endlink removal

R

reut1

:
03 p5, 92 miata
so im finally going to have the weather to replace my endlinks this weekend.
ive heard lots of people say they are tough to get off and sometimes require cutting. so is that just cutting the bolt between the endlink itself and the strut or sway bar?

im going to try some pb blaster first and a breaker bar, but if they need to be cut, is that the correct location?
 
If you have an impact (air or electric), it'll usually start getting the nut loose without needing the allen key to hold the stud (bolt) from spinning. If that doesn't work or you get stuck and cannot get the nut off, a nut splitter MIGHT wirk, but I've always found it easier to just get out the angle grinder and cut through the nut and the bolt, being careful not to take much or any material off of the strut bracket or the sway bar itself.
Wear gloves and a face shield! You may regret not doing so, trust me.
 
I just fought this battle! 3 outa four HAD to be forceably removed. Its real easy to strip the bolt or the allen key hole. Unfortunately my driveway doesn't have access to air tools either. If so, an air grinder would make very quick easy work of this, if you can get to one, I recommend it, otherwise prepare for a headache. Also, as previously recommended, a nut slipper MIGHT work, but I couldn't get mine to stay on the bolt, they are pretty small. However my method used one in a whole new way.

#1. Remove wheels (duh)
#2. Take a large open end wrench or other 'prying device' and stick it inbetween the stabilizer bar and the end link (opposite side to the bolt)
#3. Attempt to pry the end link off the ball connector. Its a pain in the arse, but it will come off if you pry at the right angle and put some elbow grease on it.
#4. If you can't get the right angle, then either remove the strut and you will have a little room to change on angle, or if you have one, go grab a sawzaw or other saw and cut the endlink in the middle. Then you will have full range of motion to pry it off.
#5. Once its off you will see a big metal ball of one side of the stabilzer bar, and the nut on the other side. You have to find a way to hold the ball in place, so you can take the nut off the other side. This is where I found a new use for my nutcracker. I put on the ball, and then found something to rest the nutcracker on while I broke the nut loose. Hopefully you didn't strip it to bad! Its a 1000 times easier to remove that nut with a socket and breaker bar then a wrench and allen key.

If you stripped the nut to bad, your going to have to find something to cut the nut off. Good luck.
 
Last edited:
TheMazda said:
I just fought this battle! 3 outa four HAD to be forceably removed. Its real easy to strip the bolt or the allen key hole. Unfortunately my driveway doesn't have access to air tools either. If so, an air grinder would make very quick easy work of this, if you can get to one, I recommend it, otherwise prepare for a headache. Also, as previously recommended, a nut slipper MIGHT work, but I couldn't get mine to stay on the bolt, they are pretty small. However my method used one in a whole new way.

#1. Remove wheels (duh)
#2. Take a large open end wrench or other 'prying device' and stick it inbetween the stabilizer bar and the end link (opposite side to the bolt)
#3. Attempt to pry the end link off the ball connector. Its a pain in the arse, but it will come off if you pry at the right angle and put some elbow grease on it.
#4. If you can't get the right angle, then either remove the strut and you will have a little room to change on angle, or if you have one, go grab a sawzaw or other saw and cut the endlink in the middle. Then you will have full range of motion to pry it off.
#5. Once its off you will see a big metal ball of one side of the stabilzer bar, and the nut on the other side. You have to find a way to hold the ball in place, so you can take the nut off the other side. This is where I found a new use for my nutcracker. I put on the ball, and then found something to rest the nutcracker on while I broke the nut loose. Hopefully you didn't strip it to bad! Its a 1000 times easier to remove that nut with a socket and breaker bar then a wrench and allen key.

If you stripped the nut to bad, your going to have to find something to cut the nut off. Good luck.
Click to expand...

Too much work. Just try the allen key + wrench method. If it doesn't work, then out comes the angle grinder and 5 minutes of noise (oh yeah, wear earplugs too) and you're done. Straight through the nut and bolt without a sweat,,, just be somewhat patient and don't cause the wheel to explode by forcing it.

Leaving the link INTACT (not cutting it in half) will serve to hold the bolt stud in place and not allow it to rotate -- this is a good thing because it will want to rotate at 10000rpm if you put a grinder wheel to it!
 
curls said:
Too much work. Just try the allen key + wrench method. If it doesn't work, then out comes the angle grinder and 5 minutes of noise (oh yeah, wear earplugs too) and you're done. Straight through the nut and bolt without a sweat,,, just be somewhat patient and don't cause the wheel to explode by forcing it.

Leaving the link INTACT (not cutting it in half) will serve to hold the bolt stud in place and not allow it to rotate -- this is a good thing because it will want to rotate at 10000rpm if you put a grinder wheel to it!
Click to expand...

