r0cky

I'm doing some work on the suspension on my 4th gen., and in order to really start on it, I need to disconnect the sway bar from the spindle. Problem is, as I attempt to loosen the nut, everything turns with it ... so it basically accomplishes nothing.

Someone recommended smacking the heck out of the other side of it in order that the tapered part might be smacked back into place ... but as much as I hit it, it's been to no avail.

Do you guys have any other suggestions?! I did run into this problem the last time I worked on it, but that time the issue was with re-connecting it and tightening it. Now, though, I can't even loosen it at all (on either side!). What can I do? I see that at the end of the bolt end of the end link, there is a little spot for an allen wrench -- so I tried holding things still with the allen wrench while loosening the nut with a wrench, but that didn't work either.

I'm running out of patience here and I'm not sure what else to try. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I feel like hurling some pickle forks. This is only the first part of the work I have to do!!

Anyway, please please please, if you've experienced this before, how did you remedy the situation??

Cebby

How about visegrips on the shaft of the end link so it gets wedged up against something else under there?

I don't know what they look like, just a stab in the dark...

fourunnabilly

R-

Take the route you and I discussed regarding the clamp idea. Also remember that if you can get someone to put pressure on the connection from the side opposite of the nut, that should do it as well. If not, I will book a flight to Dallas asap so we can get your rig ready for those 35's!!

Anthony

r0cky

i thought of that ... offering to pay you to come.

4Hummer

Sway bars are over rated. Just cut em off.

r0cky

wish it were that easy.

Good Times

it is! really

jimbo74

i cut my swaybar off because i didnt want to deal with reattaching it with extended links wheni lifted my truck... and its ifs, it needs all the travel it can get...

r0cky

so i can just cut it off?!?! there'd still be the problem of it being impossibly attached to the spindle!

Good Times

i'm swaybar less too... just remove the entire swaybar assembly and call it a day. Easy to remove, only 2 bolts to the arm and 4 bolts across the cross member.

r0cky

i know how to remove the swaybar - i have removed it over 20 times! my problem is that one of the ball joints (the one attaching an endlink to the spindle) is separated or something so that as i attempt to loosen the nut in order to remove it, the entire assembly spins with it and accomplishes nothing.

hence my trouble and the reason why just removing it is not that simple.

i have run three different spacer lifts, and have installed/uninstalled them more than a handful of times ... so i have removed the sway bar all those times (and a couple more when i was just poking around)!

the nuts/joints giving me trouble are the ones attaching the sway bar to the spindle. so, since merely cutting the bar off isn't going to work in this instance, got any other tips? if not, i'm heading out there tomorrow with a sledge hammer.

thanks for all the suggestions though! maybe i'll leave the sway bar off afterwards ... but i gotta get it off first!

jimbo74

try to heat it up with a torch... sometimes that help... and lube trh crud out of it with penetrating fluid... real penetrating fluid, not wd40 crap...

r0cky

sorry i'm bad at explaining this ... but basically, it isn't stuck at all ... it's just that as the nut turns, the rest of the balljoint shaft turns with it, and there isn't enough room to grab one part with vise grips while using a ratchet on the nut. so i need to find a way to wack the balljoint back into socket ... and hitting it with a hammer isn't working.

kickaha

How about some type of wheel-puller/hand-vise (not vise grip) to slowly force it back in? Or maybe rig up something with your spring compressors to do the same thing? There's probably not enough room for that either....

NorCalVP

Try Clamping the rod end into the spindle (forcing the end back into the spindle) Then loosining the nut again (usually a clamp or just hammer it in)

I had to do this with my Taco.

r0cky

thanks for all the suggestions, guys! i finally got it tonight ... took a vise grip and one of those textured jar-gripping things from the kitchen to one side of the spindle and pulled while on the other side of the spindle i had a wrench and pushed ... nut immediately came loose!

now i've compressed the coil and installed the new spacers and everything ... so now i can't get it back in on the bottom mount ... so i'm thinking of disconnecting it at the balljoint between the upper arm and the spindle. just wish i knew what to expect when it comes apart. the tie rod end with the tie rod separator pretty much throws me across the garage when it pops!

LarsDennert

All the ones I've seen have space for a cone wrench between the balljoint and the spindle to keep the threaded stud from rotating. This is in addition to the allen head on the side where the nut is. Check yours for them right by the balljoint. There should be two flat spots on the flange for a wrench.

http://pages.sbcglobal.net/larsdenne...larsdiscoi.jpg
On this picture, look at the flange right by the balljoint boot. That's where a wrench is attached to keep things from spinning.

r0cky

awesome. well, i did get it out .... as well as disconnecting the upper balljoint which i do not recommend doing unless you have a helper (to help get things back in place when you're done) or an extra arm.

thanks for all the help guys!!