Just a basic write up, should have taken some more pictures... Was a great day, finally warm, -7C, little wind and sunny. Total time was around the 3.5 hour mark, set up to cleanup. I lost maybe 30 minutes wandering around looking for specific tools. Now I had been getting a clunk from the rear for some time but the end links appeared firm but one had the boot compromised. I figured this is the cause of the clunk. Do one, do them all and do the bushings as well. They are inexpensive and you are already moving the sway bar around.
I jacked the rear up and had jack stands under the frame, which allowed the rear axle to droop, hopefully giving me some more room to work. Now I had sprayed the nuts down with penetrant several times over the last month, hoping I cut unbolt them and not have to cut them. In reality, cutting made it so much easier and faster.
I sectioned each end link in half with a sawzall, which allowed the sway bar to drop out of the way, giving greater access to the top bolt that is mounted to the frame. Using a small angle grinder I cut and then ground down the top nut.
The bottom bolt proved to be much, much easier than anticipated. I removed the boot and was able to hold the back of the threaded section with vice gripes and zip the nut off with an impact. In hind sight, I should have done this first but I was running on the theory that I was going to have to cut/grind it all off.
I used ACDelco Professional end links, which were greasable. I threaded in the zerks and pumped them up with some Amsoil purple #2 lithium and worked them around. The new links bolt up precariously well as you can use a 17mm wrench on a hex head behind the threaded section. Its precarious because its hard to get proper leverage to torque the bolt or get enough throw to run the ratchet swing.
I also installed new Moog blue sway bar bushings. The old black rubber ones were just plain worn out. They offered little resistance in removal, whereas Moog ones required some muscle. I used a small smear of silicone grease under them. Some say yes, some say don't but adding a level of protection against rust is aces in my book
For those that don't know, the factory end links use a hex head inside the threaded section, which makes it very hard to remove a rusted nut from them.
Next up is the fronts, which should get done this week..... maybe..
I jacked the rear up and had jack stands under the frame, which allowed the rear axle to droop, hopefully giving me some more room to work. Now I had sprayed the nuts down with penetrant several times over the last month, hoping I cut unbolt them and not have to cut them. In reality, cutting made it so much easier and faster.
I sectioned each end link in half with a sawzall, which allowed the sway bar to drop out of the way, giving greater access to the top bolt that is mounted to the frame. Using a small angle grinder I cut and then ground down the top nut.
The bottom bolt proved to be much, much easier than anticipated. I removed the boot and was able to hold the back of the threaded section with vice gripes and zip the nut off with an impact. In hind sight, I should have done this first but I was running on the theory that I was going to have to cut/grind it all off.
I used ACDelco Professional end links, which were greasable. I threaded in the zerks and pumped them up with some Amsoil purple #2 lithium and worked them around. The new links bolt up precariously well as you can use a 17mm wrench on a hex head behind the threaded section. Its precarious because its hard to get proper leverage to torque the bolt or get enough throw to run the ratchet swing.
I also installed new Moog blue sway bar bushings. The old black rubber ones were just plain worn out. They offered little resistance in removal, whereas Moog ones required some muscle. I used a small smear of silicone grease under them. Some say yes, some say don't but adding a level of protection against rust is aces in my book
For those that don't know, the factory end links use a hex head inside the threaded section, which makes it very hard to remove a rusted nut from them.
Next up is the fronts, which should get done this week..... maybe..
