I’m actually quite surprised. I didn’t think even aftermarket suppliers were using zerk fittings on anything these days. I learned long ago that as soon as I make a “sweeping” across-the-board statement, someone will show me the error of my ways. 
Interesting. my GMs were just long bolts. They rust and break causing a creaking when turning and going over a rise. Always seemed to be 1/4" too short to get the nut started without somehow compressing the sway bar.
Sounds like the wheel/strut might be hanging on the sway bar, exceeding its designed-in travel limit.
Perhaps jacking up the wheels would relieve the load on the bar when the car is elevated. You’d have to do both sides equally, of course, to alleviate torsional load on the sway bar.
I’ve probably done a half dozen of them and they are all the same. Must be unsprung with the bolts out and when you tighten it down, the sway bar is sprung. Gotta put the bolt in with the rubber bushings and then try to jack under the bolt enough to get the nut started. Once the nut is started then you can just crank it down with the air gun or ratchet the two inches or so to tighten it up. Sometimes just jacking isn’t enough and you have to compress it some more somehow.