Umm.. obviously a wrench and allen key is easier. And a grinder is easier to. I wrote that for people in MY spot that COULDNT get it off with a wrench and allen key (the allen key hole must be made out of butter, it strips very easy). And not everyone has a air grinder in their driveway.

If you can get it off with a wrench, then go for it!
If you have a air grinder and compressor, then go for it!

If you can't do those, then you will have to do what I did.
 
well i have cuttign wheels and an electric angle grinder. im doing this with a friend tomorrow and hes got some air tools and might have an pneumatic cutting wheel. if so, we will just maybe go that method from the beginning.
 
reut1 said:
well i have cuttign wheels and an electric angle grinder. im doing this with a friend tomorrow and hes got some air tools and might have an pneumatic cutting wheel. if so, we will just maybe go that method from the beginning.
Click to expand...

Do it!

Hell, it will be faster to slice that nut with an air grinder than to:
#1 Spray with penetrating oil
#2 Beat it with a hammer
#3 Wait 30 minutes
#4 Find the right allen key
#5 Find the right wrench
#6 Somehow turn a retardedly stubborn nut WHILE holding a tiny allen key.
#7 Then repeating on 2 bolts at 4 corners of the car.

Plus power tools are fun =) Just wear eye protection. A spark in the eyeball hurts, trust me.
 
I punched myself in the face with my socket wrench last weekend doing this...worst design evar...

spray and pray...that is the only way
 
TheMazda said:
Umm.. obviously a wrench and allen key is easier. And a grinder is easier to. I wrote that for people in MY spot that COULDNT get it off with a wrench and allen key (the allen key hole must be made out of butter, it strips very easy). And not everyone has a air grinder in their driveway.

If you can get it off with a wrench, then go for it!
If you have a air grinder and compressor, then go for it!

If you can't do those, then you will have to do what I did.
Click to expand...

Dude, this is why they make electric grinders! I've never owned an air compressor, but you can get a grinder for $50 at Lowe's
 
so just cut the nut off between the nut and the swaybar or strut and be careful not to cut into the non-nut?

i think i can handle that. just gotta get a new cutting wheel!
 
I might be mistaken, but I believe there is a decent sized gap between the ball and the sway bar / strut. In other words, the other side from the nut. Just gotta yank out the rubber thing... hope that makes sense, because I don't know how to explain it better.

Doing it on the nut side would be difficult i assume. Since there is no gap at all, you will have to slice the nut to and hope it falls off. Especially with an electric grinder, as I assume its underpowered next to an air grinder. May be wrong sense I dont have an electric one, but in general Air > Electric
 
The easiest way we did it in the shop was to simply pop off end of the endlink off the ball with the BIG pry bar.. if the plastic part stayed on the ball end, smack that with a mallet and it splits. Put a vice grip on the ball end and hit the nut with an air wrench or breaker bar. Literally 1 minute per end at the most.
 
Steel said:
The easiest way we did it in the shop was to simply pop off end of the endlink off the ball with the BIG pry bar.. if the plastic part stayed on the ball end, smack that with a mallet and it splits. Put a vice grip on the ball end and hit the nut with an air wrench or breaker bar. Literally 1 minute per end at the most.
Click to expand...

That's what I originally said, minus the air hammer, since I was omitting air tools
 
One more...

Sprayed PB Blaster and used electric impact to avail. Curse mazda.
i used a dremel to cut the endlink in half.
I pulled on the now cut end pried the endlink off exposing the ball and nut.
Put a vise grip on the ball.
Dremel the nut in half and twist off.
Curse mazda again for crap-tacular design work!
Buy new endlinks (and nuts at the hardware store)
sigh.
 
Last edited:
No need for an air grinder - I use a Mastercraft electric grinder with the thinner 1/8" disc and go to town. I cut right through the nut AND stud, in less than 5 minutes. Repeat with the other one attached to the bar, and the new one gets installed a second later. I have made it a priority to buy replacements that do not use the allen key hole -- they actually make them with welded-on nuts on the ball-side that you hold with one wrench while turning the non-welded nut with another wrench or a socket. Piece of cake.
 
i got some moog ones to replace them, dont look like there is any allen hole in those :D

ill post my results on how it went tomorrow. not sure if we will be working on the car tonight or tomorrow morning

thanks for the help so far!
 
I never had a problem getting mine off using an air impact gun, but then again I'm a southern car so they aren't rusted to all hell.
 
how would you get the impact gun with the 14mm socket on the nut through the sway bar? its pointed in towards the car and doesnt seem like you could get that in there
 
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