Lowering Woes.... - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

nort0188 · 03-03-2004, 07:12 PM

I cannot, for the life of me, disconnect the rear sway bar link from the struts in order to remove the strut assembly! I think if you actually have a suggestion, you know what I'm talking about. The hex-wrench does not work... torching it is not an option, as fire & gasoline are illegal in the same room in our school district, and using fire for that is about as close to gasoline as you could get.

I had a small strike of genius tonight though... what if I removed the rsb AND strut still connected. I think that would work, as I have servicable struts so I will not have to remove the link from the strut. Anybody know a trick to doing this without destroying the link? A new one costs $90 USD...

One last problem... when removing my passenger side rear wheel, one of the lugs was being stubborn. I used my brute force method to get it off, and well, it took half of the stud with it. So, would it be safe for me to drive Honda style (4-lug) a couple of blocks to the repair shop?

DIRTBIKEZ · 03-03-2004, 07:48 PM

Did you try saturating it with some liquid penetrant and letting it sit for a awhile?

Removing the strut and bar together are a bit extreme and would be very difficult as well.

***EKam*** · 03-03-2004, 08:11 PM

Torch it, then spray cold water. Repeat several times.

(Oh and tell them you sucked all the fuel out of the gas tank.)

gaak · 03-03-2004, 08:44 PM

when i had this problem i wound up just cutting the damn thing off and buying a new one. expensive, but the least frustrating way to go about it in my mind.

***Ratko*** · 03-03-2004, 08:59 PM

Use vice-grips to hold the bolt from rotating while you take off the nut.

nort0188 · 03-03-2004, 09:17 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Ratko
Use vice-grips to hold the bolt from rotating while you take off the nut.

That worked on the driver side, but the passenger side is the one thats being stubborn. I'm gonna give it another shot tomorrow... I didn't have time today to try the bottom nut, and I assume it will have the same resistance, but who knows... it may be a little easier.

Quote:

[i]Torch it, then spray cold water. Repeat several times.

(Oh and tell them you sucked all the fuel out of the gas tank.) [/B]

As for the gasoline, there are at least six other vehicles in the shop on a daily basis, and our school got fined earlier in the year for using the torch with gasoline in the vicinity, so I doubt the teacher will allow it again... I'm sure he would've brought it out already if it were legal.

DIRTBIKEZ · 03-03-2004, 09:43 PM

WD-40, Liquid Wrench, Kreep, etc.... I'll say it again.

Or roll it outside and hit it with the torch.

***BLUEMEANIE*** · 03-03-2004, 10:15 PM

I ordered the whiteline endlinks so I tourched mine when I did my sway bar... it melts the bushings.
You can get new oem ones for like $20 and Whiteline ones are $70 a pair.

nort0188 · 03-03-2004, 10:49 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BLUEMEANIE
I ordered the whiteline endlinks so I tourched mine when I did my sway bar... it melts the bushings.
You can get new oem ones for like $20 and Whiteline ones are $70 a pair.

I was just at the dealer today and he told me $90 each... maybe it was $90 for a pair, but I don't think so. These are the springs I bought from you that I'm putting in right now. The front end is done and looks hot as hell, nice job cutting 'em. Now with the Whiteline endlinks, did you order straight from Whiteline, or did you go through CTM? How much was shipping?

***BLUEMEANIE*** · 03-03-2004, 10:57 PM

CTM and shipping was $10 or so...

nort0188 · 03-03-2004, 10:58 PM

Sweet, I didn't realize he had them.... goodness, I can feel my wallet shrinking.

***Your Uncle Moe*** · 03-03-2004, 11:10 PM

its alright to drive with 4 botls. Just as long as its temp and you be really careful and drive slow. Get it repaired ASAP.

wontonjohnny · 03-04-2004, 01:25 AM

haha same problem here ... i found that its easier to remove the bolt at the top part of the links (part connected to the strut)

my sway bar rattles, when i tried to loosen at the bottom of the link it loosened abit but then got stuck in the rust cant move it, so jsut shimed the gap and forgot about it.

nort0188 · 03-04-2004, 10:48 PM

Well, we got her off on the bottom. Everything is fine and dandy now... except for the wheel stud, of course. I picked up some simple green tonight, gonna clean off the steelies, and I'll try to get some pics before she goes off to the shop for the wheel stud. Thanks for the help fellas.

DIRTBIKEZ · 03-05-2004, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Well, we got her off on the bottom. Everything is fine and dandy now...

Getting off on the bottom

. What did you have to do?