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Stabilizer Bar link - Impossible to remove!!


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Ok here is the deal. I found the clunk in the front end of my Deville (at least I think) and I have narrowed it down to the stabilizer bar link. I can grab the stabilizer bar and lift up and it clunks on the top of the link.

I started removing the link. The top I got out fine, with a little bit of hammer force. But the bottom is impossible!! First of all, it's facing in so you can't get a good swing at it. And secondly, nothing will break it loose! I tried pounding the living crap out of it and nothing. I tried using a vice to turn it to break it loose and nothing. I tried torching it and nothing. Actually the last one I did end up doing something. I fried a little piece of my inner CV boot. I am about to do...something! I'm so frustrated right now!

I know people have this problem, but people have been saying that a torch works. What if it doesn't? Then what can I do? Money is extremely tight and I have limited tools. This should have been a simple job, but it has turned into a royal headache. Any ideas??

-Dusty-

2006 Cadillac DTS Glacier Gold Tri-Coat with 175,000 miles

1993 Cadillac Sixty Special Gold Mist with 185,000 miles

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Success! I found a neighbor with an oxy-acetleyen torch and I heated it a few times and got it out. After 4.5 hours for one little sway bar link, my clunk is gone! It was worth it! Yay!

-Dusty-

2006 Cadillac DTS Glacier Gold Tri-Coat with 175,000 miles

1993 Cadillac Sixty Special Gold Mist with 185,000 miles

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Success! I found a neighbor with an oxy-acetleyen torch and I heated it a few times and got it out. After 4.5 hours for one little sway bar link, my clunk is gone! It was worth it! Yay!

Glad you got it fixed... :hatsoff:

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you know it iis weird. Sometimes they spin when you try removing the nut. sometimes they dont.

Not the same situation but still weird. My best friend and I both own 96 Devilles. His was nearmint and mine is not. Mine has twice as many miles on it, anyway We had to replace one of his hub assemblies on his and even though nothing was rusty the axle wouldnt come out of the hub assembly, I ended up having to remove the whole knuckle and heat and press the axle out which ended up damaging the cv joint. And 2 days ago I removed mine with no problems at all, mine are rusty and original bearings with almost 200000 miles. Came right out. I waa honestly worried after his lol.

Glad you got the link out. They can be really bad. I also see many that have been replaced seize on really badly

GM FAN FOREVER

Nice, clean, luxury= fine automobile

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There is a tool that looks like a medieval thumbscrew that is used to split nuts rusted onto bolts or studs. These are common in suspension shops.

As far as the larger jobs like hub bearing replacements, I would ask a machine shop to use a press if I had a problem with DIY equipment.

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Success! I found a neighbor with an oxy-acetleyen torch and I heated it a few times and got it out. After 4.5 hours for one little sway bar link, my clunk is gone! It was worth it! Yay!

The oxygen is what makes all the difference. Just using a propane torch won't get it hot enough - the oxygen enrichment will. Usually, the nut is not the problem but rather the tapered joint locks together. Heat up the bar with the torch, tap it and it pops right out.

Kevin
'93 Fleetwood Brougham
'05 Deville
'04 Deville
2013 Silverado Z71

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Yeah the nut was fine. Gave me a little trouble, but KHE was right. It was the tapered part that was giving me the trouble. I cranked that sucker up and got it red hot and then it came out. I was a very happy man after that.

-Dusty-

2006 Cadillac DTS Glacier Gold Tri-Coat with 175,000 miles

1993 Cadillac Sixty Special Gold Mist with 185,000 miles

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Yeah the nut was fine. Gave me a little trouble, but KHE was right. It was the tapered part that was giving me the trouble. I cranked that sucker up and got it red hot and then it came out. I was a very happy man after that.

That's what it takes. Like KHE said, propane doesn't phase them.

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Have any of you guys tried MAP gas on your propane torch?? It gets a lot hotter than propane and might help around the shop for things like this.....

Mapp alone probably will not get hot enough. Eventually, it would but it would be difficult to localize the heat since it would take so long to heat up. The oxygen makes all the difference.

Kevin
'93 Fleetwood Brougham
'05 Deville
'04 Deville
2013 Silverado Z71

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  • 2 weeks later...

Nothing like the big heat hammer !!

I call it "The blue-tipped wrench"...LOL

Kevin
'93 Fleetwood Brougham
'05 Deville
'04 Deville
2013 Silverado Z71

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