[JZeezSTi]

Hey guys I need help with a problem I had today. I tried to tackle the Front sway bar install by myself and everything seemed to go ok until I stripped the nut that holds the sway bar bracket down.

heres what i did. I put the front of the car on jack stands. removed both front wheels. removed the endlinks on each side. and then i went under the car and removed the large plastic undercarriage cover. then I removed this Triangular shaped metal plate that was right under the Steering rack and Sway bar. Everything to this point was easy.

Heres where it got hard. The Sway bar brackets are held down by one Bolt and one Nut on a stud, on each side of course. These damn things were in such a tight spot I couldnt get a ratchet on either one of them. I had to use a gear wrench on them both. I got one side completely off and then on the other side i got the Bolt out but the Nut thats on the stud. I stripped.

How can i remove this Fu(ker?!? I know i can easily replace it wit a new one from the dealership but getting it off is my only problem. its in such a tight spot I may be able to get a vice grip on it but i just dont have enough room to get a good angle on it to crack it loose. Im sorry i dont have pics cuz i forgot to take some. but im sure you can visualize what im talking about if youve installed one of these.

Please chime in and help me out.

Thanx
Jay

[WESTI]

take the front subframe off. It takes about 15 min to take it off and it saves about 3 hours of pain and suffering, and in your case a trip to the stealership

[JZeezSTi]

Is that Big ass Black beam that has the lower control arms connected to it?

[WESTI]

its the huge black piece thats in the shape of a U

[JZeezSTi]

Mother FU(KER!! Thats the damn thing that makes the space around the sway bar brackets so damn tight! Im really frustrated right now. I hope i can get this nut off tomorrow. cuz if not im gonna be real pissed.

thanx for the help WESTI!

[WESTI]

ya thats it lol. i have the 2004 sti service manual in pdf so if u need instructions on how to take it off let me know

[JZeezSTi]

YES PLEASE. my email is Jzeidan3@aol.com what page is the info on?

thanx again

[WESTI]

LOL the whole service manual is like 600 megs so i'll just find the page for u and send it to u

[yakmasterjack]

Yes same thing happened with me you HAVE to take the subframe off I simply see no other way around it. I rounded the bolt off past use with a 12mm socket. Took the subframe off, pounded an 11mm on there and got it off. Good luck!

[WESTI]

email sent

[JZeezSTi]

Spank you Very Much

[JAYMAC10]

OP I did exactly the same thing! Stripped the nut and actually had to grind it off!

Here is a great how to wright up for a front swaybar install! It shows a great pic of the subframe.

http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/show....php?t=1338083

[psiAddict]

My friends and I just did my front/rear sway bars yesterday. The front nut was really tight too. Ended up almost rounding the corners off with box ends. By the time we dropped the subframe the damage was done. Soo, we just bent open the bolt end of the bracket downward and squeezed the sway bar out, but first have to push the bushing out of the way. Took a while, but didn't have a grinder or sawzall either.

[JZeezSTi]

Yea looks like Im gonna have to get down there and drop the subframe... Oh Well no big deal Ill get it off and be done with it. Im also probably gonna just leave that rounded nut on there and bend the bracket down to get the sway bar out I dont feel like tryin to get that sucka off. Thnx for the help guys. Also great right up on NASIOC that you posted a link for.