Question about swaybar link in car maintenance?

Question

my car makes a strange noise at the front right tire when it hits a bump or pothole or something and my mechanic told me that the STABILIZER BAR CONTROL LINK needs to be replaced and that SHOCK AND OR STRUT ASSEMBLY is needed (both as read off the invoice) the first one costs 58 parts, 67 labor, the second is 236 parts and 212 labor. my car is a 97 chysler concorde. i wanna know what all this is, if its important or dangerous to drive around with and if he is asking a fair price.

Answer 1

Whether or not it's dangerous depends on specifically what's wrong with them. If the stabilizer link is broken, or the struts are really bouncy could be pretty dangerous on curves, or if you need to execute an evasive maneuver, at highway speeds. The links do get dry pretty often. I just did some on a similar car last summer.

The price on the stabilizer links are pretty good. Even if you buy them at Autozone yourself, they run $50. The struts, it depends on the type and brand. Labor seems a little on the high side to me, but I don't know what the labor rates run in your area or if this is a dealership either, so...

Answer 2

the stabilizer bar is for body roll my SUV is missing one. it drives fine. it"s only a bar that goes from one side to the other with links to the a-arm"s so you should only have 2 parts to replace. the swaybar links mine are 75$ PC and 1 hour of my time.  

Answer 3

you could replace the sway bar links on both sides and see if that helps the noise wait till you have the money to do all four struts and get a wheel alignment you will be a lot happier and the car will ride like new

Answer 4

Try the sway bar links first.  If the noise goes away I wouldn't worry about the struts at this time.

Answer 5

The Stabilizer Bar is a torsion rod where each end attaches to the suspension on one axle (the front or the rear) and the middle of the bar is attached to the frame of the vehicle.  What it does is to resist the vehicles natural tendency to roll in a corner - lift the inside tires.  This reduces weight transfer which improves handling and vehicle control and keeps the tires more firmly planted on the ground for better traction.  The size of the bar and where it is fitted (front axle, rear axle or both) also help determine the handling characteristics of the vehicle - how much oversteer or understeer it will have.  

The Control Links attach the end of the bar to the suspension.  If one or both break the bar is no longer connected to the vehicle which will change the vehicles handling characteristics.  If broken they should be replaced and I always recommend replacing them in pairs even if only one is broken.

Struts also have a huge impact on vehicle handling and braking characteristics.  Struts control the motion of the suspension - how quickly it moves up and down.  A worn, damaged or leaking strut will not control suspension motion properly as the car goes over bumps which reduces ride quality and vehicle control.  The tires will also not have consistent contact with the road which reduces traction.  Worn struts can also result in longer stopping distances as they allow more weight transfer under braking (weight shifts forward, causing the front end to dive and the rear end to lift).  This puts more stress on the front brakes and reduces the ability of the rear brakes.  On a 97' anything the struts will be pretty well worn and should be replaced for improved performance.  Motorist Assurance Program guidelines recommend replacing OE struts with more than 50,000 miles on them.

Answer 6

that was a common problem with those and that is a fair price,and yes they do need to be replaced,the stabilizer link is not a safety issue but the strut is,both need to be replaced though and the front end re-aligned on it,you shoud be hearing a popping sound come from the front end every once in a while on that one if those are bad,good luck.

Answer 7

not so much dangerous.... but it will drive much better.. yes you can still drive it a round but really if its bad you should get it fix.... and i think the price is good... but you knowing what it need you can call a round to a few places and ask about it...