So the big torx head bolts that my sway bar end links slide on are worn out. The bolts themselves are not loose. The actual bolt dia ( originally 1/2 inch) have worn out to less than 3/8 where the end links have rotated after 350k of use. Now when driving i hear and feel a light thumping and when i push down on the bumper, the end links have moves up and down vertically first, before normal rotation. The end link bushings and spacers are all brand new. I can see the mount bolts are ground down 1/8 to 1/4 inch. Main question...I know the bolts are threaded in to the mount frame...are they also welded? Thanks

 

They're not threaded in. They are splined and press fit in like a wheel stud. Can be a real pain to remove because if you try to hammer them out the force of the impact just bends the mount. I'd recommend cutting them off if you're looking to replace them.

 

I think I ended up using a puller or perhaps an air hammer to get mine out. Here's a picture for reference.

 

Thank you both very much. I got tricked by the torx in the head. I wish mine looked 1/2 as good as yours.

 

Between the torx head the the visible part of the bolt/stud being threaded, it's like the engineers were trying to f*ck with us.

 

Possible to slip a sleeve on the bolt instead? Like maybe a piece of 3/8 copper pipe?

 

Problem is....is that the entire bolt is not worn down, only where the end links rotate. The front half where the nut goes is full size 1/2. I tried hi strength heat shrink over the worn parts, but it doesn't last more than a few weeks with the load delivered by the end links so it wears away and gets loose again. On my old 92, the bolts became loose and woobly....where i could remove them by hand. I have 1/2 bolts with welded washers that I turned into mount studs that worked well...if the current bolts were loose...which they are not. I have acess to an air hammer..might go that way and replace with stock bolts....originals lasted 25 years...replacements will outlive me.

 

Thanks for not having me crank on them with an air impact gun for a useless hour...or I snapped off a couple of torx sockets trying to spin them off.

 

Has anyone tried to cut and drill the sway bar?

 

It's spring steel I doubt you'd have a good outcome with the process...What are you trying to do ?

 

Here is a curious question....in the related links right below this....the mopar giants parts catalog lists the sway bar bolt studs as metric m12. I KNOW that the studs in mine take a standard 1/2 coarse thread nut. I have had this for over 15 years, and had taken it over from my mom. Is a metric m12 interchangeable with a 1/2 coarse sae? Or did they change the stud to SAE in other years than the related post..thanks...Strange...used my model year and still comes up metric. Will have to check tomorrow if a m12 nut threads on a 1/2 bolt and if a 1/2 nut will thread on the m12 bolts that I have