HowTo: Replace Stabilizer/Sway Bar Links - M37/M56/Q70 (Y51)

Forum for Infiniti M37, M56 M35h Hybrid and Q70 owners.
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Ilya
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Posts: 9800
Joined: Fri Apr 23, 2010 11:20 pm
Car: 2011 M56x but I spend a lot of time on my 2015 Kawasaki Vulcan S. Former owner of a 2007 M35x. Also take care of my wife's 2016 QX60.
Location: Charlotte, NC
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Figured I'd put this out there for anyone who was interested in replacing their stabilizer/sway bar links. I have a 2011 M56x but this should be the same for all M's/Q70's of the same generation (as the process was virtually identical to that of my old 07 M35x). Worst case, this should give you the general idea.

Front Stabilizer/Sway Bar Links

*Disclaimer* - I am not liable for anything you do to your car. This is just a basic walkthrough.

Task: Installing front stabilizer/sway bar links
Time: Took me about 35-40 minutes but most of that was spent cutting/grinding one of the bolts thanks to Old Man Winter and his friend Rusty in NY.
Tools/Supplies Needed:
  • 17MM Socket/Wrench
  • 19MM Wrench
  • In the case of my '11 M56x, Moog K750209 and K750210 Stabilizer/Sway Links
  • Some anti-seize
  • Some WD-40 or PB Blaster or similar product if you live in a climate like mine
  • Grease gun
Process:

1) Securely lift the car on jack stands, lift, etc.

2) The front stabilizer link looks like this. There is one per side. Yes, I know it's rusty :). Douse those bad boys in WD-40/PB Blaster!

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3) The nut is 17MM and you have to use the 19MM wrench to hold the bolt from the other side. Here is the top removed.

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4) Unfortunately, for my passenger side, I had to really fight it and still wasn't able to get it to break loose so, we ground it off. Here are some photos of the grindin in action.

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5) Here is the aftermath:

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6) Here is the new link installed. Make sure to use some anti-seize on the thread before putting on the nuts.

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7) Lastly, since this model of link has fittings for grease, we did add some but this may vary from brand to brand.


User avatar
Ilya
Moderator
Posts: 9800
Joined: Fri Apr 23, 2010 11:20 pm
Car: 2011 M56x but I spend a lot of time on my 2015 Kawasaki Vulcan S. Former owner of a 2007 M35x. Also take care of my wife's 2016 QX60.
Location: Charlotte, NC
Contact:

Post

Here is the process for the rear links:

Rear Stabilizer/Sway Bar Links

*Disclaimer* - I am not liable for anything you do to your car. This is just a basic walkthrough.

Task: Installing rear stabilizer/sway bar links
Time: Took me about 15-20 minutes. Rears were super easy.
Tools/Supplies Needed:
  • 15MM Socket/Wrench
  • 17MM Wrench
  • In the case of my '11 M56x, ACDELCO 45G1964 and ACDELCO 45G1965 Stabilizer/Sway Links
  • Some anti-seize
  • Some WD-40 or PB Blaster or similar product if you live in a climate like mine
Process:

1) Securely lift the car on jack stands, lift, etc.

2) The rear stabilizer link looks like this. There is one per side. Yes, I know it's rusty :). Douse those bad boys in WD-40/PB Blaster.

Image

Image

3) The nut is 15MM and you have to use the 17MM wrench to hold the bolt from the other side. Here is the link removed:

Image

4) Here is the new link installed. Notice, no grease fitting on these ACDELCO's.

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Yoda's Master
Posts: 439
Joined: Tue Jul 10, 2018 11:26 pm
Car: 2012 M56
2009 370z
Location: Rock in the middle of nowhere

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Those look nasty.

I want to add for RWD only: The front end link is also the bolt for the strut and you want to make sure you jack up the lower control arm so the car is slightly lifted off the jack stand before fully torquing the end link to the control arm. Or make it hand tight and drive the car onto ramps before fully tightening it. You want to do this so you don't over stress the bushing and put undue rotational preload in the bushing's rested position.

User avatar
Ilya
Moderator
Posts: 9800
Joined: Fri Apr 23, 2010 11:20 pm
Car: 2011 M56x but I spend a lot of time on my 2015 Kawasaki Vulcan S. Former owner of a 2007 M35x. Also take care of my wife's 2016 QX60.
Location: Charlotte, NC
Contact:

Post

Yoda's Master wrote:
Tue Mar 16, 2021 2:22 am
Those look nasty.

I want to add for RWD only: The front end link is also the bolt for the strut and you want to make sure you jack up the lower control arm so the car is slightly lifted off the jack stand before fully torquing the end link to the control arm. Or make it hand tight and drive the car onto ramps before fully tightening it. You want to do this so you don't over stress the bushing and put undue rotational preload in the bushing's rested position.
Yeah, can't wait to be living in FL. Next car hopefully won't rust like this after 6 years (this car was originally a FL car but has spent the last 6 years in NY winters). Too late for this one but...

Good call on the RWD. I've never seen that platform so had no idea it was that different.


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