Sway bar bushing and bumpstop replacement

D

durrell

New member
Is there a trick I'm missing? I can't get the bump stops off for anything, and I got the end links off without too much trouble, but the sway bar D-bushings are impossible to remove. I can't get the front bolt on the bracket that bolts the swaybar to the frame to budge. It's driving me crazy.

I got new endlink bushings in the kit from Wheelers, but the boot on the bottom of the end link is shot on both sides, and the passenger side end link is missing the nut at the bottom.

Any suggestions?
 
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durrell said:
Is there a trick I'm missing? I can't get the bump stops off for anything, and I got the end links off without too much trouble, but the sway bar D-bushings are impossible to remove. I can't get the front bolt on the bracket that bolts the swaybar to the frame to budge. It's driving me crazy.

I got new endlink bushings in the kit from Wheelers, but the boot on the bottom of the end link is shot on both sides, and the passenger side end link is missing the nut at the bottom.

Any suggestions?
Click to expand...

Is it rusted or something? I just cut the things off with an angle grinder. New brackets aren't that much and mine were rusted and nasty anyway.

You should be able to get a new nut for the bottom of the link. Grade 8 or 10 should be available at autozone or the like. Don't use a home depot nut there.
 
It's not rusted, but I can't seem to find what size it is (the rear bolt was a 1/2 inch) and I can't get a tool in there to grab it.

I'm sure I can find a nut for the bottom one, but I really need completely new end links.
 
durrell said:
It's not rusted, but I can't seem to find what size it is (the rear bolt was a 1/2 inch) and I can't get a tool in there to grab it.

I'm sure I can find a nut for the bottom one, but I really need completely new end links.
Click to expand...

Well, they should be metric, not English.

I am not sure about the front nuts on the sway bar brackets. mine are too rusted to even deal with, so I will be cutting them off as well.

Just a sanity check here, but you are going for the nut right? The stud is welded onto the bracket.
 
If you can, apply a little heat to the nuts. Soak them with penetrating fluid as well. Its a 12 mm socket I believe you use. Mine were impossible to move, until I heated them and they came right out. I replaced them with new ones when re-installing.
 
Nelsonmd said:
Well, they should be metric, not English.

I am not sure about the front nuts on the sway bar brackets. mine are too rusted to even deal with, so I will be cutting them off as well.

Just a sanity check here, but you are going for the nut right? The stud is welded onto the bracket.
Click to expand...

Yeah there's a welded stud on the bottom of the bracket and a nut on the top. I'll try the 12mm. I think the smallest I tried was a 13mm but I couldn't tell if it was grabbing since I couldn't see it, and then I just got really frustrated.

johnny c said:
If you can, apply a little heat to the nuts. Soak them with penetrating fluid as well. Its a 12 mm socket I believe you use. Mine were impossible to move, until I heated them and they came right out. I replaced them with new ones when re-installing.
Click to expand...

I'll see if I can apply some heat to them. I soaked them in PB Blaster pretty good. They don't appear to be very rusted, just difficult to get to.

Does anyone have any tips for the end link replacement?
 
It is a 12mm socket for sure, I just did mine on saturday. Are you talking about the sway bar links? If so, there should be a place for a hex key in the lower end of the link. That should allow you to back off the nut.
 
Oh no, I got the end links off without a problem. I meant does anyone have any tips for finding replacement end links.
 
your local auto parts store? I had to order the frame bushings from my dealer, but the end liks (sway bar links) are easy to come by from an auto parts store. Napa, Carquest should have em!
 
Mine had some rust. Penetrating oil works wonders . . . if you let it sit long enough. For the bump stops, there should be a metal hexagon on the bottom which you can lock a wrench on. I used a monkey wrench on mine. But the bump stops from wheelers off road are stupid. They dont have that part, so you cant get them on tight. Honestly I dont think the bump stops are worth changing unless yours are really messed up. Its not going to make any noticeable difference in the ride.
 
Cool, I kinda thought that was the case. My bump stops look like new. You can even still see the R and L labels on them. I'll leave them be for now. My swaybar bushings are pretty worn, though.
 
durrell said:
Cool, I kinda thought that was the case. My bump stops look like new. You can even still see the R and L labels on them. I'll leave them be for now. My swaybar bushings are pretty worn, though.
Click to expand...

My recommendation.
NEVER replace the bumpstops with the low profile poly stops. The way that they are made can cause issues. The poly is molded around a bolt, under the bolt head also. I tried some and when they made contact they were a hard stop. This caused the poly under the bolt head to compress and pop the welded nut of the inside of the LCA. Now I had loose/hard bumpstops that I couldn't take off. I finally removed my LCAs and cut the stops off. I had to slightly open a hole on each arm to fish out the loose nuts. I then welded my original bumpstops back onto the LCAs. The good news is, I found some alignment nuts that needed to be replaced.
 
As far as the swaybar removal. Some of the nuts are welded on and some of the bolts are. Look closely before you try to wrench them off.
 
Gerdo said:
My recommendation.
NEVER replace the bumpstops with the low profile poly stops. The way that they are made can cause issues. The poly is molded around a bolt, under the bolt head also. I tried some and when they made contact they were a hard stop. This caused the poly under the bolt head to compress and pop the welded nut of the inside of the LCA. Now I had loose/hard bumpstops that I couldn't take off. I finally removed my LCAs and cut the stops off. I had to slightly open a hole on each arm to fish out the loose nuts. I then welded my original bumpstops back onto the LCAs. The good news is, I found some alignment nuts that needed to be replaced.
Click to expand...

I remeber seeing your thread about that, what a PITA!
 
Thanks for the recommendations, Gerdo.

As far as I can tell, the back swaybar D-ring bolt comes in from the top and into a welded nut on the bracket. I was able to get it off without much trouble.

The front D-ring bolt is welded on the bottom (a little tab, it appears) and has a nut on the top (which, I would assume is the 12mm nut).

Advance Auto has Energy Suspension sway bar end links:

Energy Suspension Polyurethane Sway Bar End Link Set; 2-3/8" Spacer Length; 2 Per Set - Red

But they do not visually look correct. The OEM end links have a rotating joint on the bottom. That's the part that is shot on mine.
 
durrell said:
Thanks for the recommendations, Gerdo.

As far as I can tell, the back swaybar D-ring bolt comes in from the top and into a welded nut on the bracket. I was able to get it off without much trouble.

The front D-ring bolt is welded on the bottom (a little tab, it appears) and has a nut on the top (which, I would assume is the 12mm nut).

Advance Auto has Energy Suspension sway bar end links:

Energy Suspension Polyurethane Sway Bar End Link Set; 2-3/8" Spacer Length; 2 Per Set - Red

But they do not visually look correct. The OEM end links have a rotating joint on the bottom. That's the part that is shot on mine.
Click to expand...



Did you put grease on the new end link bushings?
I just replaced my end links and put new ES poly bushings and get a little rattle noise when I hit certain bumps.
 
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