Front sway bar issues! please help if you can

[urbancowboy]

I've got a AU2 XR8, The front end had been making a knock/clunk on the left mainly for a few weeks now and it does it when close to full lock.

I had all new Nolathane bushes put in the front end on Monday, Including new front Monroe GT Sport gas shocks. The Bushes are the red coloured type however the bushes i received for the sway bar are Nolathane's black type. Since my size was out of stock in the red type.

This made the cluck immediately more noticeable! whats more it wasn't only louder, but now does it when no where near full lock and from both sides!

So i go to the mechanic that works on my car and he has a look under the front end while the cars sitting on the ground with full left lock, and he grabs my sway bar and it moves a full two inches! I said WTF! Its got new bushes in the D clamp's and the link pins have new bushes!, it's been fully tightened up and the bushes are greased! So i reiterate WTF?

Im thinking i'll go back to Rubber D bushes and see if this eliminates the movement.

And ideas as to why my Brand New Nolathane bushes are useless? im pretty much going to send them back and demand a refund! But what if my sway bar still moves after i put rubber ones in it? after all it was doing it before, and i don't see what i can do to stop it!

HELP!

I'm starting to think my XR8 is a ALFA ROMEO!

[cjf]

My guess is that you have the wrong size D bushes or something else in the front end is badly worn allowing movement.

[urbancowboy]

D bushes are correct! i measured the sway bar with verniers and then when the sway bar bushes went on they were tight and still feel tight. They are allowing the sway bar to move side to side though.
Maybe the Link pins are allowing the movement?

EVERY front bush has been replaced!

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by urbancowboy

So i go to the mechanic that works on my car and he has a look under the front end while the cars sitting on the ground with full left lock, and he grabs my sway bar and it moves a full two inches! I said WTF! Its got new bushes in the D clamp's and the link pins have new bushes!, it's been fully tightened up and the bushes are greased! So i reiterate WTF?

What did the mechanic think the problem was?

[philstoj]

Check your balljoints

[urbancowboy]

Mechanic originally said them new bushes are farked!
A friend suggested i get D bushes one size too small to get em fitting tighter.

Ball joints them selves feel good, however they may be a little loose in the control arm he suggested i.e. spline a bit old but ball joints seem ok.

[Sox]

This sounds wierd.

How is it possible that your mechanic could not see the fault, yet he was moving the sway bar '2 inches'...........

[urbancowboy]

Dunno but im seriously at my wits end with my heap of **** XR8!