Front sway bar bushing removal~short cut
10-27-2012, 04:10 PM
#1
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Thread Starter
Join Date: 02-26-2010
Location: San Mateo, CA
Posts: 109
Front sway bar bushing removal~short cut
I just replaced the end l links and bushings on my 1LT. I read about the various techniques used to remove the 15 mm nut that's blocked by the under carriage eg. drop the under carriage, pry down on the loosened nut till the bolt pops down etc. What I discovered was I could loosen the nut in question til it was off the bolt and remove the front bolt. Remove the tire and the lower end link from the sway bar. Grease the sway bay up to the bushing. Work the bushing bracket up off the bushing slightly and towards the center line of the car. Insert a screwdriver into the bushing to break the seal. Sit right into the wheel well and with one hand wwormed into the bushing through the wheel well and the other reaching under the car and pushing on the rear of the bushing I slid the bushing off the bar with out ever removing the dreaded nut. The replacement bushing is coated with a wax type film. I put the new busing on the end of the bar and slid it into place. Assembly is the reverse of the above. Thought I'd post this techniques sine I've never read about anyone doing it without removing the bracket completely from the rear bolt/stud. Hopes this helps somebody.
10-27-2012, 10:44 PM
#5
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Join Date: 02-26-2010
Location: San Mateo, CA
Posts: 109
I have a 2009, 71,000 miles. It was clunking pretty bad. It's clunkless now. Everything is close tolorence. It's important to clean the bar well and grease or oil it up so that tired old bushing will slide out and off. There's a metal tang on the outside of the bushing retainer but if you move the bar around a little it will clear the bushing and push in towards the center line of the car. The lower end link bolt has to come off so the bar can wiggle around.
10-28-2012, 05:43 PM
#6
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Join Date: 08-25-2012
Location: United States
Posts: 25
For me, the easiest way to gain access to the nut that's trapped, was to loosen the two undercarriage bolts. There is one on the drivers side and one on the passinger's side. Loosen them (not remove) to drop the carriage enough to get a boxed end over the nut and use a socket/ratched for the bolt from underneath through the access hole. It's intimidating at first, but as soon as you loosen the two carriage bolts it becomes pretty easy.
10-28-2012, 06:29 PM
#7
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Join Date: 10-03-2010
Location: Cypress Texas
Posts: 405
I replaced mine today and I saw what everyone was talking about with the spring washer. I was able to get an open end wrench on the nut and used an air ratchet and spun the bolt all the way out. Then the mounting brake was easy to get off.
10-29-2012, 05:33 AM
#8
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Join Date: 03-22-2010
Location: Russia Ekaterinburg
Posts: 2,009
For me, the easiest way to gain access to the nut that's trapped, was to loosen the two undercarriage bolts. There is one on the drivers side and one on the passinger's side. Loosen them (not remove) to drop the carriage enough to get a boxed end over the nut and use a socket/ratched for the bolt from underneath through the access hole. It's intimidating at first, but as soon as you loosen the two carriage bolts it becomes pretty easy.
I do the same thing
08-22-2019, 11:53 AM
#9
Member
Join Date: 08-07-2015
Location: US
Posts: 61
Simple Hack to Save U an hour
I read all the posts of grief about the 15mm rear nuts and bolts have a simple solution.
Use a 15mm flare nut wrench.
It slides over the bolt and allows you to capture the nut with no additional effort. No need to drop the subframe & No wasted time.
It took me about 5 minutes to address both bolts.
Use a 15mm flare nut wrench.
It slides over the bolt and allows you to capture the nut with no additional effort. No need to drop the subframe & No wasted time.
It took me about 5 minutes to address both bolts.