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So I decided today would be a good day to put in the ES bushings in the front LCAs. Unfortunately I can't remove the bolts from the sway bar links. I put a 5mm hex key, and was able to loosen the bolt a few turns, but then the inside got stripped. I tried the top bolt, and the same thing happened. Cheap piece of crap.

What are my options now? Anyone have this happen, and have success getting them off some other way?

Thanks.

 
Rep Power: 285

Have you tried taking a hex key one size larger and hammering it on so it gets a bite?

 
Rep Power: 367

have the remaining ones PB blast, try the larger hex, torches, etc, etc. all else failing, if there is space use a saw on the bolt.

 
Rep Power: 217

Ahhhh. I had the same thing happen to me. We ended up cutting the links. Yeah. They're craptastic. Either a Dremel or a Sawzall or some equivalent usually does the trick if all else fails.

 
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It's like they designed these things to fail. Where did you cut the links? I can get a few turns on the nuts on the one side that I tried. I can probably use a Dremel to cut the bolt behind the nuts. Hopefully I can get the nuts on the other side turned a few times, unless there is somewhere else I can cut.

 
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I used PB blast overnight, tried every tool I could find to grab, tried a torch. Do you think there's any way I can break or cut the nut?

 
Rep Power: 217

IIRC, we cut the remaining strips off first, then went on the other side and cut. The boots were removed to provide better access. Then cut the bolt from a few angles on the other link because the parts weren't completely seized up. We used these diamond discs from believe it or not, Harbor Freight. They worked pretty well. You just have to be careful. It took forever because we only had a Dremel tool though. The OEM links are poorly built. Every member on this site who has had to deal with them will tell you the same thing. I still have the broken POSes in my garage as a reminder of the pain and suffering I had to put up with.

 
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Thanks. I'll see if I can find those discs. I have an air grinder, I'm just not sure I will be able to squeeze it in with the lack of clearance. I have an extension for the Dremel, and can fit that in there easy.

 
Rep Power: 0

After letting the PB blaster sit for a week, and using the curved vice grips, I was able to get 3 of the 4 nuts off the sway bar links. The one I couldn't get off was attached to the control bar, which I was replacing with a new one anyways.

Replacing the control arms sure was fun as well. The most difficult part was getting the inner CA bolts off. On the passengers side, I had to use an offset wrench (with a long pipe) to get it moving, then I used a flexible extension to ratchet it off. I used a ball joint separator I picked up at Harbor Freight that worked perfect...after I figured out how to use it. Trying to fit the new control arms back in, so that the holes line up was not easy either. After 30 minutes of using a mallet, crow bars, and screw drivers, and I was finally able to get the holes to line up.

All in all, it probably took me about 7-8 hours total. I'm sure if I had to do it again, it would go a lot quicker, as this was the first major project I've done, and most of the time was spent trying to find the right tools.