"HOW TO" Swaybar Link Replacement

[Ferms_93_2.8T]

Since this was a very easy repair I thought I would write a quick "How To" for everyone!!!!

I would get a slight clunk when I would turn the wheel slightly while the car was stopped. I could feel through the car that it was coming from the driver-side wheel. I took a look down there and saw that the boot on one of the ball joints of the sway bar links was cracked. I decided to go ahead and replace both sides of the car. If I were you I would do the same, besides they're really not that expensive.

(Pics of the broken boot - Replacement instructions below!!)








!!!!!!!!!DISCLAIMER!!!!!!!!!
THIS TUTORIAL IS WRITTEN FROM MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCES. I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE IF YOU MAKE A MISTAKE OR DAMAGE YOUR VEHICLE!!!!

Parts needed:
13237130 - Swaybar link for Aero and 2.0 (Not Conv. I don't believe) ($25-$35 each)
- These do not come with the nuts but you should be able to reuse the old ones.

Tools Needed:
-2 Jacks - You can get by with one jack and a jack stand
-17mm open ended wrench
-18mm open ended wrench
-torque wrench
-18mm socket
-socket extensions of your choice if you need them
-less than an hour of you time

The Process:
1. Jack up one side of your car and remove the wheel. Always support your car using a jack stand as a precautionary measure!!! Place a jack under lower control arm and jack it up to about where the wheel would normally sit. (This will alleviate the pressure on the link)






2. Begin to loosen the nuts on the link. You will place a 17mm open ended wrench behind the bracket to hold the ball joint still as you loosen the nut. The nut is 18mm. Peak your head in there to look for where to put your 17mm wrench. You will see that there are 2 flat spots that the wrench will fit on to. If you don't understand what you are looking for, look at the new part and you will understand.

-The top nut can be removed using a socket, but there is not room for a socket on the bottom one. You will have to use an 18mm wrench.







3. Once the nuts are removed, you should be able to remove the link easily.










You can move the ball joints around and (at least on mine) the new ones should be tighter and more snug. On the one with the cracked boot, it swiveled around with almost no pressure. It was very loose.
..

[Ferms_93_2.8T]

4. Install the new link and tighten the nuts to 47lbs/ft. Use a torque wrench for the top one. Since you really can't get a socket wrench on the bottom nut you should use your best judgement for tightening.








5.Lower the wheel assembly and remove the jack. Put your wheel back on and lower the car. Remember to tighten the wheels to 81lbs/ft!!!!!


5.Repeat the same process for the other side. (Finished Product)







Thats really about it. It is very easy and does not take a lot of time. You also don't really need that many tools or any specialized tools to do it. Unless of course you're like me and your 17mm wrench is MIA when you need it!!!!!!! Nothing a quick trip to O'Reillys couldn't fix.


Good Luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


All of the Tools I used:






......

[stevedol]

Good write, added to 9-3SS ' How to ...' Section

[Vector-SS]

Thanks for the write up. Now that I know it's that easy I might as well do it and hopefully solve my front clunk that I've been dealing with for almost a year now. However, mine doesn't clunk while still ad turning. It usually does it on very slow speeds when there is a weight load on the front of the car.

Here's to hoping it will fix that clunk!

[Cosmicflash]

Great write up Ferms

These eventually go and don't make 100,000 mi. too often but I think you have more.
My 03' was done at 30,000 under warranty and my 06' had done at about 80,000 mi. and was cheap as you said. 30 minutes for both sides and the parts.

[t0m]

Excellent! Now just to find me some end links...

[EuroStyle]

Nice...I have been meaning to look at mine, as I have a small clunk when turning right into my driveway....



Sean

[littlebeetle]

I have same clunk...
thanks for the sharing as now I know where the sound came from

[Sims83]

if your going to replace your drop lick you can get theses, http://www.partsforsaabs.com/product...oducts_id=4013
They are the uprated ones. will last a lot longer then the oem ones.

[f2racer]

Just a quick tip. I just did this job on my 90k mile 9-3. If you live where it snows, it's likely the nut is more likely than not pretty well seized. Before you remove it, give it a quick spray with your favorite penetrating oil (e.g. PB Blaster, Liquid Wrench, etc.) and let it sit for at least 1/2 an hour before you try loosen it. Also clean the exposed threads the best you can. This will make removal much easier.

I also found that I could get a socket behind the lower link (attaches to the sway bar) if I didn't have the control arm jacked up at all. I found that I needed the socket-breaker bar in order to start loosening the nut. After that you'll need to jack up the control arm her Ferm's instructions in order to remove the sway bar link.

Big thanks to Ferm for the how-to. On removal, the lower link on both sides moved around with almost no resistance (the top had some, but nowhere as much as the new links). Replacement seems to have resolved the vibration through the steering wheel issue I was having.

[tomk17]

Originally Posted by f2racer

Just a quick tip. I just did this job on my 90k mile 9-3. If you live where it snows, it's likely the nut is more likely than not pretty well seized. Before you remove it, give it a quick spray with your favorite penetrating oil (e.g. PB Blaster, Liquid Wrench, etc.) and let it sit for at least 1/2 an hour before you try loosen it. Also clean the exposed threads the best you can. This will make removal much easier.

I also found that I could get a socket behind the lower link (attaches to the sway bar) if I didn't have the control arm jacked up at all. I found that I needed the socket-breaker bar in order to start loosening the nut. After that you'll need to jack up the control arm her Ferm's instructions in order to remove the sway bar link.

Big thanks to Ferm for the how-to. On removal, the lower link on both sides moved around with almost no resistance (the top had some, but nowhere as much as the new links). Replacement seems to have resolved the vibration through the steering wheel issue I was having.

f2racer, which links did you get and where from? Rock Auto like was suggested? Just planning ahead, mine were replaced once maybe 50K ago.

[pacotaco]

2 bolts.... im waiting till its one bolt and we need a how to.
anyways you dont need a torque wrench, you can tighten that bolt down as tight as you need it, nice write up.

[f2racer]

Originally Posted by tomk17

f2racer, which links did you get and where from? Rock Auto like was suggested? Just planning ahead, mine were replaced once maybe 50K ago.

I got Moog links from Rock Auto. I've had good luck with Moog suspension parts in the past and needed to order some other stuff (for other cars) from them anyways. I've read that you want to stay away from the cheapest links available on Rock Auto...

[swedish_american]

Works brilliantly! Just did this and its made a huge difference to the driving experience. Bonus: Saved $200 doing this instead of sending it to the dealer ship.

Thank you.

[limmerbr]

had the mechanic do this a couple months ago, wish i did it myself however he was fair in pricing.

he did however not put stock in, he got a much heavier duty link than the stock, thick and def makes a difference.

[SaabMick]

I'm assuming that he got the same parts that pfs sells? If so, i wonder if he got them from there or if this is something that can be obtained from any dealership?

[littlebeetle]

just bought 2 pieces from rock auto.

waiting it to be deliver now.

[nikolap1]

I got one replaced at 65k under warranty but now I hear a clunk when I go over pot holes on the passenger side. Could this be another sway bar link?

Great write up by the way. Very nice

[swedish_american]

Quick update,

The links I installed were the Raybestos brand. They have been on the car for about three-four weeks now and are holding up great.

Does anybody know if the rear sway bar links can suffer from the same problem?

[littlebeetle]

swedish_american,


to my best understanding, the common problem with rear suspension are the following
Part 11 - Cross stay toe-in
Part 5 - