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My post http://www.brickboard.com/RWD/index.htm?id=602954 told of snapped swaybar end links. I work with a retired Army Maintenance officer who can rebuild engines in his sleep! He told me I more than likely overtorqued the end links, coupled with their age, metal fatigue, and the way I drive.....(his nice way of saying if you had read the specs, you would not have FUBARed the thing in the first place!).
Anyhow, I found a good substitute at AutoZone for the OEM end links. The kit is by a company called Energy Suspension. The cost here was $15 USD. The kit included two end links which are nothing more than 3/8 by 'x' inch long carriage bolts, 8 cup washers, sleeves to cover the bolts in order to space the washers at the correct distance, 8 poly bushings, and two nylok nuts. All steel is grade 5 hardened.
I found the installation much easier than the OEMs. The whole assembly is sloppy loose until you take a wrench to it. I only had to contend with tightening one nut on the bottom of eack link with a rachet while holding the bolt in place with a box wrench. I wrenched it tight and once it got to where it was going to stop...it warn't moovin' no mo! The size closest to the OEMs was part number 9.8125RC. The measurement differential for the aftermarket spacer vs. OEM was less than 1/8th of an inch.
At $15 for a whole kit the cost was less than than replacement bushings or one end link if you ever get the desire to perform a dum@$$ maneuver like I did!! Will keep you posted as to the longevity and how things hold up over time.
David
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D.P. Mulvey in Central VA.
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