ok so i figured it out with some help from RawrX8 and thought i'd share the method that finally worked.

first you have to take out the plastic wheel well liner which frees up a lot of space and lets you maneuver around those cables. it's connected by a bunch of plastic clips



then you can drop the plastic undertray by pulling out a few 10mm bolts and several plastic clips. you dont need the whole thing off, just the rear end of it



by then it should look like this:



next you can remove the radiator support brackets (2) like team said earlier. it was hard to find them with the plastic undertray installed but once it's gone it's easy. they're attached by two bolts, 12mm i think.

here's a pic of the bracket installed:



and here's a pic once it's removed:



after that you have plenty of space to work with and can slide the bar in fairly easily. it's still hard to spin it over the steering rack but i had luck with inserting the bar from the passenger side and dropping the leg of the sway bar into the correct position on the driver's side first, then lifting the passenger side over and into position.

if anyone in the seattle area wants a hand i cna help out now that i know what i'm doing. pay it forward, right?

 

Subscribed as I'll be doing the Progress Tech's soon. Good read here.

 

hehe good luck man.

the good news is they feel great. much better than running w/o the front sway. lol

 

the front is a bitch.... you need a friend to just push down on the hub assembly with as much force as possible. there is enough play that you can push it down and get the sway bar over the steering bar without having to rip everything apart. Easier if you don't have the suspension on.

 

See now you're discouraging me.

 

haha you have to try it to know what we're talking about..

 

yes, i concur, the front...is...a...bitch...

the rear is significantly easier, you just have to mark that thing to make sure you get the alignment correct.

but the front...my god...it was a pita

 

the alignment will be off if you're already lowered so marking doesnt help any

 

thats assuming people are lowered and that they didn't get alginment afterwards. it is still a good idea to put them back where they were.

 

yep. just didnt want to confused those lowered non aligned people like myself.

 

I recently bought a used set of Progress Tech sways front and back, with Agency Power end links. And I read through this thread, theres some sort of grease to use to lube up something. Since mine are used, I'm assuming I'll have to grease them up. Does it matter what type of grease to use? Also what am I greasing? I haven't figured that out yet.

 

The grease is to provide lubrication between the sway bars and the bushings that hold them in place. I'd suggest: http://www.energysuspensionparts.com...shing-Lube.asp

You can get that from Amazon as well, in a nice 8oz bucket. When apply them, you apply them liberally inside the bushings (the rubber things) and then put them onto the sway bar. Make sure everything is nice and clean before you get the grease on them. The point of the grease is so the bar will be allowed to rotate inside the bushings without making the squeaky noise.

 

When I'm installing both the front and rear sways the wheels are off correct?

 

you can do the rear with the wheels on no prob. for the fronts you need the wheels off.

 

And then just so I'm thinking correctly, the rear can be a 1 person job, but from what I read the front is a 2 man team. Something about someone needed to hold something in place?

 

Man, when I read that, I laughed. The front could be done by one person, if that person had the patience, strength, time, position, and luck to do it. Otherwise, having another pair of hands is very helpful. You can see how easy it is to do the rear - just get behind your car, look under your muffler, and voila.

 

right. i aaaaalllllmost did it myself but having that second person for the front helped finish the job. i used my sister at first but she has no patience with my projects.

 

When installing the back sway bar, does the car have to be on jacks. *** end in the air? Or can one install the rear sway and end links while the car is setting/wheels on ground?

 

Reason I ask is I can't get the nut off the stock end link. I'm literally rocking the car back and forth and that sucker isnt coming off.

 

HELP I got one stock end link off, but the other one, the nut that is holding the end link in place, is just spinning the bolt inside of the end link. Not sure what to do. Do I grind it off? If so All the sparks from the grinding will be shooting up into the car. HELP

 

are you using at hex key thing in the end of it and it still spins in place?

the screw bit of the end link has a hex opening that you can put any kind of hex screw bit, tool etc in so that you can hold it in place while you try to un do the the bolt.

Also might want to WD40 up that thing and let it sit for a bit.

if you haven't done the front one yet, get someone to help you. total PITA unless you want to rip the car apart.

 

Read my post up aways I used the craftsman bolt out kit to get one of the rear end links off

 

Finally got it. Yeah going through this on the rear, I'm having a shop doing the front. I have no patience.

 

end link bolts on the front were no prob for me. i say you should give it a shot before engaging a shop. good luck!

 

would the torques be the same for most all sway bars??