Ball Joints???

[Silver SLP]

Here's what mine looks like. I don't see anything wrong?

Today for whatever reason when I was jacking the car up, the popping sound would only happen if the wheel was on the hub. I took the wheel off and raised and lowered the car again and it would not make the sound. I used a huge crow bar and moved everything I could in the suspension and I could not hear the popping sound. Then as soon as I went for a ride again and hit the brakes, I could hear it again.

The dark spot on the bushing towards the left on the second picture is just where some dirt got rubbed off.

[MMGT1]

Your looking at the wrong thing bud. Sway bar bushing/bracket is were you would be getting scratches from on the sway bar its self. Inspect the sway bar bracket on that side, it is in the pic on the left, above the a arm and a little further in

[Silver SLP]

Yeah, the pic above is of the control arm bushing. I figured if it was bad it could cause the arm to move and hit the sway bar? And there seems to be 3 distinct scratches/indentations on the sway bar where the paint is gone. Probably 6 or so inches away from the sway bar bracket and bushing.

So you're saying it's the sway bar itself that is moving? The bracket and bushing looks good on that too.

Sorry for the confusion and all the questions, I'd just really like to finally figure this out.

[MMGT1]

Yea man, from what you are describing I think the issue is the sway bar in some fashion

[Silver SLP]

Okay awesome man. I know it's hard to diagnose without actually looking at the car, but after going to 5 different shops without any help, it's great to at least have something narrowed down!

Edit :
I just noticed that there are the same scratches/indentations on the sway bar on the passenger side. I put a wrench on the sway bar end link and it would turn without any effort. Then I also put a wrench on the opposite end and tried tightening it and it actually seemed quite tight. There is a plastic spacer in there where a rubber one is usually used, so I think I'll order the Moog one which uses all rubber pieces.

I read that if you disconnect the sway bar end links, your sway bar is virtually useless, and that can help eliminate a possibility.