Front sway bar end links and shocks ughhh!

[newbie78]

I tried to replace my front sway bar end links and it's impossible. The bolts and dead smack under the upper control arm and impossible to get the new bolts in. I spend hours pushing the sway bar every which way, jacking up the truck and letting the control arms hang down nothing works!

Then I said f it and just took both the old ones out and left it. So then I went to replace my front shocks and got the one side on but the other side the lower bolt is so rusted it won't come off. I got it down to the last 8 threads or so and it won't budge with my breaker bar. I don't own air tools

So now I have my right front shock clanking when I hit bumps. So now I gotta pay a shop to put in end links and get that rusty bolt off.

I have been working on cars for over 16 years now I'm extremely mechanically inclined and can fix just about anything. I never took any of my cars to a shop except to have a trans installed.

I'm pissed.

 

[livingez_123]

Just cut the old bolt off and be done with it. also on the sway bar end links, go the opposite way with the bolt.

 

[_Dylan_]

I put new ones on in a parking lot. I'm sure you can figure it out...

 

[newbie78]

I put new ones on in a parking lot. I'm sure you can figure it out...

Thats where I was working right in my parking lot with the wheels on just turned outward for access. I messed with it for over an hour and I'm extremely mechanically inclined. The holes on the sway bar are directly under the upper control arm. I will try again tomorrow and take video.

 

[willxfs]

I fought the damn sway bar end links for a couple of hours too. Only managed to get one side done. The other side was just too stubborn. I never thought of going the opposite way with the bolt. Might have to try that.

 

[newbie78]

UPDATE!

Finally got the links on and shock bolt out! woohoo!

The bolt was still extremely tough but turned because of the PB blast soaking in it over night.

The trick that helped me get those damn links on was using c clamps to squeeze the sway bar down. I didn't have a large enough clamp so I used 2 of them as you can see in the pic. Works awesome and compressed those bushings like nothing. The other trick is to jack up the rear of the truck to put weight on the side you are working on. Say you are doing the left front links you jack up the rear RIGHT to put weight down on the control arm.

Jacking up the control arm does not work because the torsion bar prevents it from moving up.

So far this job and replacing the drivers side outside door handle was extremely stressful but DONE Now my window comes off the track

p.s. the shocks i put it were from the junk yard for $9 each worth a shot to me. These looked real good and anything is better then what I had! The pic shows the junk yard shock next to the rotted original.