It finally happened - my OCD front swaybar disconnects fell apart and tore a CV boot. I know the disconnects require maintenance and I put it off. They constantly get loose and I didn't keep up on them.
Turns out I had an aftermarket axle so I just bought a rebuilt OEM axle from CVJ. I also removed the front swaybar altogether.
I loved the swaybar discos when I first bought them, but over time they just got worse and worse to use, to the point that I would have to jack up one side of the vehicle in order to undo/redo the disconnects. I am not happy with my experience with these pieces and I won't be rebuilding them. (I admit the issue was user error, I should have kept up on the maintenance but I didn't)
Removing the old CV was such a pain in the ass, I can't believe people do this repair on trail! But I'm glad I know how to do it now. I got a set of chisels from HF and worked up from the skinniest to the fattest, pounding them in between the axle and the diff housing. It eventually popped out but anyone who says this job should take 1-2 hours is full of shit.
Installing the new axle was kind of easy, but getting it to seat into the diff was not fun.
I found that at full droop, the outer boot rubs on the bottom shock mount. This is happening on both sides, so it's not an issue of the new axle. I don't know if I should be concerned or not
