Nails on chalkboard chirping from end links and trailing arm

[Rogue92]

Hi all,

I changed end links about two months ago, and the past few weeks I have had this God awful nail on chalkboard squeak as I go over curves in roads, bumps, and right curves on roads.

Turns out my new driver side endlink's zerk attachment for greasing is rubbing up and down, cutting into the trailing arm. The passenger side one has enough clearance. Is this as simple as removing the rear sway at again and reinstalling it and hoping each side has proper clearance? I believe the gap between the raised part of the rear swaybar and the bushing is equal on both sides....

 

[Rogue92]

Update from today on this.

I took the sway bar and end links apart again, since I was puzzled why this had no clearance compared to the other side when the gap was the same between the raised ridge and the swaybar bushing on each side.

I think my sway bar may be slightly bent somewhere since it doesn't look too symmetrical. I had to shift the whole swaybar over towards the driver's side so both sides had clearance....or else some other part on the vehicle like the trailing arm is causing the difference.

Either way, problem solved.

 

[Enlightened1z]

"I had to shift the whole swaybar over towards the driver's side so both sides had clearance....or else some other part on the vehicle like the trailing arm is causing the difference."

Thanks for posting because I am experiencing the same thing. My driver-side new rear sway bar link zerk is rubbing the trailing arm and making that same agonizing sound. So is the only way to fix this is removing sway bar and links and "repositioning" it upon reassembly? Was your sway bar bent?

I am not an expert on TB suspensions in the least but can you explain the quote from your post above in a little more detail so I can understand how you fixed this issue?

 

[Rogue92]

I am unsure if my sway bar is bent slightly or if something else like a trailing arm is not exactly up to spec for position and location. I actually unbolted the sway bar from the vehicle and the end links and then repositioned it. But I think you may just be able to loosen the bolt holding the sway bar to the frame and then tap it over with a rubber mallet in the direction it needs to go (once you loosen both sides).

The noise was driving me nuts.....thats why I tore the whole thing a part again and checked with a dial caliper the clearance between the zerk fitting and the trailing arm on each side until they were nearly the same.

If this still doesn't make sense, I will attempt to explain again in the morning...late night for me tonight.

"I had to shift the whole swaybar over towards the driver's side so both sides had clearance....or else some other part on the vehicle like the trailing arm is causing the difference."

Thanks for posting because I am experiencing the same thing. My driver-side new rear sway bar link zerk is rubbing the trailing arm and making that same agonizing sound. So is the only way to fix this is removing sway bar and links and "repositioning" it upon reassembly? Was your sway bar bent?

I am not an expert on TB suspensions in the least but can you explain the quote from your post above in a little more detail so I can understand how you fixed this issue?

 

[Enlightened1z]

Your explanation helped thanx.

Once I moved the swaybar over to the drivers side and re-tightened, I noticed the sway bar still slides left to right when moved with the hand. I'm thinking the bracket bushings are bad, your thoughts? Years ago someone in a Geo tracker rear-ended the TB (but not before i took my foot off the brakes) which may have bent the sway bar but I did not notice any difference in handling until recently, so I kind of doubt it's bent. I also have an 02 Envoy SLT that I replaced the rear stabilizer end links with the same kind of moog end links as the TB... no issues. I will pick up some new bushings today and maybe a new end link because the bottom stud looks to be extended out further from the boot than the top stud. It could have been damaged from the rubbing - I have two diagonal groves in my DS trailing arm. I also saw where the PS Trailing Arm had an up and down mark similar to yours. I will update as this may help others.

 

[Enlightened1z]

Update...My swaybar was not symmetrical when I removed and examined it either. I could easily see the left arm where the DS link attaches was angled more towards the differential than the RS swaybar arm. With it like that I cannot get both sides to clear the trailing arms simultaneously. I did replace the bushings (which were really bad by the way) and got a more snug feel on the swaybar. So until I look into this rear swaybar issue for possible replacement, I am going to look for a shorter zerk than the one on the link or...remove it and temporarily seal cover the hole. Thanks again for your help. I will update my progress.

 

[Rogue92]

Did you have to remove the trailing arms to get the rear swaybar out completely?

I know that the new rear swaybars are really expensive....hence why if mine's bent, I'm going to make it work for as long as I can.

 

[Enlightened1z]

Did you have to remove the trailing arms to get the rear swaybar out completely?

I know that the new rear swaybars are really expensive....hence why if mine's bent, I'm going to make it work for as long as I can.

To remove the sway bar I only removed the 18mm nuts holding its two brackets with the bushings and of course the lower stabilizer end link from both sides. I was able to fish it out from the passenger side over the trailing arms without any problems.

You are right...the replacements are expensive...I may just go the salvage yard route getting one from a newer model for about 45-55 bucks. I have searched for an OEM stock picture to verify the symmetry of the bar, but only pull up the high performance bars pics. For now I have to deal with the bar as it is because the Envoy needs New Control Arm bushings. I got the old bushings out and need to press in the new ones and re-install.

By the way, I changed the grease fitting in the stabilizer link that was causing the squeak. I went with a straight fitting in place of the beefy 90 degree fitting that came installed on the fitting. Odd as that sounds the straight fitting was actually shorter once installed than the original 90 degree fitting. The thread fit was not snug but it held and did not rub after reassembly. I know when I grease the link in the future I'll have to use the original fitting if that will work. Hopefully by then I will have replaced the sway bar and have plenty of clearance for the original fitting to stay in.