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Torquing Sway Bar Links; How do I know when they're good?
Topic Started: Jun 27 2016, 08:17 PM (1,132 Views)
OGjuanKenobi
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I'm trying to figure out when the sway bar link is tight enough to the control arm. I saw the torque spec is supposed to be 20 ft/lbs but the nut keeps turning and it just compresses the bushing. I stopped tightening when I noticed the bushing getting smaller, because I'm guessing I don't want to smash the bushings. Can someone please explain to me how to tighten down the sway bar link to the control arm?
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freegeo
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Where did you get the torque spec from?
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OGjuanKenobi
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Found a list on this forum.
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freegeo
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I will check my 96 fsm when I get home and see what it calls for.
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OGjuanKenobi
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Thanks! I should really look into getting a FSM since I'll be doing quite a bit of work to the wife's car over time.
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Bannedfonz
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I recently added sway bars to my '92 and the info I found online (not Metro specific) said to tighten them till the bushing starts to expand, ( ) then back them off a 1/4 turn. Not sure if this is brand specific or not, the Moog end links I bought didn't have instructions with them...

That being said, I did mine according to the above advice and no problems with mine. I would recommend some blue loctite though...
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freegeo
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OGjuanKenobi
Jun 27 2016, 11:10 PM
Thanks! I should really look into getting a FSM since I'll be doing quite a bit of work to the wife's car over time.
I would recommend getting one. They are year specific and have lots of info in them. A little hard to find stuff at first but the more you use it the easier it gets.
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freegeo
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Posted Image

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Old Man


I threw the nuts that came with the link in the trash and bought Stainless Steel locking nuts then tightened them to as much as I could pull with my combination wrench. (25 ft lbs ???)
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snowfish
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Basic GearHead

Quote:
 
an someone please explain to me how to tighten down the sway bar link to the control arm?

The sway bar should have a flat, to place a wrench, so the shaft doesn't spin. ^o) Mine are torqued to 20/38ftlbs respectably. :gamerz The bushings need to be pretty tight to keep them centered in the recesses. :thumb
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solerpower
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I always get them started then put the weight of the car on them before tightening them to no movement and then a little bit more. Just make sure you do both sides the same distance up from the bottom of the bolt.
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OGjuanKenobi
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Well, now I have a whole new problem. The nut that attaches the link to the control arm isn't threading now. It spins but it will not tighten or loosen at all, it's about three threads onto the post and it just spins there. I tried using my impact driver in reverse hoping I could get it spinning fast enough to come off but it hasn't worked. I spun it with a wrench to see if there was anything else spinning with it and I only see the nut moving and nothing else, not even the washer above it is moving. Thinking I might need to pull of the control arm to figure this out. The project is starting to make me feel like :banghead
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OGjuanKenobi
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This nut is officially holding up all progress now. It seems the inner threads are stripped so it's just not coming off, but using an impact wrench I managed to back it up some but it just spins without tightening or loosening. Hoping I can get it off and just buy a new nut because I really don't want to destroy the new sway bar link.
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Old Man


you need two open ends. One to fit the nut and one that just barely fits over the bolt. put pressure on the nut with the one pivoting around the bolt and unscrew the nut
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Bannedfonz
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:gp

Sounds like a good plan to me. Used that a few times to "pry" them off.
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