V1 Disconnecting sway bar link?

[Ark :D]

Hello,

I'm about to take the front suspension out of my donor and I'm having trouble with the sway bar links. Cracking the 18mm bolts loose was the first trick but I got that done with an impact drill. But now, the bolts just turn inside the sway bar links. I've tried getting in behind them with a pair of needle nose pliers to hold them tight, but that did not work.

Any thoughts/suggestions? Thank you!

 

[Karter2026]

Do they have hex in the center of the stud? (red arrow) use a box wrench and a hex key or bit in the center.... or a flatspot on the back of the stud ( circle) wrench or vice grips. or cut them off with angle grinder.

 

[Desert Sasqwatch]

Swaybar links are cheap - $15 on eBay - if they are corroded they are also out of lubricant inside the boot and are probably shot anyway. Grinder to cut them off so you can get the rest of your suspension done.

 

[Ark :D]

Good call guys, grinder it is. Thanks.

 

[Ark :D]

Grinder/cutting wheel was the way to go, thanks for the advice. Picked up a cheap one from Lowes ($30!) with a cutting wheel and off they came. Now I've got the same problem on top of the struts (the nut just keeps turning the bolt rather than cracking loose) but I'll figure it out.

Thanks again!

 

[Ross]

I had that same problem. 2mm cut off blade in the grinder, cut right thru the nuts and bolts.

 

[Karter2026]

Are you going with coil overs or using the donor struts?

 

[Ark :D]

Probably won't be reusing the donor struts, as this was an abandoned car and these bits look to be in bad shape if not ruined.

 

[Karter2026]

Don't waste your time removing them then. Just pull the spindles off let them for the junk yard.

 

[Ark :D]

I will. Just going through all the steps because I'm learning a crapload about auto mechanics from all this disassembling. I've got a garage full of tools I never thought I'd need in my life and I'm having a really good time with it! Ha!