| Author | Message | ||
     Chris Marcel (Gumarcel) Member Username: Gumarcel Post Number: 220 Registered: 11-2002 |
So I have used WD-40, penatrading oil, and liquid wrench along with an impact wrench and i can not get my damn sway bars off! I have a 95 disco, does anyone know of anything else that might help me get them off? Marcel | ||
| Brad Russell (Bradnc) Member Username: Bradnc Post Number: 215 Registered: 03-2002 |
Heat....take a torch to the bolts and make sure not to light any of the rubber on fire. That's pretty much the last resort. You don't need to put the rears back on so I'd just take them off...brackets and all. | ||
| Perrone Ford (Perroneford) Member Username: Perroneford Post Number: 97 Registered: 02-2003 |
I used a 5ft cheater bar on mine before they would come off. I didn't have an impact gun though. But you should be able to exert an incredible amount of leverage with a 5-8ft cheater bar (i.e. lead pipe). Good luck, -P | ||
| Chris Marcel (Gumarcel) Member Username: Gumarcel Post Number: 221 Registered: 11-2002 |
well i don't have a torch, do you know of a general type store where I could rent one? The dealership said they would do it, but i don't feel like paying them $50 to take them off. And I will need to put them back on in about 8 months when i get a d-90 and have to sell the disco. Marcel | ||
| Chris Marcel (Gumarcel) Member Username: Gumarcel Post Number: 223 Registered: 11-2002 |
Perrone, I used about a foot long led pipe, that was about as long of a pipe as I could fit. I don't have any jacks or anything...but damn a 5 foot pipe, that is massive! Marcel | ||
| Brad Russell (Bradnc) Member Username: Bradnc Post Number: 216 Registered: 03-2002 |
Man, i suggest staying away from cheater bars. That's asking for nothing but trouble. It's like putting something on a 1/4" socket drive to make it fit 1/2" sockets....just asking for trouble. I know of a guy that had a socket come apart on him and take off a finger. I'd just call local auto stores to see about renting a torch and u could try giving it a couple good bangs with a hammer around the general area to see if stuff unfreezes. Another option is buying some of that stuff that suppossedly unfreezes stuck bolts and stuff like that. I have no direct experience with it but would give it a shot. Good luck. | ||
| Brian Friend (Brianfriend) Senior Member Username: Brianfriend Post Number: 704 Registered: 09-2002 |
You can buy a cheap propane torch at Home Depot or something like that for around $15.00. | ||
| Perrone Ford (Perroneford) Member Username: Perroneford Post Number: 98 Registered: 02-2003 |
Brad, when you use a 5ft cheater bar, there is NOTHING around to hurt yourself on if the socket let's go. Some of the bolts and nuts under our truck are starting to get into the realm of 3/4" drive sockets, and I don't consider using and extra 2-3ft of leverage to be excessive. Others may well agree. None of this would be necessary if the boneheads at LR would bother to use some loctite or anti-sieze on these bolts. The chemical bond that sets up sometimes between these parts means that sometimes you may just have to cut them off. The guys recommending the torch may well have the best idea, just be careful. Some of the swaybar bolts are kinda near the fuel tank... -P | ||
| marty amedeo (Marty) New Member Username: Marty Post Number: 31 Registered: 03-2002 |
Another option is to buy a nut splitter from any auto store. All you need is a rachet or wrench to crank down on it and it'll split the nut. | ||
| Chris Marcel (Gumarcel) Member Username: Gumarcel Post Number: 224 Registered: 11-2002 |
Ha, very true Perrone I don't think it would be good if i blew myself and my car up. I will go to home depot like Brian said and see if i can't get the sway bar off. Marcel | ||
| Dean Brown (Deanbrown3d) Senior Member Username: Deanbrown3d Post Number: 625 Registered: 02-2002 |
You can drive into any mechanics shop and give the guy $10 if he loosens the bolts. They'll be glad to help - kinda like a chalenge for them. | ||
| Jason T. Barker (Speedminded) Member Username: Speedminded Post Number: 218 Registered: 10-2002 |
Lead pipe? Lead is heavy but extremely soft (if such a thing was made it would bend like one of those foam rubber swimming pool "noodles"), maybe you mean a high carbon or black oxide coated steel?! Even just an aluminum pipe would be sufficient. | ||
| Chris Marcel (Gumarcel) Member Username: Gumarcel Post Number: 226 Registered: 11-2002 |
Another quick question, if i get the propane torch where should i point the flame at, the nut or the bolt or both? yea yea i know i am retarded marcel | ||
| Perrone Ford (Perroneford) Member Username: Perroneford Post Number: 99 Registered: 02-2003 |
Jason, Yes, technically you're correct. As lead is no longer used in home plumbing, you'd likely be right that it's steel. I should have simply stated that I went into Lowes with my breaker bar in hand, found the correct diameter of common plumbing pipe to fit over the handle, and bought two pieces of different lengths to use. Sorry to anyone who would have been inconvenienced by not being able to find lead pipe while perusing the local hardware stores. -P | ||
| Paul T. Schram (Paulschram) Senior Member Username: Paulschram Post Number: 1314 Registered: 02-2002 |
