Have you ever faced issues regarding the sway bar links? They are pretty bad and hard to handle. The stabilizer link performs multiple functions to provide a smooth and comfortable drive while its main purpose is to prevent the body roll at the corners. 
In this article, we will cover all the crucial points related to the topic of the stabilizer link. We will also discuss how to tell if stabilizer link is bad, its fixation cost, and some frequently asked questions regarding the content.
So, let’s begin with the topic and attain the desired result along with the essential points.
Table of Contents
What Is Stabilizer Link In Vehicles?
A link stabilizer connects the vehicle’s left and right wheels through short links, reducing body roll whilst cornering, and absorbing shocks from potholes and uneven road surfaces. The stabilizer bar generally improves handling and shock-absorbing, keeping the car from swaying too much as you turn, which could lead to loss of control.
Adding stabilizer links between the main bars and wheels refines this process of control, so cars handle tight. Broken anti-sway bar end links do not cause tire wear. Depending on the vehicle or model of the car, you may have a front or a rear sway bar, or you may have both. However, driving with broken sway is difficult and needs caution.
How To Tell If Stabilizer Link Is Bad?
A stabilizer link, also knows as a sway bar or anti-roll bar is a crucial device in vehicles. It functions to reduce the amount of body roll, or lean, that a vehicle experiences during cornering. It is generally a thin, tubular piece of metal bolted to the suspension on each side of the car, either at the front or back and often both.
Whenever, a stabilizer link faces any malfunctioning or becomes worse, the body roll in the vehicle increases creating a difficult situation while driving. Therefore, to analyze such issues various symptoms and signs are given by the vehicle which help you to know and warn to fix the problem soon. Some of the common symptoms are listed below:
1. Poor Or Unpredictable handling
A broken, worn-out, and damaged stabilizer link can cause poor handling of your vehicle initiating or giving a rise to a huge mess. If your sway bar is broken then it would not connect to the chassis properly and as a result, it would not prevent the car from leaning in a corner.
You will experience more leaning in the corner particularly in the case with a broken stabilizer link. However, if the link is damaged or the bushing for the link is missing then the handling may feel twitchy and pretty uncomfortable.
2. Unusual Noises
So, it is another symptom experienced by the vehicles due to failing or bad stabilizing link. It works on the simple phenomenon that whenever the link is broken, the noise is produced because the end of the sway bar is free to flop around independently of the suspension and chassis.
The sound produced by the broken links includes rattling and clicking noises as it moves around and knocks against the vehicle as you drive around the corners. There could also be audible clunk or click sounds as you go over the bumps.
If the bushing on the end link is damaged or missing, the same symptoms may occur and cause rattling and unusual noises.
3. Appearance Via Visual Inspection
It is the other common symptom observed while driving with the faulty stabilizer link. It is generally determined by a visual inspection, which is the best way to analyze if there is a problem with the link and not some other component in the suspension.
If the link broke down or faces any malfunction then it won’t be attached to the suspension on one end or may not be attached to the sway bar on the other end. Each end of the link is assigned with series of bushings, washers, and nuts that connect the link to the sway bar on one end and the suspension on the other end.
4. Excessive Swerving Problems
It is a critical and dangerous symptom seen in the car. Whenever the car swerves at the time of driving or running, it indicates the bad or faulty sway bar links in the vehicle. As the tire lose their grip, the wheels also experience disturbance and thus, cannot generate enough traction.
Hence, for these reasons, the car swerves in a direction during acceleration in the car.
Can You Drive With Bad Stabilizer Links?
If you experience or suspect that the sway bar is broken then no worries you can still drive the car. But you must use caution and be alert while driving. However, you cannot drive the car at high speeds. There are chances that you may lose control over the car, resulting in a serious accident.
Thus, it is better to drive carefully and not to speed the car if possible. Also, fix the issue soon if you found a garage nearby.
How Much Does It Cost To Fix Bad Stabilizer Link?
The sway bar link performs an essential function in the vehicles by preventing the body roll. The average cost for a stabilizer bar link kit ranges between $130 to $140. Labor costs are estimated within $40 to $55 while parts are priced at $80 approximately.
However, these ranges do not include taxes and fees. The prices of replacement or fixation may vary from place to place and also depends on the type and model of the vehicle.
Conclusion
We hope the information mentioned above help and guides you in dealing with the situation. However, we also expect that by the end of the topic you know how to tell if stabilizer link is bad or faulty. You can handle and avoid all these problems by regular servicing and maintenance of the vehicle.
If your doubts or queries regarding the topic persist, please comment below in the comment section. And we’ll surely answer all your questions as quickly as possible.
