are interchangable w/o problems.

there are at least three different versions

my 95 LS are riveted to the sway bar

my father 95 they are bolted and they are again different on the 99

so maybe if you have a early 95 you can't technically change them without changing the bar

but in all reality you could drill it out and bolt new ones on

I got the new links, and there is no way that the current welded 'ball' will fit into these. I'll have to drill out the end of the bar and then bolt the link to bar. Any idea how large the hole in the bar should be -- the same size as the inner diameter of the 'sleeve' in the link? Or should it be large enough so that the sleeve (which sticks out about 1/8") can fit inside the hole?

Also what size bolt should I use? Is this a dealer item?