I know there are many scattered comments on this topic around this forum, but I wanted to offer up a consolidated "this is what worked for me" that may help future searches.

To set the stage, this '97 would squeak if a frickin' bird landed on the rear spoiler. A person getting in or out of the car would set off a symphony of creaks. Speed bumps in a parking garage? You don't want to know. At 123,000 miles and 14 years of Arizona heat - most rubber components on this car had been fossilized long ago.

I started by installing after market control arms (UMI, if anyone is curious). I was thinking that this may be a suspension component that is in play the most. After greasing and installing - - squeak. On to the next....

Before purchasing more parts, I thought about just removing and greasing to find the source. I removed the panhard bar, smeared grease all over the bushings, and reinstalled - - squeak. On to the next...

Loosened the stabilizer bar links and removed the bushings from the bar, manually greased, and reinstalled - - a peace and quiet that would almost move you to tears. Turns out that this is the rear chassis component that is most "in play" and the bushings that wrap around the stabilizer are toast. Well, they are now grease-covered toast until I replace them.

Epilogue: Not sure about the standard ride, but if you have the Firm Handling option, the stabilizer bushings are no longer carried by GM and you will have to search aftermarket sources like vparts, moog, etc.

 

Prothane has bushings/mounts/endlinks in poly, which you also need to grease (included)... Poly isn't a bad choice for sway components, provided you keep the body mount bushings greased over time for no squeaks...

 

GM had such a problem with new cars doing it back in the 80's new we use to cut strips out of antifreeze container and wrap the swaybar to make bushing lining. But only do that is the bushing is is otherwise in good shape. It is not a fix for a warn out bushing.