Stabilizer end link removal

[RatLabGuy]

Aaaaaargh trying to replace my struts... in general fairly simple task...
except that the end links for the stabilizer/swaybar are shot.
Is there any magic trick to getting them disconnected from the swaybar?
The nut is in an awkward place and facing backwards... and very, very stuck.

I'm almost at the point of cutting off the ends of the dadgum swaybar, but it looks like pulling/replacing that thing woudl be an even bigger PITA.

 

[RABID_MP5]

I don't know if it helps, but I rounded the front end link nut on the strut with an impact wrench. To get that one off I used a dremel tool with a whizz wheel on it to basically cut the nut in half sideways & pried it off.

 

[RatLabGuy]

I don't know if it helps, but I rounded the front end link nut on the strut with an impact wrench. To get that one off I used a dremel tool with a whizz wheel on it to basically cut the nut in half sideways & pried it off.

LOL that is EXACTLY what happened to my D-side, rounded off w/ impact. I *knew* should have started off w/ the lighter otuch, but after the otehr side was so stuck I was like F-it... now I'm payin gfor it.
I soaked them both in PB blast last night before bed, and again thsi AM... gonna try another pass in a few min.

On another note - those end links are not easy to find in-stock. What's up w/ that?

 

[cbrcrx]

I had to cut mine off too.

 

[Suomi]

I drilled both front endlinks to remove them. Major hassle.

 

[beh]

First off, hello all, and thanks for all the info I've gleaned as a cowardly lurker. Now for my noob-sauce moment.

It looks like I'll be joining the dremel crowd as soon as my OEM endlinks arrive. Does anyone know if the new ones come with nuts, and if not, anyone have a size? My ruler-and-a-flashlight estimate says M18x2, but I wouldn't be surprised if I was off a fair bit. Thanks for any help guys, as they say, clunk-free is the way to be.

 

[cbrcrx]

Mine came with new nuts.

 

[Suomi]

The front end-links I bought at NAPA did come with nuts, but the rear end-link I bought from the dealer did not come with nuts. So I'm thinking the OEM end-links never come with nuts. That being said, the dealer had the nuts in stock for next to nothing.

 

[RatLabGuy]

Yup, ones from NAPA did indeed come w/ nuts.
Lets see they're 17mm socket which means M12 bolt? All the other M12s are 1.25 so i'd bet that is too.

So I tried all the civilized methids... no luck.
So - out came the HF grinder w/ a 4" cutting wheel.
none of this Dremmel pansy stuff, when I get pissed I go right for the big guns.
I ended up cutting them right as close to the swaybar as possible, just behind teh rubber boot. This still left a small bit on the outside that was bigger than the stud, preventing pushing it out so I used a flapwheel on the grinder to slowly grind down the nub to nothing. Went to bed covered in metal dust lol
Unf I took off a tad of the paint on teh swaybar, as well as soem incidental damage to the lower control arm... but just sprayed primer on it to prevent rust. Not exactly a high-visibility area lol.

Moral to the story is - be prepared for a fight w/ them.

if you go ahead and disconnect the tie rod from the wheel hub, as well as the strut mount bolts on the hub, you can move it out of the way somewhat more.