First off, let me just say that I am absolutely FURIOUS with Stillen right now. Who's genius brainiac idea over there was it to NOT use stainless steel bolts in the rear sway bar kit?

Anyway, I attempted to remove my Stillen Rear Sway Bar today. I figured simple install... simple removal. WRONG! After 4 hours, 2 snapped wheel studs, 2 trips to Lowes, and $30 in tools, the Rear Sway Bar is STILL on my car.

I started with the driver side. Removed the wheel and then attempted to remove the bolts holding the RSB bracket on. On all but one of the bolts, I didn't have to use the allen key to hold the one side from spinning while removing the bolt from the other side. I didn't think anything of it. So, I managed to get one of the bolts that went through the RSB out with no problem. The three remaining bolts (one through the RSB) were stuck, and I mean STUCK. I tried every rust removal spray, every tool you can imagine... those things were not budging.

I ran to Lowes to get a new 5/16" Allen Key, since I couldn't find the other one I had (of course when I needed it). I just bought a nice new set for $10. With the new key, I managed to unscrew the other bolt holding the RSB in place, so the RSB was now off on one side. No matter what I tried, the top bolts holding the RSB bracket on still would not budge. I even ran to Lowes again to buy set of the allen keys that attach to sockets for $20, and I still couldn't budge them.

So, I figured since I had the bar half off, I would at least try to get it off on the other side and worry about the brackets later. Yeah, not so much. On the passenger side, I can't budge ANY of those bolts. So, I gave up. I reconnected the bolts on the driver side and secured the RSB in place. But, since I hammered 3 of the 4 bolts in an attempt to get them out, I couldn't put the bolt on the back to secure them in place. So now, there is only one bolt holding my RSB on.

And to top it off, I snapped two wheel studs on the rear driver side wheel. So, not only do I have to pay someone to get the Rear Sway Bar bracket bolts off for me, I'm going to have to buy two new wheel studs and pay to have someone install them. And to add icing on the cake, my check engine light came on today, and I think my car needs new brakes. I just spent $850 in repairs and now I'm probably gonna rack up almost another $1,000 with all of this.

Who hear has taken off their RSB after a couple of years on the car? How the heck did you get it off?



I'm starting to wonder if putting the car back to stock to sell was such a good idea. It's starting to cost me way too much (in time and money). Just my luck...

Any and all help is much appreciated.

Thanks,
-Nick

 

Hacksaw the sucker off!

 

I feel for ya on the RSB. After only one Chicago winter my bolts had the same problems as yours. And yes I lost my 5/16" key too and had to get another (don't skimp and try a 7mm one either as it'll slip and you'll end up with a nasty lugbolt bruise like me)

The stillen brackets have some type of metal (aluminum?) sleeve inside them that seems to hold the bolts in place while letting them turn and no amount of penetrant seemed to matter. That sleeve is only on half the bracket (upper I think). See lefthand one in pic.

Start by removing the lower bolts on each bracket. Then bend the brackets apart a bit (read hammer) and turn/wiggle the bracket back & forth to loosen a bit. See middle pic. Not to separate but just enough to pull it off the trailing arm.

The Stillen knockoff bar I got didn't have the sleeves installed but copied the 2 different size holes perfectly from the Stillen design. You can see those on the far right.



Every once in a while I like helping out where & when I can. When I saw your user# I felt a need to go take a quick pic. Good luck with your other issues.

 

i have an addco one i just took off last week after being on for a couple years in the midwest. came off with no problems =)

 

Yay for progress, 2 years and still good.

 

Thanks for your help. I'm gonna try your method to see if it works.

-Nick

 

Firstly, almost no company I know uses stainless steel hardware with their suspension stuff. Secondly, lots and lots of PB Blaster / Liquid Wrench are your friend. Thirdly, be slow and deliberate when trying to remove rusty nuts / bolts. I did my exhaust studs a few months ago and I am sure I had to deal with stuff that was much more rusty than your RSB hardware. As for the wheel studs, do them yourself, they aren't too hard.

