I just got some new front sway bar links. I started to disconnect the old ones and after a bit of hammering and wd-40 and brake cleaner the top bolt for the sway bar link won't budge.
You got the lower bolt out? Those are usually worse.
As long as you get the top nut and bottom bolt, it doesn't matter if they come out in 1 piece or two, 3, 4... If you're putting new links in anyways, you don't care about breaking the old ones. If you have to, take a sawzall to it. Before it came down to that, I'd try a ratchet/breaker bar and put a long pipe on the end of it for more leverage. That usually does the trick for me.
Well the bottom bolt was easy cause installing my BB I had to do it. The top just doesn't seem to budge. From a quick google search the bolt was welded on? But if it comes down to it ill take a diamond cutter to it. Also what do you mean put a breaker bar or some leverage to it?
Well the bottom bolt was easy cause installing my BB I had to do it. The top just doesn't seem to budge. From a quick google search the bolt was welded on? But if it comes down to it ill take a diamond cutter to it. Also what do you mean put a breaker bar or some leverage to it?
If you take a ratchet or breaker bar, and slip a pipe over the handle to extend the handle, the further back you hold on the handle, the more leverage you can get. More force to break the bolt free.
If the bolt can't hold up to the torque you're putting on it to loosen the nut, then yes it will. But you can usually get the nut to break loose that way.
Put a socket on the ratchet or breaker bar, and on the nut just like you were loosening the nut. Just with an extension on the handle.
With a long enough cheater pipe on the breaker bar, one of three things will happen: the nut will break loose, the bolt will snap off, or the breaker bar will fail. The first two options are the better ones
With a long enough cheater pipe on the breaker bar, one of three things will happen: the nut will break loose, the bolt will snap off, or the breaker bar will fail. The first two options are the better ones
Then a bfh to hammer it down, or a 2-jaw puller to pop it through, or drill it out. I'm sure there's other methods I'm not thinking of. There's always a way.
just did mine and replaced with JKS discos. bottom bolts came out easy. top pins were stuck in. nuts came off fine. but the were definitly not coming out. soaked them with brake fluid and freeze off then hit them hard with a hammer. did nothing. repeated the process with a bigger hammer. they came out but you have to hit them hard. and i mean HARD. im a pretty strong guy, and it took a couple of really really heavy blows but once they broke loose they fell out easily. good luck!
I thought about using my angle grinder to chop it up but didn't wanna mess something up. Also a drill to to break up the bolt.
All in all I ended up taking it to a mechanic to take them out and install the new ones for $40. But thank you all for the suggestions and help.
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