Basically, as the title states - how much play is normal for front swaybar end links? Should I be able to rotate them with ease by hand? Or are they toasted? They are original with 110K miles on them.

 

Yes

 

OK, clear this up for me since I asked two questions. Does your "Yes" mean they are shot, or does your "Yes" mean that they should be able to swivel by hand?

 

At 100K I would go ahead and replace them anyway. You don't want to have one break on you while you're driving, it sucks.

 

I know this might be a little late but since no one actually answered your question...

Sway bar end links should have no play. They will, however, turn side to side by hand usually (unless they are the type without the joint in them).

A super easy way to check them without needing a lift (and I actually prefer this way over using a lift anyways), is to get a buddy to stand beside the car and rock it side to side while you grab on to the sway bar. Have them rock the car pretty good, and if there's any problem with the sway bar end links, or the bar bushings, you WILL feel it. You will feel a clicking/clunking depending how bad, all the way theough the bar. If you feel it, move your hand to each of the end link joints in turn to see if it's the link causing the noise. Usually you can see/feel the end link stud bolt play.

If you've confirmed the end link joints are NOT causing any noise/clicking, move onto the sway bar bushings. These are usually more of a visual since they are bigger bushings. If you have a noise and those seem to be allowing the bar to move a lot, there's your problem. Sometimes you will see the bushing so worn that the bar will actually hit the subframe

Working on cars for a living, I have a hard time replacing things that don't need to be replaced, or replacing things just because it's high mileage. Doing that has given techs a bad rep for too long. If you were replacing a few other parts in there that required removing the end links to begin with, by all means replace them. But if your only reason is because it's higher mileage, it's really not needed on these. They are going to go bad and have play/cause noise WAY before they get to the point of breaking unless there is some other issue going on.

 

Sway bar end links should have ZERO play in any direction! Best advice, replace 'em...Gary

 

Other than rotating/pivoting side to side. They do have a ball joint in them so they will do that, but that's also not considered play