 

Thanks for your help. I probably will end up doing everything myself (wheel studs, etc.). I guess I'll try some more Liquid Wrench, but it didn't work before. I'm going to try working on it again this weekend at my neighbor's shop, so at least I'll have some air tools. Maybe they'll do the trick.

-Nick

 

You could use a dremmel to cut those bolts off

 

I helped phenryiv1 try to remove a Stillen RSB off his totalled I30 last year and it was the same hell you're going through. Those metal sleeves were corroded tight and we only managed to get 2 of the 4 brackets off. I wasn't actually there when he got em off, but eventually he and Cutler went out and bought a set of pry bars and ripped the brackets off. Send em a PM if ya want the exact details...

 

Thanks. I just sent him a PM.

Does anyone think that air tools will be able to remove the bolts? That's my next step, as I am planning to borrow a bay at my neighbor's shop on Saturday to put my stock suspension back in, install my new brakes, install the new wheel studs, and (hopefully) get my Rear Sway Bar off.

Thanks,
-Nick

 

IIRC Stillen's instructions mentioned installing the bolts opposite on each bracket - one going inward, the other going outwards. I never paid much attention to that and just installed them all inwards with the nuts towards the center of the car. Seemed easier working the hex key.

I suppose if the upper bolts were installed outwards one could just remove the nut and then punch them inwards through the corroded sleeves with a 1/4" bolt, punch, screwdriver, etc. (doubt there's enough room to get in there and punch outwards). The bolts don't actually thread into the sleeves.

Could it be that simple?

 

does it snow where you are? I live in CA and the bolts are rusted but still easy to take off. I replaced mine last year with ss hardware but that sleeve inside is a constant pain

lots of wd-40 and patience for the stuff to penetrate. good luck

 

Just a little bit...



-Nick

 

ahahahahahah

 

use a torch, the thing will work wonders.. and you might want to try using either an impact gun or a impact screwdriver. worse case, just drill the caps off the cap screw, use a tap to tap the rest out of the brackets and you're done. but a few bits because those cap screws will eat up some bits. it shouldn't take that long to do what i just mentioned

 

anti seize you have been a great investment when you installed it huh? i have a progress RSB and have had no problems with removing and reinstalling. on this past time I used anti seize and i think its going to help with removal.

 

Nope, you get nothing for used parts. Just sell them on the car unless its easy like an intake! Not worth your time!

As for removing bolts....get a good rust breaker like PB blaster and air tools. Torch as noted is good if you got it.

 

Besides the lubricants and whatnot, there is another trick for getting rusty/seized bolts off. Get a propane torch (ya know, the little blue 1-liter size bottle?) at home depot or wherever. Turn it on, and set the flame to a low (blue) setting. Then basically you just hold the flame on the bolts for a while. When they get very very hot (do NOT touch the bolts now), use your tools to loosen...this will do the trick much of the time.

a few notes:
1. don't TOUCH anything metal that is nearby, as it will be hot!
2. be careful where you're pointing the torch...you don't want to melt brake lines, ABS lines, or gas tank!!
3. be careful, slow, and deliberate!!

if you don't know how to use a torch though, find someone who does!!!

 

This is why I love this forum. There is always members with great ideas. No matter what you ask, there is always a answer. I have learned alot since I joined. Warren

 

Thanks! My neighbor's shop does have a torch, so if the air tools don't work, I'll ask one of the techs to heat up the bolts for me.

-Nick

 

how you gunna torch anything on/near the trailing arm? the abs wires are right there.

 

I'm happy to report that my RSB and the brackets are off of my car. The torch worked wonders on those bolts. They wouldn't budge with air tools, but as soon as we heated them up with the torch, they pretty much came right out.

Thanks for everyone's help on this!

Nick