Rear sway bar end links?

[Crashnrondo]

Do you need a special tool or press to replace these? I plan on changing the rear springs and shocks Tuesday and after looking at the links I don't think I'll ever get them undone and will end up cutting them off. Anything special I need to do or know to replace them?
Thanks,
Ron

 

[cj80cruiser]

Do you need a special tool or press to replace these? I plan on changing the rear springs and shocks Tuesday and after looking at the links I don't think I'll ever get them undone and will end up cutting them off. Anything special I need to do or know to replace them?
Thanks,
Ron

They just unbolt. Taking them off is easy compared to the rear shocks. I highly recommend breaking the rear shocks off if you plan on tossing them. Use some anti-seize on the new shocks threads and you can tighten them one hand.

 

[Crashnrondo]

Thanks, I looked at them and unlike the fronts these have splines that go into the sway bar with a nut on the other side that's why I was wondering if they were pressed in or something. Ya I plan on junking the shocks so they will either see a saw or brute force to break the top bolt.

 

[cj80cruiser]

Thanks, I looked at them and unlike the fronts these have splines that go into the sway bar with a nut on the other side that's why I was wondering if they were pressed in or something. Ya I plan on junking the shocks so they will either see a saw or brute force to break the top bolt.

Hmmm....that sounds different than mine. I took mine apart where they attach to the frame with a 12mm on top and 14mm on bottom.

You'll notice there is not much room on the driverside to get a lot of movement when trying to break the shock off. If you put the trucks frame on jack stands and put another jack stand (or similiar) under the passenger side of the rear axle you will have more room to break the shock off. I put the shocks on before springs and used a pry bar to compress the springs enough to get them on their perch.

Also, be sure to chock your front wheels.

 

[GottaBeTRD]

holy crap i have much to learn after getting a lift!

I'm seeing i should probably get longer end links, but i have a couple questions

BTW I'm for sure going to replace the rear links soon but...

1. how long can I get by with the stockers if I only drive 90% highway and 9% moderate to light wheeling, and 1% parking on snow banks

2. Is it as simple as removing the tire, undoing the bolts and replacing them with the longer link?

3. I may go with the 2nd gen ones, but what about those universal aftermarket ones sold at all the auto part stores?

thanks guys!

 

[shadow247]

I had to cut mine off, but I had 341k miles at the time. If you have access to a cutoff wheel it is much quicker to just cut them off than mess with unbolting them.

I went with the longer 2nd gen links, it took about an hour to change them including cutting them off. If you can un-bolt them without cutting them off it will take about 30 minutes.

With the LC 7 Wraps i couldn't even get my sway bar bolted back up, so I had to get new links.

 

[Millerad1651]

I'm still running stock links with 7.5 wraps...have been since June. I've gone offroad a few times without any problems. I plan on making a set from the "energy suspension" set that Auto Zone sells. Longer than stock, sturdy, and only around $15 a set.

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/97769-built-new-swaybar-endlinks-my-runner.html

 

[GottaBeTRD]

ok cool thanks guys. I'm probably going to switch them out so i can get a little flex when i need it. So with the sway bar extended like that, is it going to cause a lot of tension on a flat surface? I'm just afraid that the swaybar is gonna slingshot down or something crazy once i remove the links.

 

[GottaBeTRD]

bump for ^^^ last question.
does anyone know if the rear swaybar is all tensioned up after I installed the longer springs? I just picked up some 2nd gen end links and I'm hoping to get them on there. thanks!

 

[Stick Figure]

Only time the sway bar should have tension on it is if one wheel is on the ground with weight on it and the other is in the air. If you lift (or don't lift) the vehicle evenly it won't have any tension on it. As far as longer rear end links, you can't go much more than an inch longer than stock do to the lower control arm vs end link placement.

Exhibit A

full size photo if you can't see that very well: end links |

 

[GottaBeTRD]

wow those are really nice looking end-links. are those the quick release? I read here that the 2nd gen ones work pretty well. but yeah i hope they work. i want yours now!!!! haha

 

[Stick Figure]

They are quick release in that I'm pretty quick with a ratchet when I need the extra flex. :eyebrows: I sell them, but they are probably more than the second gens will cost you, but i'm not sure on those since I've never looked into them.

 

[GottaBeTRD]

LOL! hey that works! I would love to have some of those, and if you would sell them for $14 a piece, id be all over that. Something tells me you paid quite a but more though? haha

For any future readers of this thread I went to O-reilly and picked up some 94-95 rear end links they had some heavy duty ones for $29 something and they had these which i paid $13.99 each

I did a rough measurement of the two and these are a little over an inch longer than the stock ones on our 3rd gens. when i do the install, ill update with some more pics and some accurate measurements

 

[kristoreie]

I looked at them and unlike the fronts these have splines that go into the sway bar with a nut on the other side that's why I was wondering if they were pressed in or something.

 

[GottaBeTRD]

I got the new end-links installed today, It wasn't too bad. The lower bolts were a pain but nothing a breaker bar couldn't take care of.

Here is a comparison of the 3rd gen rear end links and the 2nd gen rear end links

I had a problem with getting them to tighten with the new bushings so i ended up using the top bushing from the old link and it tightened up pretty good. This is before i swapped the bushings out.

It seems to ride a lot better now. I need to get some longer shocks in the back but I think it's getting close to a somewhat stock ride again

 

[Dinabox]

Good luck with those master pro's. I had a set on the front for about 3 days before they both just broke right off while I was driving. This was on road with no flexing what so ever. Now I am running with no front sway bar and I love it.

 

[GottaBeTRD]

Haha don't tell me that! Lol really? Did they hit your control arms or something?

 

[Dinabox]

No, they broke from normal driving on road, taking corners and such. My OEM links were bent and making noise when I turned so I replaced them with master pro's and they lasted a whole 3 days and both snapped. They broke off right at the bottom washer, just sheared right off.

 

[GottaBeTRD]

ouch! well thanks for letting me know, I read that they have a life time warranty. Did you use the pathetic bushings they came with or replace them with the original ones? I guess i should have went to the dealer to get OEM haha Or i guess I can buy some like stick figure's? I dig those a lot!