The sway bar end links tie the XJ's stabilizer bars to the axles — when the studs rattle loose or the bushings crumble you get a clunk over every bump and vague, floaty cornering, and a fresh pair of links brings the body roll back under control in about an hour.
The Cherokee runs a front sway bar and, on most trims, a rear one, each connected to its axle by a pair of short end links. Those links live right in the spray of road grime and take a beating every time the suspension cycles, so the ball studs wear out, the nuts back off, and the bushings turn to powder. You hear it first: a metallic clunk or rattle from the front over speed bumps and washboard, often mistaken for worn control arm bushings or a bad track bar. Left alone, a broken link lets the sway bar swing free, which means more body roll and less predictable handling on-road. This is one of the least demanding jobs on the XJ and needs no press, no alignment, and no special skills. If your Jeep is lifted 3 inches or more, read the note in the steps before you buy stock links — the factory length no longer works, and you'll want extended links or quick-disconnects instead.
Steps
Park on level, hard ground, chock the wheels, and set the parking brake. You can do the fronts with the wheels on the ground, which is actually preferred so the sway bar sits at its normal loaded angle while you tighten. If you want more room, raise the front on jack stands under the unibody frame rails and support the axle with a floor jack under the differential.
Soak the link nuts with penetrating oil and give them time. These fasteners live in the weather and seize; a rusty XJ rewards patience here, so hit them the night before if you can.
Find the front links first. Each one runs vertically from the sway bar down to a bracket on the axle. Note how the bushings, washers, and spacers stack so you can rebuild it the same way.
Remove the old link. Many stock and replacement links have a hex or flat on the stud so you can hold it with an Allen key or locking pliers while you spin the nut. If the stud just spins with a hopelessly stripped bushing, grip it with locking pliers, or cut the link with a saw or grinder — you're replacing it anyway.
Compare old to new on the bench. A stock XJ front link is short; if yours is lifted and you bought extended links or TJ Wrangler links (about 2.5 inches longer and a common 3-inch-lift fix), confirm the new length keeps the sway bar roughly parallel to the ground at ride height. A bar that hangs at a steep angle can't do its job and the links bind at full flex.
Install the new front links with the bushings and washers stacked in the factory order. Start every nut by hand to avoid cross-threading.
Torque the front links to spec: the lower link nut to 70 ft-lb and the upper link nut to 27 ft-lb. Watch the bushings as you tighten the upper nut — snug them until the bushing just bulges evenly, not until it's crushed flat. If you removed the sway bar clamps or frame brackets, torque those bolts to 40 ft-lb.
Move to the rear sway bar if your XJ has one. The rear links are the same idea — a short link from the bar to a bracket on the axle. Remove, compare, and reinstall the same way, snugging the bushings until they bulge evenly.
While you're under there, check the sway bar bushings — the rubber D-shaped mounts that clamp the bar to the frame. If they're cracked or the bar rocks in them, replace them now; polyurethane bushings firm up the response and outlast rubber. It's a two-bolt job per bushing.
Lower the Jeep, roll it back and forth a few feet, and take a short test drive on a road you know. The clunk over bumps should be gone and the body should feel more planted turning in. If a rattle remains, recheck that every nut is torqued and that the bushings aren't backwards.
Why it works
Kills the front-end clunk and rattle that mimics worn control arms or a bad track bar
Restores flat, predictable cornering and reduces body roll
One of the lowest-cost, lowest-skill fixes on the XJ — no press, no alignment
Extended links or quick-disconnects at this same job fix sway bar angle on a lifted rig and let you unhook for the trail
Trade-offs
Seized or spinning studs can force you to cut a link off on a rusty Jeep
Stock-length links are wrong for a 3-inch-plus lift — buying them for a lifted XJ wastes money
Quick-disconnects cost several times what plain links do; you probably don't need them unless you flex hard off-road
Polyurethane bushings can squeak over time if they aren't kept greased
Tools required
floor jack and jack stands
metric sockets and wrenches (13mm, 15mm, 18mm)
torque wrench
penetrating oil
breaker bar
hex/Allen key or locking pliers to hold the stud
wire brush
Parts
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Written and maintained by an AZ wheeler and driveway wrencher. Always cross-reference your factory service manual — modifications affect vehicle safety and warranty. Work at your own risk.