update: replacing the stabilizer rod did not solve the problem. seemed to be, but a few days later returned. it took replacing the ball joints to solve it (or it seems so far).
i found this thread with lots of data on how to do it, but somehow replacing the nuts at the back was not as easy. as a matter of fact, took lots of work removing the parts that were blocking the access to the nuts: https://www.crossfireforum.org/forum...ntrol-arm.html