08ES350oh

2008 ES 350 sway bar replace, confirmed diagnose of metal thump, like dead blow metal to metal, mostly bumps, rough roads. etc, it wasnt' a vibration, but finally moved the sway bar link up and down on jack stands and could see and hear the top joint of the sway bar link moving.

It wasnt a bad job, but if your in the Rust Belt, the nuts aren't happy coming off, and I highly recommend a air saw to ease the pain. If you dont have a saw, and your in the Rust Belt make sure you clean the heck outta the rust in the threads, cause it just jams the works as your easing the nut off the stud.

Need 17mm wrench (i used box end rachet) and 6mm allen , its got that stupid set up off the allen slot in the end of the stud to steady that, and they you gotta work the bolt off at the same time, not a one hand operation.


Start by spraying the snot outta the 17mm nut and stud with Blaster, Hold onto the allen key wrench and I whacked the rachet with a dead blow hammer and was able to get it to bust loose, now you just have to ease the nut off with whatever it'll give you. After I got some room for the air saw blade, I just whacked it with the saw.










Careful if you just start with a cut off operation into the rubber boot of the stud, there is a shoulder that wont allow it to just pull thru, you have to cut the stud on the nut side of the sway bar in order for it to pull thru.

Put on the new link (part no. 48820-33060) and dont forget to order the nutz they are a separate part ( 90080-17224), i used OEM , dont like to mess with aftermarket for jobs like this. Not worth it to me, Link was 85 bucks,

Good luck ,

PS: if ur not in the rust belt, job should be cake... we arent so lucky here in Ohio...::eek2

mlacomb

I'm assuming you mean the front? or the rear? either way, they're set up similar. I just did my wife's 2005 Ford Freestyle - was clunking in the back; replaced all 4 links just because of the age of the car. Surprisingly (in Ohio as well) no cutting was required there...