Sway Bar Bushings

So a couple months ago I pulled a noobie move and slid my car through a field for a little fun. I wasn't going very fast, just ripping up some grass in first gear. I found out shortly after that my car drove quite weird on the highway, like I was driving in a windstorm or something. I was getting a pull to the right as well as a slight steering wheel shimmy. After numerous visits to the stealership, I was told that the problem was simply an alignment and balance issue. I've gotten the wheels balanced and aligned, and still no change. Got fed up with taking it to a garage so I just got under my car to do some investigating and I found this: First pic is drivers side, second is passenger side (the one it is pulling to.)

You can see that the drivers side is cracked, with a small gap. The passenger side is completely separated, and it looks as it its being contorted by the sway bar itself. Also the sway bar end links look strange, but I forgot to grab a pic while I was under.

Any advice or helpful comments appreciated

No, that's not what causes your car to pull. How do you think the bushing gets installed/replaced? Of course it can't be a solid circle. You have to be able to slip the bushing around the bar, right?

Can't hurt to replace them, but it won't help. Sway bars aren't responsible for keeping your car going straight.

No, that's not what causes your car to pull. How do you think the bushing gets installed/replaced? Of course it can't be a solid circle. You have to be able to slip the bushing around the bar, right?

 

Can't hurt to replace them, but it won't help. Sway bars aren't responsible for keeping your car going straight.

Well I can rule that out as my problem, but I'm going to look into replacing those as well as the end links. What are the benefits of upgrading those to a company such as AVO? I see a lot of people getting them but I can't justify spending that much on such a tiny part.

As for my problem, though, could it maybe be caused by a tie rod or ball joint?

Like I said the LCA's were replaced a little while back and I know those bushings are junk, but they certainly couldn't go bad in such a short amount of time, right?

I think most people replace the end links with something beefier when they have a bigger sway bar. Don't think it's necessary for a stock bar, but that's from memory... not sure.

Yeah, maybe you bent a tie rod or something, but I would think that the alignment shop would've noticed that. Are you sure the alignment shop knows what they're doing? Did you get the print out? Do you trust them? Some alignment shops don't even really do an alignment because frequently parts up front are seized... so they'll bounce the car around to make the computer readings falsely read that your car is within specification....Very underhanded and deceitful.

Also, was the field wet/muddy? Perhaps you got some mud stuck in your brake rotors or something.

I think most people replace the end links with something beefier when they have a bigger sway bar. Don't think it's necessary for a stock bar, but that's from memory... not sure.

 

Yeah, maybe you bent a tie rod or something, but I would think that the alignment shop would've noticed that. Are you sure the alignment shop knows what they're doing? Did you get the print out? Do you trust them? Some alignment shops don't even really do an alignment because frequently parts up front are seized... so they'll bounce the car around to make the computer readings falsely read that your car is within specification....Very underhanded and deceitful.

 

Also, was the field wet/muddy? Perhaps you got some mud stuck in your brake rotors or something.

Well that makes sense with regards to the end links, I think I'm just going to replace the bushings as for now until I see a problem with the sway bar..or until I find a good deal on a good one

I took it to the stealership because I don't know of many reputable shops in my area and I'm not a fan of NTB's work. I don't really think they are reputable after the service I got for them, I got the print out, and that's a no on the trust either. I had a friend of mine who is a mechanic check the balance on his machine at his out. Every wheel was out by over 1.5 oz on each side. That seemed to have fixed the balance issue but it's still pulling to the right. We'll see how it feels in the am when I leave for school heh.