front stabilizer links(P.S. buzzman)

[timmack]

hey buzzman(or anyone else who has done this)....when you changed out the front stabilizer links, did you have to use a deep socket for the top nuts? looking at the new ones the 2 bolts look the exact same length and the holes they bolt into looks the exact same thickness but i had to use a deep socket for the top bolts, standard worked fine on the bottom. just something that caught my eye.
Modified by timmack at 11:25 AM 12/12/2008

[Buzzman]

Hi,Yea, I know what you mean. The top is longer.The first thing I had to do was pour about half a gallon of liquid wrench on the ends. These things were tight and rusted...seized. I let it sit for about 15 minutes. (That's the price we pay for living in a salt ridden winter city.)I actually used an open ended wrench. I didn't have a deep enough socket.Knowing I was throwing the old ones out, I didn't care if I ruined it, so I also used big vice grips on the back (right through the rubber boot) to hold it in place. If you just turn the nut, the whole thing just spins, and it never comes loose. The hardest part was just getting the old nut to crack free. Once I got it started, it came off pretty easy. They can be a pain, but it's still a DIY in my opinion.One other thing, just make darn sure you have the truck on a jack stand or two, and not just sitting on the jack. I've heard of too many cases where a car or truck rolled off the jack, and crushed and killed someone. Happened here this summer. It's not a good way to go.

[timmack]

for sure, i always have it on stands when working on it. thanks for the reply, just wanted to make sure i had the right part installed. mine wasnt as hard as yours, they cracked right off pretty easy once i got a wrench on the back side and by the time i got the nuts off, they were already dangling. only thing that set me back was the new nuts were a different size then the old ones. and yea i agree with you, if you can change your oil then you can definitely do this procedure.