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Rear Sway Bar Bolts Go Snappity Snap

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Old 04-08-2017, 01:16 AM
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Bytevenom dropped by to help again and honestly.... that was way easier than I expected it to be!

I tried to knock the studs out with a BFH (with/without a punch) and no dice. So I just used a dremel cutting wheel to cut them as short as I could get them and then I just used a punch to make an indent and drilled the ******* out. I left the studs in the back instead of chiseling them out so there's a bigger width of metal there. Used a washer on each side.

Having half decent tools makes all this **** so easy. I remember trying




It ain't pretty, but I sprayed some black krylon rust tough enamel paint around the area when I was done and things had been installed. Just to 'seal' things off a bit. I doubt it did a ton, but I figured it's better than nothing. I can always spray a bit more on in the morning...

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Old 04-08-2017, 09:41 AM
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Things really don't look that out of control rust-wise under there. In particular, the bolt that you cut-off with the dremel looks structurally sound. Makes me wonder why they snapped?

Calibrated your torque wrench lately? They do lose cal.
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Old 04-08-2017, 10:45 AM
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Originally Posted by hornetball
Things really don't look that out of control rust-wise under there. In particular, the bolt that you cut-off with the dremel looks structurally sound. Makes me wonder why they snapped?

Calibrated your torque wrench lately? They do lose cal.
Yeah, car is pretty 'rust free'. I paid a bit of a premium for it because of that and bought a base model instead of an LS because it was the only one I could find where the body was this sound.

The bolts snapped while loosening them. I may have over tightened things a bit before that...

And yeahhh a torque wrench would have been handy. I should probably go look at craigslist to see if I can get a decent one. I don't think the harbor freight racing ones are the best for this kind of application, though I'm sure it would have led to a better outcome than this! I wouldn't be too upset if one was to blame this on user error...
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Old 04-08-2017, 12:01 PM
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Harbor freight is fine for this application.
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Old 04-08-2017, 12:15 PM
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Originally Posted by aidandj
Harbor freight is fine for this application.
Wohoo!!!

I'll grab one the next time I'm there...hopefully before something else breaks this time!
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Old 04-08-2017, 01:32 PM
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I have one of these things, and it's worth its weight in gold for that type of job:

Makita 3 Amp Oscillating Multi-Tool Kit TM3010CX1 at The Home Depot - Mobile

I initially bought the cheap HF one, but it died after about a year. The HF blades aren't good enough either. The Bosch carbide ones they sell at the Depot are the way to go.
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Old 04-08-2017, 02:01 PM
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Originally Posted by wackbards
I have one of these things, and it's worth its weight in gold for that type of job:

Makita 3 Amp Oscillating Multi-Tool Kit TM3010CX1 at The Home Depot - Mobile

I initially bought the cheap HF one, but it died after about a year. The HF blades aren't good enough either. The Bosch carbide ones they sell at the Depot are the way to go.
Ah that might have helped because of the angle of things. I was able to get close enough with the rotary tool I have. I have a black and decker one that's got a 2 amp motor instead of the 1 amp motor that most dremels have. I had to get it warrantied once, but it's been pretty solid. I have a dremel keyless chuck and some metal cutting discs to go with it. It worked super well for the cutting required to get the roll bar in. Though, I think the tool that you linked would have cut the metal a bit better and been a bit more precise so I would have been able to hack off a bit less of the cover for the fuel tank area.

Still it was a lot better than the damn hacksaw I had to use to cut the exhaust off my motorcycle last year! Man it's so nice to have real tools, though I still need a good 18v impact. I'll find a milwaukee one or something else on craigslist at some point.
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