You would probably be better off using a die grinder or Dremel tool with a cut-off wheel. You can either try to section the nut or cut clear through the bolt. To avoid any danger of igniting fuel vapors in the area, use plenty of ventilation so that you will never exceed the lower explosion limit of gas vapors in the immediate area. Wear your safety glasses too. BTW-at home, I have an assortment of shall we say supplemental wrench lengtheners... But I do not allow their use in the plant due to safety reasons. At work, if you need a cheater, there is something else the mechanics need to do. Paul | ||
| Dean Brown (Deanbrown3d) Senior Member Username: Deanbrown3d Post Number: 626 Registered: 02-2002 |
Chris, One way that usually works it to put a jack under the wrench handle and jack the thing up. Either the nut will turn or the socket will break or the handle will bend, with 5000 lb on the end. I've undone lug nuts this way that had resisted all other methods. Dean | ||
| Chris Marcel (Gumarcel) Member Username: Gumarcel Post Number: 227 Registered: 11-2002 |
thanks for you help everyone, I will see if i can find someone who has a dremal like tool and just cut the bolt off since I really haven't had any luck. And Paul I won't have to worry about ventalation since all this stuff I do in front of my house and there is enought ventalation I believe. Marcel | ||
| Brad Russell (Bradnc) Member Username: Bradnc Post Number: 219 Registered: 03-2002 |
If you were gunna heat it I'd just apply it to the head of the bolt and get it nice and hot and maybe to the nut for a few seconds. | ||
| Daniel Covaciu (Danielcovaciu) Member Username: Danielcovaciu Post Number: 111 Registered: 10-2002 |
Brad, you said at the top of the thread that you dont need to put the rears back on so take them off brackets and all. Why dont you need the rears? Dan | ||
| Brad Russell (Bradnc) Member Username: Bradnc Post Number: 221 Registered: 03-2002 |
Because you don't notice any real difference with them at all. They don't really prevent much sway. The front on the other hand is a different story. You'd be all over the road without that one. If you aren't sure, just disconnect the rear and tie it up and drive around for a day, and if you feel comfortable with it go ahead and take it off. | ||
| Roger Fastring (Fastring) New Member Username: Fastring Post Number: 19 Registered: 02-2003 |
Got a question: with 4.5" lift up front, the front driveshaft rests on the swaybar at full droop. My d1 is in the 60+day project (hasnt moved) point but I figured that I'd just remove the front as well. Anyone actually bothered fabbing a spacer to drop the two mounts down? Is is that bad without the front? I figure with the 33's and 4.5 of lift, it wont handle very good anyhow to make a difference? Thoughts? | ||
| Ron Brown (Ron) Senior Member Username: Ron Post Number: 278 Registered: 04-2001 |
http://www.irtools.com/2135Ti/2135Ti/template.htm and if that does not work http://www.irtools.com/auto/form/form.htm?Air+Hammers&IR121 Or you can be a thinking man and disconnect them at the balljoints rather than the big bolts. No bolt is an insurmountable problem you just need the right tools (including Perrone's 5ft pipe)  . Ron | ||
| Chris Marcel (Gumarcel) Member Username: Gumarcel Post Number: 235 Registered: 11-2002 |
Interesting, well ron i really haven't been called a thinking man...But I also don't have an impact wrench, I had to use my friends and I am completely poor since I don't have a job anymore  . Marcel | ||
| Zach Jaggers (Mountenn) Member Username: Mountenn Post Number: 50 Registered: 03-2003 |
Just saw the things off. If you ever put it back to stock (for selling reasons, etc.) I'll GIVE you my sway bars. I took off both front and back--yeah, the front does make a difference, but once you're used to it, it's rather enjoyable bouncing this way and that. It makes for a good laugh every once in a while when my girl is riding with me and we hug a turn---"OH SHIT!" and then that nervous laugh...priceless... Zach | ||
| Chris Marcel (Gumarcel) Member Username: Gumarcel Post Number: 237 Registered: 11-2002 |
Zach I don't really want to saw them off since yes i am going to be selling it soon to get a d-90. I will just try the dremal way if i can find one somewhere. But yes i have been in my friends rover with no sway bars, yes it is quite a bit different! Marcel | ||
| Zach Jaggers (Mountenn) Member Username: Mountenn Post Number: 51 Registered: 03-2003 |
Chris, I'm trying to remember how we got mine off. They were a major pain in the ass. If I remember correctly, my impact wrench was even having a hell of a time. I ended up using some liquid wrench (SOME is the understatement of the century). I let it soak for like 20 minutes, and then beat on the bolts with this impact chisel-hammer--I had never used one before, but it looked cool and I figured if it didn't work , I wouldn't be any worse off. After some twerking and cursing, they came off. The big deal with mine was that I still had the rear sway bar for like 2 months after I had the RTE 3" and 265's...dumbass, I know. To make a long story short, the bushings were twisted to hell, making the job much more interesting. Anyway, cutting them off was an option for me, but I ended up getting them off the real mechanic way instead of the "boy from Tennessee" way. Good luck with it, no matter which route you choose. Best- Zach | ||
| Chris Marcel (Gumarcel) Member Username: Gumarcel Post Number: 238 Registered: 11-2002 |
All right so i will try it this weekend if i have time, hopefully I will. Thanks for all your help, now I just need to get the right tools somehow... Marcel | ||
| Dean Brown (Deanbrown3d) Senior Member Username: Deanbrown3d Post Number: 627 Registered: 02-2002 |
Use the jack, it works every time. |
