HELP!!! Can't remove sway bar link on my old trusty (and rusty) 1996 Pathfinder

[VancouverPF]

hi nico friends, I'm really desperate now. Basically I've ordered the sway bar links & set about removing the old (which had one end popped out of the ball joint).

Removing the one which has popped out was easy : I used a lock wrench on the exposed ball portion & unscrewed the nut on other end.

But the one which is still "okay" (meaning the ball did not pop out), is the tricky one. I suppose the easiest way is to somehow separate the old sway bar link knuckle from the joint, and use the same trick with lock wrench. Trouble is I can separate them!

Can someone recommend a way to do that? I tried using a hammer but it would not budge. Any help is deeply appreciated. Thanks in advance.

here are the pics i just took :http://www.flickr.com/photos/7...42486/ ... .37683/The thing is the original does not have nut for me to grip with a 2nd spanner. The new ones has nut on the part that rotates. Tks!

Zac

Modified by VancouverPF at 12:44 AM 7/4/2009

Modified by VancouverPF at 12:48 AM 7/4/2009
Modified by VancouverPF at 2:25 AM 7/4/2009

[W O T]

I dont know exactly the look of the joint your trying to seperate, but the angled forks and a 2-5lb hammer have never ever let me down, but they do some damage if your not careful, but it wont matter if your replacing the parts.

[W O T]

Sorry for the huge pic but it was the best one on page one of google images, its called a pickle fork aparently, they cost like $15 or you can rent them for a couple bucks Im sure at crappy tire



Like I said I dunno what youre trying to seperate exactly

[VancouverPF]

hi WOT ... thanks for trying to help. here are the pics i just took :http://www.flickr.com/photos/7...42486/ ... 7...37683/

The thing is the original does not have nut for me to grip with a 2nd spanner. The new ones has nut on the part that rotates. Tks!

ps. Sorry i can't figure out how to embed pictures in forum yet.

[W O T]

Oh,,, i was way off eh, I actually had the exact same problem youre having, if theres no way to get a grip on it (like mine was) all I did was attach a 3" metal cutting blade to my jigjaw and CUT IT OFF

I just did this a month ago, its pretty soft metal, the threads cut easy as pie

[VancouverPF]

ok, thanks for the tip ... that suggestion worked !

[screwinitupagain]

ok, thanks for the tip ... that suggestion worked !

Good thing cause I would've been no help. I snapped mine on the trail & then took it off later cause it was rattling...