I need a quick diagnosis- should be easy.

[sheila]

Scott, as Sam mentioned above, sway bar end links attach the sway bar ends to the struts.

[double trouble]

Originally Posted by WJC

Man what are you guys smoking...rear ball joints...rear subframes...

It's probably the sway bar links. Rear suspension noises are relatively easy to diagnose, but it helps a lot to get the car in the air and have a big prybar.

You got it right!

Didn't even need a hoist. Looked way under and the drivers sway bar link was rusted away at the bottom.
Cheapest I found them was Advance auto.
$20 for 2 plus another 20% off .
Driveworks brand.
$7 for metal cut-off wheels at Harbor Junk.
Driveworks sway bar links do not fit well . They look like Mevotech . Another cheap China brand. All the other brands I have installed slipped right in. These are a touch long and you have to jack the trailing arm up to compress the rubber washers . Install the nut and tighten some. Then back the nut off and install the final metal washer.
Kind of a pain . The good part is that they are a little longer and hold the back end up a bit higher . They sure fixed the problem.

If you do any suspension work it is recommended to have a Metabo or similar high speed grinder. I just cut the old parts off . Why mess with rusty bolts that are going in the trash .

Total time with clean up 2 hours.
Thanks for the replies
Now its time for rear brakes.
Same side drum is rusting away.

[boulderdentist]

Think I am going to replace the swaybar links this weekend. My left rear clunk/thud is worse in cold weather and with passengers in the back seat. Recently the left rear passenger said "whatever it is feels like it is right under my a** (rear). It is more pronounced when going over bumps but can also be heard on relatively smooth interstate. I feel like I have eliminated the stabilizer bar and bushings. That leaves the swaybar links, strut itself, or rear strut mounting bearing.

Scott

[Breeves002]

WJC is right... It is 90% probably the sway bar links, they are always the first thing to go bad.

Could be the struts, they like to knock when they start to go bad.

Just get those links replaced and get back! It's an inexpensive, and easy fix!