Need help removing broken sway bar end links

Hello,

I have a 2000 Ford Explorer XLT, AWD. Both of my front sway bar end links have broke. The nut on the top seemed to have popped off as well as the bushings.

What I have left is the bottom bushings and a nut. I tried loosening this nut but it keeps turning. I hosed it down with WD-40 and hammered it from the top and it still is not budgeing.

Anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks for the help.:exp:

try jacking up the lower control arm, it may be in a bind.

Thanks for the response.

Should I put the jack in the piece of end link that sticks through the bottom?

no, on the lower control arm, under the ball joint should probably work

Just had the same problem, it was a huge pain to get them off cause the bolt is so rusted on, i had to pry and pry at the bottom to slowly get the bolt to slide from the original plastic pipe its in. If i would have had a way of cutting id choose that way first.

i torched em LOL

Use a vise grip to grap the entire bolt, then use a ratchet to loosen the bottom nut. Eventually if you use enough force, the plastic surrounding the bolt will break off.

kyleyz762 said:

i torched em LOL

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That's what I did too...

Worked like a charm!

i grabbed mine and with enough force was able to snap them in half and then i cut the remainder off with a hacksaw. mine were so rusted a few strokes ( no pun intended) with the hacksaw and they fell off. I actually have to go back out in the morning and re-tighten them

I got pissed and kicked mine. It snaped off and fell through the hole.

volver said:

I got pissed and kicked mine. It snaped off and fell through the hole.

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I have one that is stuck beyond belief...maybe I need to just go back out and use this method lol

Kinda wish I had a saw or torch though, sounds like that's the way to go here

Cut it off with a hacksaw or angle grinder..

I got a bigger hammer, and it didn't work so I cut those things right off, lol. To be honest with any sway bar link it is easier to beak off the head and melt/cut them off.

The little saw I had didn't really do much damage (pretty sure its just for wood and probably ruined it) and I don't have a torch, but I did get it off. I ended up just pushing and pulling the top half of the end link back and forth (mine originally broke right under the top bushing but the bottom bushings would budge, even after removing the nut at the end of the broken bolt). The pushing and pulling on the rod slowly but surely pushed the lowest bushing down the rod and eventually off of it all together and it slid right out.

Probably wasn't the fastest way (well I actually know that it wasn't) but it worked and I got the new ones in.

Are you supposed to tighten those really tight, I thought I read somewhere on here that you don't want to over-tighten them. The new ones are the Moogs BTW. Thanks!

If they are rusted tight, just hack saw them. When installing new ones I prefer to put some marine grease or antiseize on the bolt body so it doesn't rust tight to the sleeve (live in the snow and salt belt). The threads should be clean and have a nylock nut. Definitely do not want to over-tighten and compact the gommets. Only turn until they just start to squish.

I hacksawed and dremeled mine. Dremel worked great, but those little discs explode in a hurry if you aren't careful.