2 hour garage for beer?

[yossarian19]

Hey folks, I realize I don't know anyone around here (yet) and I've got a favor to ask..
I've got a broken lower sway bar bolt, the pressed in T55 bolt that the link is nutted on to.
If anyone has a sawzall & a jack, it would really help me get this straightened out. I've got the tools in Maryland, won't have them back here till mid May. Will trade beer, a few bucks or a couple helping hands.

 

[JeepFreak21]

If you wanna drive out to Sacramento, we can fix it at my place!
Billy

 

[the_weirdo]

If you want to make it down to South San Jose, I can also help you out.

 

[yossarian19]

Thanks for the offers guys. I have to check my work schedule over the next week or two and see when I could come by.

 

[XJKcali]

Yo'19, Just like you I am new here also. I live in San Lorenzo, just down the road from you. I can help you out. Just let me know.

 

[jimbosz07]

Just figured I'd mention that I got it out pretty easily with a 3 jawed gear puller. Might help you too

 

[yossarian19]

Hey ZJKali, Weirdo & JeepFreak... I don't know what you guys' schedules are like but mine is shoddy. If anyone is going to be home & free tuesday (day or night), wednesday (day) thursday (day or night) friday (day) or weekend nights, that is when I can get my heap out & around. Be cool to meet up & say hi if anyone is around at those times, other times I'm working

 

[XJKcali]

Work sucks but it does buy parts! I'll be home Saturday night if your interested.
Brian

 

[blondejoncherokee]

those lower sway bar bolts have come off at shitty times for me.
id say heat and a sledge and some penetrating oil should take it right off.

 

[yossarian19]

I tried Pblaster and a framing hammer. Noticed the bracket start to bend away from the coil bucket. I'll try spraying it down a couple more times before I take a hammer to it again... want to minimize the amount I have to bang it back towards the coil mount. Frickin' Jeeps... My next car is a Honda.

 

[Boatwrench]

Try this.

Put a large socket over the head of the bolt. One with large enough diameter to not touch or interfere with the head. screw the nut on again until the end of the nut is even with the last thread of the stud/bolt. With a large C clamp or preferable a ball joint/u-joint press place pressure on the threaded end of the stud/bolt, lots of pressure as in until the threaded rod of the clamp starts to distort.

Now with a BIG hammer, not a framing hammer, a BIG hammer like a 1.5# ball peen or larger, strike the forward edge of the bracket. The shockwave sent through the bracket should cause the stud/bolt to pop.

 

[yossarian19]

Try this.

Put a large socket over the head of the bolt. One with large enough diameter to not touch or interfere with the head. screw the nut on again until the end of the nut is even with the last thread of the stud/bolt. With a large C clamp or preferable a ball joint/u-joint press place pressure on the threaded end of the stud/bolt, lots of pressure as in until the threaded rod of the clamp starts to distort.

Now with a BIG hammer, not a framing hammer, a BIG hammer like a 1.5# ball peen or larger, strike the forward edge of the bracket. The shockwave sent through the bracket should cause the stud/bolt to pop.

FTFW! Had to remove my steering stabilizer for clearance with the clamp but with a lot of tightening and hammer work, I got it. 11 bucks later, I have a sway bar again. Of course, I still haven't found the clunk I was looking for when I broke that splined T55...

 

[Boatwrench]

Check the rubber sway bar mounts, if they are worn you'll get some clunk. Check the trac bar mounts for looseness also.

 

[jimbosz07]

Yea I have that sway bar clunk too. It's because the bolts I put in to replace the pressed in studs have a teeny bit of play

 

[yossarian19]

I had the sway bar dis connected for a couple days and the clunk still came. Never when cornering, just over speed bumps / any time the front suspension compresses. On 2" lift w/ stock track bar... I'll be checking this out for a while, I think. Shocks are tight on both ends, ball joints TREs and track bar feel solid by hand with the tires on the ground.

 

[jimbosz07]

Ah nevermind, that's a different clunk than mine. Unless you're not securing the bar when you disconnect it? Maybe that clunks when disco'd and the bolts shift when attached?