John Harry

I hear a mild rattling. Will check axle nuts, diff clutch packs, and Corsa exhaust hangers, but I suspect the sway bar end links. What's the correct fix - tighten them, replace them, tighten then replace if they still rattle? And, if replacement is necessary, do you suggest OEM, Pfadt, or what? It's hard to believe they are worn out, but I guess anything is possible.

2006 vert
low miles
street driven
mechanically stock

drivinfast

its a common part to go out.
i replaced mine with pfadt. LG makes them too, teflon lined.

JCtx

Define 'low miles' man; 80,000 could be considered 'low' (10K per year) miles on an 8-yr-old 2006. The more details you provide, the better help you get. Good luck.

victorf

Go over to C6 RoadRacing Section, guys over there are way more technical.

Read up on member froggy47 and Solofast on their take on end links if that is what you need.

You can DIY your teflon end links for about the price of OEM replacement.

IMO, unless corner balance is needed, OEM is quick and simple.

Personally, I am still on my oem original without problem @26K. Being proactive, ordered a set of Moog, but disappointed and promptly returned back to Amazon due to poor quality.

Appear the expensive Power Grid is much like OEM with ball in aluminum socket design but have the advantage of adjust-ability for corner balance.

John Harry

Thanks for responses.

About 15K.

John Harry

Is it worth trying to tighten loose end links first, or do you just replace them?

HOXXOH

The factory torqued them to spec and lock-tite on the nuts. The problem, almost always, is the ball has beat the socket so much that it becomes loose and it's not repairable. I'm on my 4th set at 111K miles.

John Harry

Makes sense, thanks for the info.

vig1116

I see you have an '06 like me. They changed the oem sway bar links in '08 (i think) and are better than '06. I would just spend the $100 and get 4 new ones....

ls1121

replace them, I just had mine replaced with OEM because it was under warranty. Fairly simple to do yourself.

el es tu

Dont mess with the other stuff until you check the endlinks first.

Worn endlinks are obvious as theyll make noise while driving in a straight line over bumps (this is easier to notice when going slow through a neighborhood).



Adjustables will wear and tend to make noise faster than oem so Id suggest replacing with oem unless you plan on using adjustable ones to dial out preload.

as far as adjustables go,

zip corvette are the cheapest, then the gm T1 style.

Pfadt makes some but they dont advertise the price on tehir website.

LG sells some heavy duty teflon lined sets for 300 bucks

Finally a company called power grid sells heavy duty adjustable endlinks with rubber boots for 300.
These have opposite threading, so you dont have to take them apart to adjust them.

If you upgrade your sways with pfadt sways theyre going to send you endlinks with the bars.

If youre keeping your current sway bars (and want to be able to adjust the links), Id go with the powergrid links or the lg hd links.

John Harry

I appreciate the feedback.

carllangford

Any update?

John Harry

My trusted mechanic is convinced he's hearing a lot of diff clutch chatter. Could be, since the fluid is the original. So in the next week or two he'll replace it with the latest (Dexron LS Gear Oil 75W-90, part #88862624). After that we'll see what noise, if any, remains. My hearing is so crappy it's hard for me to tell, other than something's making my Chevy sound like a Yugo.

carllangford

Thanks for the update. I might try that as well as a start since my fluid is original too. I've got chatter from right/rear in forward/reverse left turns and chatter in straight line travel over speed bumps (clutch in). I also hear a little "thunk" when going into the next gear and letting out clutch.

Sayfoo

Moog and Raybestos have steel end links. I've had them for about 20k miles and they seem good. Available at Rockauto for $18-25 ea for my 08.
I was advised that teflon lined links will fail quickly.

torquetube

After only a few years of ownership, I replaced the rattling front end-links on my '06 Z51 with original-equipment parts. I believe GM may have improved the design by then.

Now I'm at 112K miles and the replacements are fine - and the rear end-links are still original.

The parts are so cheap and so easy to change that there isn't much downside to sticking with the OE links.

John Harry

Well, this took longer than I expected, partly because my trusted mechanic broke his wrist in a motorcycle accident. But the diff fluid got changed and I have to admit it made a big difference in the rattle/clatter/whatever. Not sure if there's really any noise left or not (my bad hearing and Corsa Sports complicate the situation). Will take a drive with mechanic sometime and if anything more needs to be done I'll update this post.

carllangford

Thanks for the update