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Front Sway Bar End links

DejaEntendu

DejaEntendu

Ready to race!
Hey guys, for those of you who have replaced their front sway bars/ end links. I believe I read that both sides of the vehicle need to be off the ground at the same time, is that the case? I couldn't find any Diy's on the fronts.

Any other tips? Looks like a quick job to me.
 
T

TimS

Go Kart Newbie
It's a pretty simple job, just spray them down good with PB Blaster or Kroil, let it sit for a good long time, and be careful when removing them - slow, steady pressure on the nut to break it loose. The hex socket tips of those things love to round out, then you have to cut them off or use a nut splitter.

If you have it, a 6mm 12-point triple square socket works better for holding them in place than a hex key.
 
jay745

jay745

What Would Glenn Danzig Do
TimS said:
It's a pretty simple job, just spray them down good with PB Blaster or Kroil, let it sit for a good long time, and be careful when removing them - slow, steady pressure on the nut to break it loose. The hex socket tips of those things love to round out, then you have to cut them off or use a nut splitter.

If you have it, a 6mm 12-point triple square socket works better for holding them in place than a hex key.
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Not to be rude, but using anything other than a triple square will cause them to round out. Use the right tool for the job and you won't have to deal with cutting them off.
 
damagi123

damagi123

Go Kart Champion
jay745 said:
Not to be rude, but using anything other than a triple square will cause them to round out. Use the right tool for the job and you won't have to deal with cutting them off.
Click to expand...

agreed. I had to cut them off after attempting them with the closest fitting hex bit. you need a triple square

if you dont have a triple square youre better off trying to get a grip around the outside of the nut with a big pipe wrench than trying it with a hex
 
T

TimS

Go Kart Newbie
jay745 said:
Not to be rude, but using anything other than a triple square will cause them to round out. Use the right tool for the job and you won't have to deal with cutting them off.
Click to expand...

The original ones that came off my car had a hex socket. It looks like they were updated to a triple square later; if he had the older style, it may not occur to him to use the 12 point.

Honestly, though, even with the triple square, Only one of my end links came off without a fight. One of the fronts rounded out anyway, and on both rears, the socket part of the spindle shattered when I put pressure on it.
 
DejaEntendu

DejaEntendu

Ready to race!
Yup I'm where you guys were at as well, I had a cheap triple square bit and rounded them right out. I put it aside at that point. Now I have an angle grinder so I'm going to attempt 2 and just cutting them out since my new ones are just hex bolts.

THANK YOU. You guys are awesome.
 
damagi123

damagi123

Go Kart Champion
DejaEntendu said:
Yup I'm where you guys were at as well, I had a cheap triple square bit and rounded them right out. I put it aside at that point. Now I have an angle grinder so I'm going to attempt 2 and just cutting them out since my new ones are just hex bolts.

THANK YOU. You guys are awesome.
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try to grab the outside of it with a pipe wrench. it really does work man
 
Stinger

Stinger

Ready to race!
I swapped my end links with adjustable ones and...it was a real pita. I wouldn't recommend it unless you really know what you're doing. I didn't and a couple weeks later one of them snapped, luckily in the first turn leaving my house, at less than 10 mph. Fact is, unless you race and adjust your end links accordingly, it's one of those adjustables you will never adjust.
 
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TimS

Go Kart Newbie
I dunno, the reason I got adjustables was for those big fat spherical bearings at each end. They're not much more expensive than OEM, they're a hell of a lot more robust, and they're easier to install to boot.
 
GoodTimesIndeed

GoodTimesIndeed

Go Kart Champion
TimS said:
The original ones that came off my car had a hex socket. It looks like they were updated to a triple square later; if he had the older style, it may not occur to him to use the 12 point.

Honestly, though, even with the triple square, Only one of my end links came off without a fight. One of the fronts rounded out anyway, and on both rears, the socket part of the spindle shattered when I put pressure on it.
Click to expand...

Both of my rear socket parts shattered too. What a fiasco that turned into! I'm guessing living in the rust belt and outside location of the actual bolt head had something to do with it though as well.
 
T

TimS

Go Kart Newbie
GoodTimesIndeed said:
Both of my rear socket parts shattered too. What a fiasco that turned into! I'm guessing living in the rust belt and outside location of the actual bolt head had something to do with it though as well.
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Mine weren't rusty, I think it's just a poor design for such a small part. the socket walls are so thin that they didn't have much hope.

Another thing I like about adjustable end links is that they're rebuildable; you don't have to buy a whole new end link if a bearing fails, you can get just the tip.
 
snobrdrdan

snobrdrdan

former GTI owner
TimS said:
you can get just the tip.
Click to expand...

 
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