Hugo L.

Mine might be worn (I have this annoying clunking noise that I can't get rid of and this might be the cause of it) and mboemparts doesn't seem to list the bushing, only the whole front sway bar. No luck on rockauto either...

Mmr1

I think that’s the only way it comes , the bushing is really made into the piece. Look at FCP euro, at least they have a lifetime warranty. At 70000m I replaced all the front end parts to stop a small clunk. My control arm was the worst.

calder-cay

I know your concern for cost.

But honestly, it's best to replace not just the bushing, but the complete unit.

And of course, ensure what is REALLY causing the noise before committing to parts

Odd Piggy

The stabilizer bar links usually wear out before the mount bushings. Mileage? Clunking in the front end of a GLK can also come from the strut, strut bearing, or (often) upper control arm bushing. Calder-cay’s caution could save you money.

Hugo L.

I've never heard of anyone replacing an entire sway bar unless you want to upgrade to a bigger one. I'll look into how this one is built, but it makes no sense. Of course, this wouldn't be the first engineering surprise on this car.

That said, I have no idea what's causing the noise. The end links are not that old, both control arms have been replaced after the noise appeared and that did nothing, and the whole strut/strut mount assembly was changed last fall, again way after the noise first appeared. So there isn't much left, except maybe the tie rod...

Odd Piggy

So you have been through just about everything that could cause a front end clunk on a GLK.

One last thing if you haven’t already checked — the steering rack mounting bolts. That’s really unlikely but maybe ???

And here is a part from eBay that seems to be what you’re looking for. If those bushing brackets are welded, maybe a bit of reverse engineering would be needed to install them.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2-Front-Sta...edirect=mobile

SteveE400

If you're looking for someone who replaced an entire anti-sway bar assembly "just" to remedy a creaking noise. . . that would be me, on my E Class. Took two different dealers over 5 years to find that damned noise. Granted, it was under ELW, but that was the only way to get the needed parts. MB does not sell the bushings separately. BTW - nasty job on a 4Matic, not so bad on RWD cars.

As for how to tell if your anti-sway bar is causing your noise, you can do as we did. Disconnect the two end links that connect the anti-sway bar to the control arms. Tie them out of the way and take a short drive. Noise still there? Then it can't be the anti-sway bar. Noise gone? Then it is the anti-sway bar.

I explained this troubleshooting technique to the first servicing dealer. They wouldn't do it. Wasn't a MB-prescribed method. Second dealer did it, found noise, and is now my service dealer.

Chris1979

The sway bar on rock auto is called TORSION BAR however it doesn't specify if it's the front or if there is one in the back. Haven't really looked at that piece on my GLK

habbyguy

I've never heard of replacing a swaybar to remedy worn out bushings... yikes. I looked at my bushings on my newly acquired 2011 GLK and they looked new(ish), so either the PO replaced them (and/or the entire bar) or they last a good long while. ;-)

FWIW, I did a quick eBay search and found plenty of options for bushings.

GLKattitude

Some great advice from my friend Mmr1 here, seriously!

Our GLKs have 4 lower control arms, the rear 2 had been replaced on mine but not the fronts. I have a clunking noise. Up one the lift I found that the L front side has play. Get it on a lift and check it good.

Yes Mmr1 FCP Euro is the best!!!

habbyguy

FWIW, I just crawled under my GLK (already have the splash guards off) and checked. The front swaybar looks very, very "standard", with a two-bolt C-shaped clamp holding in the bushing that looks (on my car) like a split bushing (so it can be installed without removing the swaybar). Or if they're not split, they could be slid over the ends of the swaybar by removing the links (but personally I'd just split them with a razor blade and call it a day). The bushings look just like the ones in the eBay link I posted (not saying that's the best source, but it was the easiest). ;-)

The one on Rockauto must be a rear (doesn't look a thing like the front bar on mine).

Hugo L.

I'll look into that link, thanks. As for the steering rack mounting bolts, I suppose that the noise would not only be heard on the front driver side, but on both sides.

KanataSteve

The clunking in mine was due to lower control arm wear. Rubber bushings were shot.

Hugo L.

Mine are about 1.5 years old and barely have 15k kms on them.

habbyguy

When they did the front struts, did they replace the strut mounts? Those can get noisy.

Samsea

Wich year and engine type you have ? I have replaced the bushings last week and still have clunck noises from the sway bar , tell me what is your glk detail and i can found the number for you

reesesboot

Can't just replace bushings, must replace whole bar assembly. Luckily it's not that expensive. I replaced one chasing a noise that ended up being ****ty Akebono brake pads. What kind of noise are you hearing?

Samsea

A knocking noise, especially on a bumpy road, I noticed that the noise became less while the temperature outside rises and gets hot, it's really felt under my feet, the bushing was replaced with one from the febest company, something of high quality, the mechanic had to cut the old one to put on the new one, from that moment the noise got worse , sorry at all that I switched, I'm quite sensitive about this, unable to drive there are noises , here in my country i cant found the hall parts , only in mercedes dealer and it's very expensive.
sway link check and looking good , replace the lower arms , everything looking good, The mechanic tried to move the rod right to left with a pry bar and it looks like the bushing is not tight enough, there is play no matter how much you tighten the screws, but the problem is that it is done on the lift and not when the wheels are on the floor

habbyguy

It sounds like the new bushings aren't the right ones. There shouldn't be any real play in them (up/down - there's nothing trying to move the bar side-to-side so that won't matter, other than to illustrate looseness between the bushings and the bar).

Samsea

It really frustrates me, it doesn't seem to me that many companies make these bushings especially for the model while they suspect for a moment that it won't work well, something is strange here, I rather believe that it is due to poor and unprofessional assembly

VicVegas84

Why would you not just replace the bushing? What's your logic here?

Odd Piggy

The GLK isn’t built like a Jeep. The sway bar mounts can’t be disassembled to get at the bushings inside. The OE sway bar with mounts and bushings is supplied as a single unit. Only 3rd party aftermarket bushing are available by themselves. Quality and fit are questionable. To replace only the bushings, the mounts have to be modified, or the old bushings have to be forced out and the new ones forced in..

Samsea

The bushings were replaced by febest kit, we had to cut off the old ones and sand underneath as the old bushing was really stuck, we put the new ones in place and tightened the screws, on the first ride the noise remained, I went back to the mechanic and he tried to tighten it some more and somehow it reduced the knocking a bit, but it took exactly a day for the noise to even come back Worse, the noise and knocking is felt under the feet, and when it's hot outside it's less terrible, when it's cold outside it gets worse, when there are disturbances on the road and also in the bumper, the lower arms are all new, new engine mounts, the problem is that you can only get a complete rod in the company and it's really expensive, the price doesn't make sense

John CC

So, you changed the bushings and it didn't solve the problem? Have you considered the possibility that the bushings weren't the problem in the first place? Is it possible to remove the bar completely and (carefully) drive the car to see if the noise is still there?

Samsea

If there is no choice, I will do it, also need to disconnect the stabilizer bars, and then check, although I'm pretty sure it's from the bushings because after replacing the bushings there is still freedom in the bar that operates with a counter on it up and down, and also when I'm in downhill in roll speed and push brakes feel it below The legs move and impact