quick question, will take 1 minute. thanks ( sway links)

[generalleexj]

ok quick question, on the bottom of the sway bar links on a 01 cherokee there is a TORX bolt which holds the sway bar to the axle, is this bolt threaded in there? is it welded? or is it just pressed in to that metal ? im cuirous because i jumped my jeep today and broke the after market adj. sway bar disconects and it bent the metal arm that holds it to the axle toward the driver side. so i just need to heat up the metal, and beat it back to place.

[anony91xj]

I believe the stud is splined and pressed in.

[generalleexj]

so i can hammer it out right ?

[Matthew Currie]

so i can hammer it out right ?

Right.

[stewie]

so i can hammer it out right ?

i tried. didnt work for me. the arm that it was connected to had too much play. i would hit it with a hamer but it only absorbed a small bit of the force before the arm gave a bit. i used a tie rod end puller that i bought for a nominal fee ($12). i had to cut the facoctory stud though down to size in order to fit the one i had. mabye if you got a longer one with adjustable arms on it, you may find more uses for it over time. if you get the small one and cut the bolt, be sure to cut it straight accross or the puller will slide off every time.

hth
stewie

[XgeekstarX]

i just turned the torx bolt until the splines stripped out and replaced it with a 1/2" tine pin with a hairpin so all i have to do is take off the nut at the top of the link and pull the hairpin out to disco my swaybar

[johnlv6]

I used a pitman arm puller to press it out. It took some effort to get it out with the puller. I don't think any amount of hitting with a hammer was going to get mine out (i tried).

[fdsa487]

What do you do if your sway bar hits the spring at the top? It seems like the only thing to do would be to move the axel back until it does not hit anymore or cut down and re weld the bar that the sway bar connects to at the top. What do you guys suggest?

Also it only hits on the passanger side so would that mean that the axel is uneven?

[POSXJGuy]

what kind of lift you running on there? if you have one everything needs to be lengthened. just because its hitting on one side does not mean the axle is uneven. if the axle is off center (as in you retained the stock track bar after lifting the xj) maybe its a track bar issue. give us some more info on your rig. sounds like you need to either lengthen sway bar links or get an adjustable track bar. sometimes things that bump on one side of the axle just dont on the other.

should be a relatively easy fix.

[fdsa487]

what kind of lift you running on there? if you have one everything needs to be lengthened. just because its hitting on one side does not mean the axle is uneven. if the axle is off center (as in you retained the stock track bar after lifting the xj) maybe its a track bar issue. give us some more info on your rig. sounds like you need to either lengthen sway bar links or get an adjustable track bar. sometimes things that bump on one side of the axle just dont on the other.

should be a relatively easy fix.

6" RE lift
TNT LA's
I have JKS disco's and an HD RE Adjustable Track bar with required bracket.

[POSXJGuy]

6" RE lift
TNT LA's
I have JKS disco's and an HD RE Adjustable Track bar with required bracket.

sure sounds like you have all the right gear and the only thing left is to relocate the bracket for the sway bar links on the axle end.

a friend of mine spent a day jacking up each side of his xj and making room for everything. it was interesting to see what goes where when you flex the suspension. we had to move the sway bar bracket out a little bit.

you have all the right stuff so far though. just need to do a little cutting and welding.

[87manche]

I'll tell you how I did mine.
Grind the head off the bolt, then put the swaybar link back on and use the nut to pull it out of the mounting tab.
I put some never seize on the bolt to make the nut turn easier. Took a large breaker bar to 'pop' it free, but after that it took about 2 minutes to get it all the way out with a deep well socket and 1/2" ratchet.

[fdsa487]

I'll tell you how I did mine.
Grind the head off the bolt, then put the swaybar link back on and use the nut to pull it out of the mounting tab.
I put some never seize on the bolt to make the nut turn easier. Took a large breaker bar to 'pop' it free, but after that it took about 2 minutes to get it all the way out with a deep well socket and 1/2" ratchet.

Any pictures of that process?!? =)

[87manche]

nope, was more interested in working than taking pictures.
it's simple when you look at the swaybar link.
Cut the torx head off and grind it flush with the tab coming off the axle. Then just put the nut on the other end and start tightening the nut. The force from the nut will pull the now headless bolt right through the hole.

[Lawn Cher']

Does it make a satisfying POP when it comes out?

[KarlVP]

Add heat. (propane or mappgas or oxy/acetlyene torch)

Add hammer.

Remove pin.

Not hard at all.

[87manche]

Does it make a satisfying POP when it comes out?
nope, more like a creak and groan. I started with a big hammer and heat, but I was just going to end up bending the tabs on the axle.