Replacing Sway Bar Frame Bushings and End Links on a '97 I30

[jdjohn]

This is for a 1997 I30t. Along with the new parts - a pair of sway bar frame bushings, and two sway bar end link kits - you'll also need a floor jack, a pair of jack stands, a 14mm wrench, a 14mm socket(w/ a ratchet of course and two lengths of extensions), some type of pry bar, and some grease. If you have access to an air wrench, it will obviously save time since some of the bolts in this project are rather long and in tight quarters. A box-end wrench with a built-in ratchet is also very handy.

allensteiner has a nice post with pictures where he replaces just the end link bushings here: zerothread?id=447349 The pictures will help give you a reference.

After getting both sides of the car up on jack stands and removing the wheels, pick a side and then use the floor jack to support the control arm by gently raising the jack under the ball joints. Most floor jack support points fit nicely right under the ball joints. You will probably want to adjust the floor jack up-and-down on occasion during this project in order to relieve tension on the sway bar and/or the control arm.

Remove the old sway bar frame bushings first. It will help to have some play in the sway bar when you are removing the old end links, so removing the frame bushings first will help provide that play. Use a 14mm socket to remove the bolts that are holding down the frame bushing brackets; you'll need a 3-in extension for one side. The nuts on the underside of the frame are welded-on, so don't worry about holding them in place. Remove the bracket and old bushing once the bolts are removed. To help get the bushings clear of the frame (and slide them down the sway bar), you might want to jack up the control arm a little more.

Once the sway bar bushing is removed, it is now time to turn your attention to the end link. First remove the nut on the top of the end link. Start with a 14mm wrench, then once you have enough clearance, switch to a socket to finish removing the nut. This nut has a nylon lock insert, so you will likely experience some resistance during removal. Once the nut is clear, you can then remove the top rubber bushing on the link. To manipulate the sway bar up (and aid in removal of the end link), use a pry bar by resting it on top of the steering knuckle, just next to where the tie-rod end joins, and pushing up on the sway bar. Be careful of the rubber brake line while doing this. The next nut to remove is the one at the bottom of the end link, on the shorter of the end link arms. Once again it is a 14mm socket, and the best position of attack is to approach from front side of the car, and from behind the brake rotor; use a longer ratchet extension for this one. It can be a tough one to loosen, but once it is loose, you will also have to use a 14mm wrench to hold the inside nut in place, which is actually part of the end link itself. When the nut is finally removed, you can now remove the end link completely. This is another time when you might need to adjust the floor jack up and/or down, and again use the pry bar on the sway bar in order to get the link free.

Now go in reverse by installing the new end link first, then the new sway bar frame bushing with the old bracket. I chose to loose-fit everything first, then do final tightening. Also, use some grease on the inner part of the frame bushing where it touches the sway bar. For final tightening, I did the two nuts on the end link first - control arm connector nut first, then the sway bar nut. Before final tightening on the bolts for the bracket on the sway bar bushing, I dropped the floor jack completely off from underneath the control arm. This helped get the sway bar back down onto the frame for final tightening.

After final tightening, you can then reattach the wheels by jacking the car up off the floor jacks, removing the floor jacks, then attach the wheels and finally lower the car.

The second side went much faster than the first, mainly because I knew everything was 14mm, and I got pretty adept at switching out the extensions on my ratchet.

I hope this helps someone out there save a little time.

Jody