Front Sway Bar Installation

[--Rudes--]

Has anyone done a DIY install of the front sway bar? I'm looking at the service manual instructions on how to remove the stock sway bar and it's looking VERY complicated. It says to do things like remove the Rack&Pinion Power Steering Gear Assy and suspending the Engine Assy, etc., which seems a bit overboard.

Is there an easier way?

Edited July 28, 2005 by --Rudes--

[SILVABULLIT]

You need a hoist to do it easily and I'd much rather pay somebody to fit it as I've sized it up and said "no thanks!"

[CHA54]

it takes about 45 minutes to swap the front swaybar in the home garage with a decent set of tools, jack and stands.

1. jack the car up, support the car with stands under the chassis rails

2. take wheels off, use allen key and ring spanner to undo the links on the end of the stock swaybar.

3. use a ring spanner or socket to remove the D-shackles that hold the stock swaybar in place.

4. remove the through-bolt in the rear engine mount with a couple of 1/2" drive LONG extensions and a breaker bar

5. loosen the bolts that hold the suspension subframe to the chassis at the rear. Loosen them about 15-20mm, but dont totally remove them

6. pry down the rear of the subframe and chock it with a small block of wood or something to hold it off the rear of the chassis.

7. persuade the stock bar out of the car, re-assemble in the reverse procedure.

8. when it comes to putting the bolt back in the rear engine mount, use the trolley jack under the flat edge of the bottom of the gearbox to help line the hole in the mount up with the holes in the bracket

edit: ps, check the holes in the new swaybar before removing everything to ensure the holes are the correct size to accept your swaybar end links. I've had a whiteline bar turn up with 10mm holes in it instead of 12mm holes, and it's a complete bitch to drill through spring steel.

Edited July 29, 2005 by rollamods

[--Rudes--]

Hey thanks Rollamods. Really appreciate the step-by-step guide.