Hey guys ChrisFix here today
I'm going to show you how to change out the sway bar end links this fix will work for any
2002 to 2009 Chevy Trailblazer or GMC Envoy
2004 to 2007 Buick Rainier the later model
Oldsmobile bravada, and the isuzu ascender and most makes and models that have the end links that look like this
It's very simple it connects the sway bar here to the lower control arm and as you can see
These end links have a lot of play in them and that's for the top and the bottom
They also feel gritty when you do this and the rubber boot on the outside is broken allowing grit to get in there so these
Need to be changed out when you replace these you replace these in pairs
so you replace the
driver's side in this case and you'll do the passenger side here at the passenger side end links the rubbers broken this doesn't have the
inwards and outwards play on the top one
But it has it on the bottom one
But they're also very loose and as I said before you replace these in pairs
So we'll be doing this side as well
And now I'm going to show you all the tools that you're going to need to use to replace this
So here all the tools I used to change up the sway bar end links
You'll need a torque wrench to torque the nuts to 74 foot-pounds, a ratchet 18 millimeter socket and an extension a torx key
I have an 18 millimeter ratcheting wrench which will help a narrow tip vise grip, penetrating fluid
Threadlocker and some grease in a grease gun and for the parts. I'm using these mevotech end links. They're really nice
They have these grease fittings at the end, so you could grease these up
which will make them last a lot longer and
One thing to look for on these is the boots you want to make sure this rubber is really strong because if the rubber breaks
These are garbage and these boots look really nice
I'll put the link to this product in the description below if you want to end up using these so let's begin
So with the truck safely jacked up in the air and the tire off the truck the first step is going to be to get
some penetrating fluid
On the threads here for the bottom and on the top
so with many end links the way this works to get this off and get it on is you have to use a
Torx or allen wrench here so you get your wrench on here
And then you put your Torx in here or your allen wrench and that will prevent the threads from spinning as you loosen this
If you just use a wrench or a socket
Without the allen wrench you could see the inside here will spin so the threads in here will spin because it's just the ball joint
in there and
You won't loosen it at all
It'll just spin and keep spinning so in this case. I'm gonna use the t40 Torx for the best fit
it's the most snug and it will prevent stripping and
You'll see right now as I loosen this
It's actually loosening and the threads aren't moving, 'cause the torx is holding it in place
These ratcheting wrenches really make this job a lot easier we got that off and this will just slide right out
So now with the bottom one fully taken off. We'll take the top one off so in this truck
There's not a lot of space to get into the top nut on the end link
You can see that the drive shaft is in the way, the lower control arm is... it's tight in here
So what I did is I put the ratchet down here?
So I have about that much swing and I'm gonna put my Torx bit right in here
And it's actually good because I can leave it resting on the control arm
Okay
Got that one off
And now this just comes right out like so. Now there is a difference between the driver side and the passenger side
There's two different models when we're looking at these
You can see this is like this one, but this one goes the opposite direction on the bottom
So we want to make sure that we get the right one and as always I like to compare two to make sure that they're
similar make sure that they look like they fit look like they're the same size and
Obviously these guys look like they're the same
So let's install the new mevotech end links
So our old end links have this different setup than the new ones the old ones use an open-ended wrench and use the torque bit
In here and unscrewed the bolt with the new ones a little bit different
There's a nut right on the end here that you hold and you can just tighten the bolt with a regular socket
So let's go and install this. The nuts on these new sway bar end links actually lock you could see those locking tabs
right there and
Although these have the thread locking nuts on them. I'm still gonna add a little bit of threadlocker
Just because it's gonna help with vibrations. I do this with all my suspension parts
You don't need a lot just in a little bit right up there
This is the removable type and pretty much it just prevents vibrations from getting anything loose
Just a little bit of extra protection, but again. It's not really necessary with these thread locking nuts that are supplied
So now we'll just put these on
Just hand tighten that bottom nut on there get it in place
Once you get up to that thread Locker. It's gonna. Be hard to tighten by hands
You have to get the 18 millimeter ratchet and socket
And because these are brand new, it's gonna be pretty stiff so if you don't see the threads moving you could use just the socket
Just pay attention to the threads on here if you see the thread spinning, then you have to get the vise grips on here
but until then
Just tighten it up
Okay, I'm just gonna Snug this for now we're gonna have to torque this to 74 foot-pounds
But let's get the top bolt on before we torque anything down. Again I'm gonna add some thread Locker just for that extra protection and
We'll just snug this right up
With both of these snugged up. Let's go torque them down, so I have the torque wrench set to 74
So what I'm gonna. Do is. I'm not gonna use vice grips yet
I'm gonna just watch that nut in there
And you can see the tip of the nut right there if that starts moving then I'll get my vise grips
And I'll clamp down in there and that'll hold it in place as I try to torque this down
So I think I'm gonna just be able to torque it without uhh
Using the vise grips which is good
Okay good, that's torqued now. Let's go to the top for the top one. We're gonna go in from the side use an extension
Again as I tighten this
I'm just watching to make sure that nut over there doesn't turn and it's not if it was I'd use the vise grips to keep
It in place
Okay, and this side is done
Let's go to the passenger side put that end link on and then grease these fittings
Another method that you could use to get these off instead of using the Torx bit in here is you could use a ratchet?
Again, it's 18 millimeters, and you can use the vise grips
Just want to make sure you tighten down the vise grip so right on that spinning piece in there
Don't worry about the rubber because it's getting replaced you get a grip down there good
And just unscrew it like that
And you can see it comes off and you can open up your vise grips
Those will come off and this will come right out. This method will actually work really good up here for the top and link nut
Now you could get that 18 millimeter socket in here, and there's actually more room to turn
So depending on what tools you have and what access you have you can use either method
Okay, you can see that comes right off real quickly now. You can just remove your vise grips, and then this will come right out
Just like so now the passenger side goes on the same exact way the driver's side went on
Again, just add a little bit of thread Locker on if you want to just have that extra protection
Hand tighten the two nuts on one on top one on the bottom
So now we'll just Snug these up. I don't think I'm gonna have to use the vise grips just
Like on the other side and once you snug it up here go to the back here
And once these are snugged up, let's torque it down to 74 foot-pounds good
Good
And now all we need to do is get our grease gun in here
And you just want to pump it until you see this boot expand. Just a little bit took three pumps for me
The bottom one you kind of just go in an angle here
And pumps right in one two
three do the same thing for the passenger side
And we are done
This is how you replace the sway bar end link on a car or a truck this was done on a trailblazer
But if you have this common type of sway bar end link this replacement will be identical on almost any vehicle
I just replaced the end links on my Ford van and it was the exact same process
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