Hello,
Today I replaced gen4 5s-fe's front sway bar end links.
Reason was simple, passenger side link had a wide open crack in bottom boot.
Besides that both links were experiencing side to side movement easily with no resistance (which I was told is not a problem).
anyways, this how they behaved before (plus the crack on one boot which is not pictured, note it's a V6 model shown in video, same parts though):
This is how you are supposed to remove the old OEM links (use lots of PB Blaster on outer nuts and inner hex key stud), this one is off the car already, but it should give you the idea how to do this on car:
If you do not lock the inner 5mm hex key stud against something (e.g. strut tower or LCA) then you won't be able to remove the outer 14mm nut (they spin together, they are literally locked when tight).
this is how old OEM links and new Deeza links look like when compared side by side (passenger side shown):
As you see Deeza's are bigger, so there might be a slight clearance issue upon installation with the brake line bracket (one joining steel line and rubber line together, part of chassis behind the strut tower), but remember that new end link's studs can be moved, they are just MUCH harder to move than the old ones (easy to move with one finger).
Pic of how tight the clearance is (passenger side):
it takes a bit of tinkering to insert it right, but it's easily doable once you know what you are doing.
somehow the driver side was very easy to do, while passenger side was a problem, took me 15 minutes to figure out how exactly to insert it so everything ends up on the right side of things
This is a movie showing a supposedly good (uncracked boots) sway bar end link (original OEM) on driver side, note how easy the studs are to move, and note how cracked the boots in fact are by the stud:
Now the Deeza end links are different (bigger size for starters), in fact they do not have the inner 5mm hex key stud (which is good as it was a pain when rust was coming into play), but instead there is a support nut (17mm) on the other side by the boot, use it to hold the stud still while torquing down on the nut.
Deeza's use
15mm nuts (vs OEM 14mm nut),
29ft-lbs (same as OEM 14mm nuts).
I used a flare nut wrench on bottom one as I don't have such size of metric combo wrench (socket and 3/8'' ratchet does NOT fit down there), the upper one is easy to do with a torque wrench and a 3/8'' socket with extension easily (still the 17mm open end support wrench is needed, very easy to do).
these are pics of new sway end links (Deeza) installed on car:
a) passenger side
b) driver side
No more side to side movement on boots!
what I did in the first movie (twisting the end links when it was installed on car) with old links is impossible to do with replacement links (they are stiff).
Now the best thing, price
Deeza sway bar end links are $22 each on amazon (free shipping over $25, e.g. if you order 2 at same time).
OEM sway bar end links are $72.90 each from online dealer ($97 MSRP).
Moog end links (greasable with zerk fittings) are at $56.79 each from rockauto.com
Old OEM sway bar end links vs new Deeza links
1999 Toyota Avalon
00 Toyota Celica GT, 00 Maxima SE
Linear Mode
