Bill Verburg

Any tips for removing the front upper drop link studs from the uprights?

When I put a 16 m wrench on the flats the rubber boot starts to twist, I'm afraid that, if I have at it, they will rip

by the way, swapping the front sway bar is a PIA

NP993

Bill, please be ready to share install tips with me when I come pick those up!

Don Plumley

An idea - try putting a little light lube under the boot so it will rotate? I sure thought there was something to counterhold, but it's a foggy memory.

Yes, threading the new bar in is challenging. I seem to remember trying both sides, up, down, left right before I got it in. Again, a foggy memory, but the left side had more room to move. And it probably is easier if you pull the strut out of the way.

Bill Verburg

Noah, you're all set. You may get the new RS front drops if I can't figure out how to undo the stud w/o rupturing the rubber seal

I struggled w/ the front bar all afternoon, got them in and out through the center and drivers side, the Big Reds make it more difficult, you have to twist and move the bar laterally at the same time, very awkward to do by yourself.

AOW162435

Bill,
I thought the inside of the mounting stud accepted a hex socket?


Andreas

Bill Verburg

thanks Don, both the new ones and old one's seem to twist the boot when it's twisted, only the upper front need to rotate all the others are just held stationary

Bill Verburg

AHA, if so, that is the trick I need. I'll have to look tomorrow.

chris walrod

Use a thinner wrench Tool companies offer what they call Tappet Wrenches, which by nature, are thinner.

I think the thicker standard wrench is too thick and once engaged on the ball joint, one side of the wrench fouls into the boot. Purely from memory, its what I recall happening. A 5/8" tappet wrench works on both the front and rear drop links.

And Bill -- I feel for ya -- those front bars are a freakin' PIA!!

Bill Verburg

30* temps(nice for this area this time of year certainly don't enhance the experience.

Thanks, i'll try grinding down one of my 16s. Or maybe dig thru the bicycle tools

CarreraX

Ok, hokey trick that I have used in the past...I mean that I have seen done in the past ........small needle nose vice grips to hold on the flats. Hokey but it works in a pinch. If you are careful you wont even damage the flats.

Garth S

For what it is worth, the top ball stud on the 4S 'curved' link accepts a 6.5mm thick face 16mm wrench to counterhold it.

Feeding the front bar through the maze to keep company with the AWD drive gear was the most forgettable step of suspension mods .

Bill Verburg

The thing is that even the new unmounted drop link, where there is zero space constraint, twists the boot

Bill Verburg

Neither stock 993 nor RS/Evo uprights have a nut to fasten the upper end of the droplink. There is only a stud that screws into a boss on the upright. Easily done if it's off the car. But how do you screw it in w/o ripping the boot when the upright is on the car?

dbf73

amen to that - I was tearing what little hair I have out trying to install the front TRG bar on my car when my neighbor wandered over and asked what was up. I told him and he offered to try. About 30 seconds later he had it in. sometimes it just takes a different set of eyes and hands and a fresh viewpoint. I have a torn boot on one of my drop links as I'm eagerly awating the answer here as well.

InTheAir

I'll say the same--Amen to that.

The hardest part of my entire suspension install was that darn front sway bar. It took me over an hour to get it out, although the gods were with me on the install, because the new one just slipped in without any issues.