ZJ Sway Bar Link

Yeah, I know it's an anti-roll bar but when you go to buy the repair part it's called a "sway bar link".

Anyway, one of mine was busted and had occasion to change it. This was on a '97 where for some reason it has a ball joint.

Most of the replacement went easily but getting the ball joint out was a pain--there's not room to swing a hammer on it from the top and from the side the anti-roll bar just springs a little bit in its grommets and I really didn't feel like pulling the anti-roll bar off, so took a look in the service manual to see if Jeep has a procedure and by golly they do--use special service tool thus and so (there was a picture of the tool). So, since any excuse to buy a new tool is a good one, I start searching for the tool. Finally found a set at Harbor Fright for 80 bucks that had one that looked like that one and had several other items that look like illustrations in the service manual as well. So went down to Harbor Fright and got one--92882-1VGA and it was marked down to 60 bucks. Yeah, I know, it's Harbor Fright--if I was doing this for a living I'd get the Jeep tool but I don't.

Tried the "large rocker arm pulley" and the ball joint popped right out. Be aware, it knocked a ding in the drive way and bounced about fifteen feet after it came out, so keep your body parts out of the way.

Anyway, the only other trick was tightening the blasted thing--the ball joint just spun and there's nothing to put a wrench or pliers on. Finally jacked up the other side and that put enough force on the ball joint to hold it in place while I tightened the nut.

Thought I'd pass this along for anybody else who needs to do that particular repair.

Reply to
J. Clarke
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