I have an 06 r18. Recent popping/clicking kind of noise under front of car. I talked to a non honda tech he said it could be my sway bar ends. Car has 180,000k on it. Tight on funds for diagnosis. Any additional parts i can check that could be causing it? Happens most often going over flat but unlevel ground. Control arms cracking a little dont know if thatcouldbe causing it. I know nothing about suspension.

 

Sway bar end links that have some play in them will make a popping or clunking sound over bumps. It is typically most noticeable at lower speeds and over rougher roads. You can generally feel the play in the links by trying to wiggle the ends of the bar up and down, but not always.

When I replace the end links I also do the bar bushings. They are easy to replace especially when the links are off or disconnected and not terribly expensive. I have seen a few that the rubber gets worn enough to allow the bar to bump up and down making noise.

 

it could be the end links and they aren't too expensive to change. I would go with Moog if you do decide to change them.

 

is it one of those things that i should change anyway to see if it helps? What do the end links do?

 

Moog does make decent suspension parts. I still prefer to stick with factory but I'm a little biased. I would try to check them before spending he money. If you are planning to do the work yourself, be sure to have some vise grips on hand to hold onto the back side of the studs. They tend to spin even with an impact due to rust on the threads.

The end links tie the sway bar to the the knuckles. The sway bar keeps the tires tight to the road under body roll. They will still work even if they are making noise. When they break is when you start having issues. Broken links will fail safety inspection here in MO.

 

Ok, I'll try to get one of the techs at the Ford dealership I work at to look at them on Saturday. I'll keep you guys posted of results.