modena

FYI the front bolt is indeed welded on.
If you remove the black plastic parts inside the wheel well you can get a drill bit in there.
That’s what I did, got a new bold and nut from Home Depot and their is enough room to slide it in.

Low Fly'n 8

Just installed my Racing Beat sway bars. I got lucky I guess because everything went very smooth with no problems. The only thing that threw me off was my rear bar has the Racing Beat sticker on the opposite side than Expo's. I had to scratch my head a little bit on this . It is installed properly, but the sticker is upside down on the passenger side, not the driver's side Obviously there is no science at Racing Beat about where the sticker goes so I wouldn't use it to determine how to install. Just use Expo's pictures that show it both ways. I did the install by myself and somehow managed to figure the front bar out on the first attempt. Just look at the bar location in the pictures on the Racing Beat instructions. One other thing, that Prothane grease is some sticky ****.

Avalonstar

These instructions were really helpful when I put in my Mazdaspeed bars today. Unfortunately, the bars didn't come with the factory instructions, so was left blind until I found this. Anyway, loosening (but not fully taking off) the bottom plastic part really helps when it comes to manuvering the bar out.

The trick is to get the bar to do a 180 and get the end-link holes facing the front of the car. I did do it by myself, and it did take a lot of running back and forth from wheel well to wheel well making sure that I wasn't breaking anything or that the bar didn't get caught on something. Once you do that, it comes out really easily (with a little pulling nonetheless), again loosening the plastic at the bottom helps when getting it out. When you're putting the new bar in, just do everything in reverse.

elf

I agree --- don't use the sticker on the rear sway bar to determine the correct orientation of the bar. Here's a pic of my RB rear sway with the sticker right-side up on the passenger side.

TeamRX8

iTrader: (25)

there's actually an easier way; drop the big plastic undercover, take the lower radiator brackets off, and the whole front bar can be slid in and out ...

BoosTED

iTrader: (2)

Wish I would have seen this two days ago.

Well I'll know for the next time.

That would make it a one person job.

MyEnemy

I have been trying to put in the rear sway bar. I got them for about a week now, sprayed the Liquid wrench on it twice now and still cant get the bolts to come off. Any other ideas on how to get them off. I have not even got a small budge yet.

expo1

You are also using a 5mm Allen key to keep it from rotating?

MyEnemy

Yes i use a box end and allen wrench. But it does not even move. When i try to take it off all it does is flex the end link a bit.

MyEnemy

Got a friends air compressor and used some air tools. damn thing was so tight , even after more liguid wrench soak time, it still rounded the damn nut. Guess my car doesnt want me to change the sway bar. looks like i might need to cut the rounded nut off and just replace it.

shaunv74

I'm having the same problem on the passenger side. Both endlink nuts spin in the ball joint. I can't seem to get enough leverage with the allen key to keep it from turning and the box end wrench is starting to round the nuts. Any other thoughts? I was thinking about heating it up with a colman torch to break it free. Any suggestions?

Charles R. Hill

iTrader: (7)

Nutsplitter.

shaunv74

Sounds like my last Girlfriend. Thanks for the info. I'll run down to Home Despot and get one.

TeamRX8

iTrader: (25)

if you have a long enough allen wrench you can usually let it spin up against something and hold it in place to use full force on the nut

however, I had one seize up so bad that it twisted the end of the allen wrench about 30 degrees, seems like I may have posted a pic of it on here somewhere

ended up cutting the stud off with a portable bandsaw, took about 15 seconds to make the cut, but I had to disassemble most of the front suspension first to have the clearance for it to fit in there

generally speaking, when breaking the nut free you can almost always use a 14mm 6-point socket without needing the allen wrench. I remove and install mine all the time (Adjustable bars) and almost never need to use an allen wrench, typically only if the threads get boogered up from overtightening the nut. A 12" or longer socket wrench provides a lot of leverage, a shorter one will make it more difficult.

be sure and use anti-sieze on the stud when installing the new one, you won't ever have another problem with it

MyEnemy

I bout split a nut trying to get mine of. I brought it to a friends shop and just cut it as well. If my impact wouldnt losen it up dont think i would been able to get it off. Oh well got some new end-links as well.

BoosTED

iTrader: (2)

Another option is to get a vise grip in between the sway bar and the end link to hold it that way. Be careful not to cut the boot on the end link.

This is a last resort if the allen head strips out...

I put some loctite blue on the threads to help prevent corrosion for the next time I need to remove the end link.

kristopher_d

So all you really want is my spring compressors this weekend, huh?

Looks like it's going to be a few more days before I get my sways. The boards being down made it difficult to look up the address to send the money to.

shaunv74

And an impact gun if you have one.

Do you think you'll have them this weekend?

Well I figure I'd get a head start so all we have to focus on is getting the new stuff back in rather than wrestling with getting the old stuff out. I was thinking are you around on Saturday to get together and work on it? It would give us a little more time to make sure we can get both cars done in a weekend. Let me know when you want to get together.

corvus13

iTrader: (2)

Hey Shaunv and Kris,

I have the tools to do this (a BIG air compressor and all the air tools). If you guys want to swing over to Silverdale, I have room in the garage to accomodate both vehicles for the sway bar change out. I did mine last year and figured out the tricks to both the front and rear sway swap. Drop me a PM and let me know. Most evenings and weekends are free for me.

Later
Corvus13

shaunv74

Thanks Corvus! Thats very generous of you. Let me see how we make out on Saturday. If we get stuck I will definitely take you up on the offer on Sunday.

shaunv74

Alright I bought an allen key socket an managed to strip the hex head on the endlink bolt last night so I got that out of the way. Home Despot didn't have the nut splitter so I just picked one up at Sears today. I'll give that a run tonight. That and my neighbor let me borrow his rechargable impact wrench so between those two items there should be no nut that can stand in my way!

If that doesn't work I'm buying a torch and burning the car down to the tires...

kristopher_d

If I get mine by the weekend it'll be a miracle. The difficulties last week delayed my getting the MO in the mail.

shaunv74

Yeah. Thanks for the perspective. I'll get it one way or the other. I have no doubt.

shaunv74

Okay I was able to get the endlink off of the sway bar by wedging my 3/8" socket with the 5mm hex head into the hole in the lower control arm and using a hammer on my box end 14mm wrench to free up the nut. The endlink bolt on the lower control arm is hambuger at this point though.

If I didn't mention it before I'm going to change out the endlinks for the Racingbeat endlinks at the same time. Technically I guess I could leave it as is now but I just can't leave a completely mangled bolt on my car. I couldn't get the nut splitter to seat around the nut. It's in a small recess on the control arm and the nut splitter is too thick to sit flush in the recess so it keeps riding up the nut as I twist it down. I did make some headway when I clamped it down so I may try that one more time.

I think I'll try heating up the nut with a plumbing torch next and then spinning it off with the impact gun.

I will try 4_years suggestion as well with the vice grip.

TeamRX8

iTrader: (25)

the problem with RB endlinks is that you have to drill out the control arm and swaybar mounting holes to a larger diameter, and frankly for no good reason either because IMO they're not needed

IMO get new OE endlinks and use antisieze on the stud threads before installing them