Stabilizer Bar Link Removal

[tdandkd]

I was trying to replace my front strut mounts tonight and got everything loosened up but the stabilizer bar link. I could not get this disconnected from the strut. I soaked the it with a penetrating oil then used an allen wrench and a box end wrench and it the allen wrench started to strip the bolt. Is there an easier way to do this? If not, it looks like I'll need to cut the things off and order new ones from the dealer. I just can't believe that they didn't make flat edges anywhere on the back where you could use a wrench to keep the nut from spinning the whole connection. Any help would be appreciated. I do not want to spend another $100+ for new stabilizer links.

[lenore]

I guess your location has caused them to be corroded, mine came off real easy, I would soak them overnight with a penetrating oil like PB blaster. You could file a couple of parallel flat spots on the threads and try to hold that area with visegrip while turning the wrench to break the nuts loose. then just run a die over the threads after removing the nut.

[tdandkd]

I've got a ton of PB blaster on them and it didn't do much good. Maybe by the morning something will change. It just irritates me that I managed to get off the lower strut bolts that have never been removed in over 8 years with no problem whatsoever and these stupid bolts are giving me grief over poor design.

[dcfish]

I've got a ton of PB blaster on them and it didn't do much good. Maybe by the morning something will change. It just irritates me that I managed to get off the lower strut bolts that have never been removed in over 8 years with no problem whatsoever and these stupid bolts are giving me grief over poor design.

Warm it up with a torch, Be careful.

[tdandkd]

Well, I finally got them off, but it wasn't pretty. Now I have to try to get the springs compressed enough to remove the strut. It's a pretty short spring so it seems like I have to basically screw the spring compressors as far as they will go in order to remove the mount. I hope that doesn't put to much stress on everything.

[lenore]

BE very careful, remove the strut assembly from the car and use a proper spring compressor. They are rentable, or readily available at Harbor Freight tools. That spring can hurt you pretty bad if it slips while compressing it. Then you can remove the mount after compressing the spring.

[tdandkd]

What kind of spring compressor have you used? Do you use any of the ones sold at Harbor Freight? I used a loaner set from an auto parts store but I didn't feel like I could really place them where I wanted so I had to compress the spring from two coils that were too close together. It looked like I was going to actually have to tighten the compressors as far as they would go in order to get the springs loose. It made me a little nervous.

[lenore]

Yes I am using a spring compressor from harbor freight. They have a new type which I have not used looks like a nice design, but the old ones with basically two threaded shafts with spring grips work well. YOu only have to compress enough to remove the nut on the shock then you can carefully remove the strut from the spring.

[tdandkd]

When I was compressing the spring, I was trying to get to the point at which I could move the spring seat freely or pull the spring away from the bottom insulator. I chickened out before that happened because it appeard that I was going to have to max out the compressors to do that and it just didn't seem right. I'll have another go at it this weekend.

[lenore]

Yep, just enought to remove the nut safetly and then remove the shock mount and shock strut from the spring. When putting a new strut and shock mount in pay very close attention to the orientation of the spring and the shock mount. The instructions with the strut should tell you this.

[tdandkd]

I finally got the springs compressed and everything replaced.

After I was done, the car sounded like something was rubbing in the front left so we jacked up the front end and the back end and turned the car on and put it in drive. I know that the ABS light will come on while everything is off the ground but then I got a check engine light. P0500, speed sensor malfunction. I cleared the code and it has not come back. Was this a result of the car being off the ground and putting it in drive and very slowly giving it just enough gas to move the wheels? I assume it is because the speedometer was measuring 20 mph but the car was almost at idle.