Install Party anyone?
06-13-2016 | 10:11 PM
#21
Thread Starter
JK Newbie
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 37
Likes: 0
From: Torrance, California
Make sure u take a wire brush to the end of the sway bar bolts. The threads will corrode and by the time u have the nut jammed at the end it will be too late. There is a 6mm hex key at the end of the TRE end of the sway bar though it will not give u enough leverage if the nut get stuck on the rusted end and the jam nut comes loose. Wire brush, wd40 and if necessary heat. The sway bars look pretty straightforward and they are but the top end is a TRE and once it starts to spin u will run into problems.
06-15-2016 | 09:05 PM
#22
JK Enthusiast
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 324
Likes: 32
From: CLE
Front or rears really. But in your case yes. The top of the sway bars is a tie rod end. a ball in a socket. it will spin freely. there is a jam nut and the hex at the end, though neither will help once the nut jams on the corroded threads. I say this because like you i have done all my work myself and studied and watched install videos. though most of the video say "now remove the sway bar" without ever mentioning that you want to make sure you clean the threads and lube first. i have seen people skip this step and have to cut off and replace sway bars, tie rods and drag links because of skipping this step.
06-15-2016 | 09:30 PM
#23
Thread Starter
JK Newbie
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 37
Likes: 0
From: Torrance, California
Front or rears really. But in your case yes. The top of the sway bars is a tie rod end. a ball in a socket. it will spin freely. there is a jam nut and the hex at the end, though neither will help once the nut jams on the corroded threads. I say this because like you i have done all my work myself and studied and watched install videos. though most of the video say "now remove the sway bar" without ever mentioning that you want to make sure you clean the threads and lube first. i have seen people skip this step and have to cut off and replace sway bars, tie rods and drag links because of skipping this step.
06-16-2016 | 11:20 PM
#24
JK Super Freak
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,471
Likes: 2
From: Lake Elsinore
OK gotcha thanks for the advice. I was able to get mine off and back on but I do have a question about the rears. I installed the sway bars I came in my kit on the rears and move the stock rears to the front but for the rears, they look to be really close to the rim of the wheel and I don't know if it's because I installed them on the wrong side of the mounts or if the hardware is just bigger than the stocks? check out the picture to see what I'm talking about... The left side is closer to the rim than the right side by a little bit... <img src="https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=649837"/>
06-16-2016 | 11:35 PM
#25
Thread Starter
JK Newbie
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 37
Likes: 0
From: Torrance, California
now I don't have this issue anymore! woohoo
06-21-2016 | 07:26 AM
#28
JK Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 468
Likes: 18
From: Phoenix, AZ
The bolt on the bottom holds the sway bar link to the axle and is close to the backing plate. The sway bar link is solid, so that distance isn't going to change. The only way possible for any contact to occur would be if there was about 18" of travel in the down direction that would pull that upper bolt back towards the rear, and if you did manage to do that, you'd likely have bigger problems than a bolt rubbing a tire.
Skip the spacers. If you're worried about it, go with a button head style bolt, which will give you some space. You could also look at running the link on the inside of the axle, but be sure to check your clearance between the bolt and the shock on the bottom.
06-21-2016 | 09:24 AM
#29
Thread Starter
JK Newbie
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 37
Likes: 0
From: Torrance, California
How exactly would the bolts cut into the tires? The bolt on the bottom holds the sway bar link to the axle and is close to the backing plate. The sway bar link is solid, so that distance isn't going to change. The only way possible for any contact to occur would be if there was about 18" of travel in the down direction that would pull that upper bolt back towards the rear, and if you did manage to do that, you'd likely have bigger problems than a bolt rubbing a tire. Skip the spacers. If you're worried about it, go with a button head style bolt, which will give you some space. You could also look at running the link on the inside of the axle, but be sure to check your clearance between the bolt and the shock on the bottom.
The bolt on the bottom holds the sway bar link to the axle and is close to the backing plate. The sway bar link is solid, so that distance isn't going to change. The only way possible for any contact to occur would be if there was about 18" of travel in the down direction that would pull that upper bolt back towards the rear, and if you did manage to do that, you'd likely have bigger problems than a bolt rubbing a tire. Skip the spacers. If you're worried about it, go with a button head style bolt, which will give you some space. You could also look at running the link on the inside of the axle, but be sure to check your clearance between the bolt and the shock on the bottom.
06-21-2016 | 05:51 PM
#30
JK Freak
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 621
Likes: 1
From: Redondo Beach, Ca.
Now you got me questioning my links. Upper is on the outside of the flange... and the axle end is on the inside with mine. Thought because they where more perpendicular for the 1/2 bolt to go through is why I did that.
PS: Sorry, I missed the lift party. I'm really close
PS: Sorry, I missed the lift party. I'm really close