I know I bought the right sized bushings from energy suspension I investigated that before replacing them. Could I detach the sway bar links and see if I hear the noise? That would tell me if it's the sway bar bushings

 

Did you see that?

 

Yes that would work as a test - but make sure you don't leave the bar hanging loose (it would have to be supported so it doesn't bang around), and the same for the links.

But as Donbrew notes, running it without the bar would not be a good thing as far as handling goes. For a quick test it should be ok imo.

The way I isolated noisy bar mounts, was to ride over a small speed bump at low speed, at a severe angle so only one wheel moved up and down. It was pretty easy to figure it out from that, isolating it to the passengers side mount.



edit: whoa - bad logic/thinking on my part - actually as a test it will only clarify if the bar mounts AND the links themselves are the cause or not. It will not clarify if it is JUST the sway bar mounts.

 

A pry bar and a few minutes under the safely supported HHR will show you worn sway bar bushings, disconnecting the end links will not isolate any noises, been there tried that, didn't work, scrapped the how to video!

 

Okay I might have to invest in another jack because I'm not comfortable getting under the car with what I have now. You do have to get under to replace bushings right?

 

Yeah.... As a side note, never get under a car that is supported only with a jack. Use stands or ramps depending on the job.

 

Yes proper jack stands are a must, my friend was crushed when his truck rolled back off of ramps. I always use a jack and jack stands on a hard surface, I my case concrete garage floor!

 

I'm just so irritated that I paid $150 in labor just 7 months ago to have this same job done, but the mistake apparently was using the energy suspension greaseable bushings rather than OEM. Do you think I can reuse the brackets?

 

Don't jump to conclusions quite yet. The bushings may well be fine. I have the greaseable bushings as well, and they work just fine.

Ya just gotta get in there and check them out - if you pull off a wheel, then support the end of the suspension to take the load off the sway bar you can just reach in thru the wheel well and check them with a good size screwdriver or pry bar.

I don't think the brackets that came with the poly bushings will work with the stock bushings, so I kept my old mounts for that reason.

 

Could be they just need grease.