Sway bar bolt

[XJCherokee99]

2 Jaw gear puller, few turns of the bolt and you're good to go. I grinded off about half the threads on the bolt so the puller would fit first, works like a charm.

 

[basalt51]

Go buy yourself a little torch for $5 bucks at the hardware store and be done with it. And remember heat the mount not the bolt.

 

[Jeep'nD]

So I can see that this thread is way old, but I thought I throw in my 2 cents. I just installed my discos 2nite. The bottom sway bar link bolt has a T55 torx head, but just forget using a torx socket on it. I attached my T55 socket to an 18" ratchet and literally stood on the end of the ratchet. Nothing!

If you look at the picture below, you'll see just why it didn't budge. This is a picture of what's left after I finally removed the bolt. You can see the splines that run perpendicular to the threads. They make for very poor turning, especially if you have roughly 10 years o' crap built up in 'em.

I tried the torch followed by the BFH, but all I managed to do was bend the mount that the bolt goes through. After hammering the mount back the other way, I selected another method that someone on this thread suggested.

I cut off the head of the bolt, then slid stuff onto the bolt shaft and followed it with the nut. Then I wrenched down with the aforementioned 18" ratchet and it eventually got pulled out. And what is left is what you see below.

 

[Tuckman1941]

I have a '00 Cherokee.
I tried to heat my bolts with a propane torch but it wasn't hot enough. Returned to Home Depot with the intention of getting a Mapp gas torch, but left with the oxygen/Mapp Gas cutting/welding/brazing torch. Set me back about 50 bucks but it works like a charm. Fired it right up, heated the area around the bolt until it glowed, and after about 6 half-hearted blows with a hammer the bolt was out.
I highly recommend this little torch. It's a blast. I'm sure the regular Mapp gas would've worked, but I'll admit I've wanted one of these babys since I was about six.

 

[jaybo]

When i removed my sway bar to put new end links on I had no problem with that bolt. I'm thinking you're are talking about the star bolt that connects the end link to the axel. I just borrowed the right star bolt pattern socket and a break bar on the socket on the end and just reefed on the breaker bar.....it's not welded it's just a bolt.

 

[WebEditor]

Jaybo..... don't even get me started... those things are tapered and splined.. for some they fall out.... I had to drill the sob out as it WAS in there....

 

[robs]

Mine just popped right out....




Right after I broke my new T55 bit... and emptied out my mapp gas.... and bent the crap out of the bracket.... and heated it up cherry red... i mean GLOWING red with oxy-ace.... and used a BFH....

The oxy-ace and BFH trick worked... hit the stud on the side to elongate the hole... don't just smack the end of the stud as that just bends the mount...

 

[mattb]

I'd agree with oxe-ace torch method. When I intalled my lift there were quite a few bolts which were just completely stuck.

On thick parts, like the swaybar mounts, the propane torch just wouldn't do a thing. I got mine off by having the wife heat it up with the oxe-ace torch while I pounded on it with a BFH.

Matt

 

[cherokeekid95]

yes yes they are a Major PITA. heated my mount and beat it out. mmm cherry red is good color!

 

[woodrock03]

:thumbup: Installed RE discos on my '95 Sport today, and just wanted to say thanks to EricsXJ and Jeep'nD for their excellent posts on extracting the dreaded lower link bolt.

Never would have suspected that the factory used splines perpendicular to the bolt threads. Why on earth do they even configure that bolt with a Torx head? It's very misleading, and the FSM and/or Parts CD are no help. If the head was just smooth, I would have figured out right away that it was a press fit.

Anyways, ground the heads off (about 10-15 minutes per side), and pulled out the bolts with the nut/spacer method. From there it was a snap.

Thanks again :cheers:
John

 

[EricsXJ]

Sweet! Glad I was able to help....

 

[jeepster]

i think this would be a great thread to have a vote on it.

1=grind off head, washers and nut method

2=heat mount and beat with BFH

3=lucky bastards whose bolts just fell out

 

[El Payo]

Reviving an old thread here to cast my vote on how I did mine.

For the driver's side, I used method 2. Passenger side I started with method 1, then tried drilling it out, then switched to method 2.

And then I realized I had ordered the wrong size JKS discos.

Ooops.

 

[JEONLYEP]

So I can see that this thread is way old, but I thought I throw in my 2 cents.

And Jeep'nD thought this thread was old in 2003!!!

Welcome to by the way....

 

[El Payo]

Thanks much. In a way I guess I've been a member since 1988 - I bought a used 1984 Cherokee back then and immediately put a 3" lift and 30"s on it.

I drove that poor 2.5 liter 4 banger into the dust.

Here it is 18 years later and I'm working on a '98 XJ that I bought new.

 

[Menzenski]

The swaybar bolts on my 90 aren't splined. I just took off the nut and pulled out the bolt.

 

[vette75406]

MY 89 4x4 housing is not splined and comes right out the 93 2wd housing that i just swaped out is splined ,

 

[87manche]

The swaybar bolts on my 90 aren't splined. I just took off the nut and pulled out the bolt.

lucky.
I tried beating it with a hammer and was just going to bend the mounts.
I took a grinder to the head, put the nut back on and "compelled" it to come out with a 36" breaker bar.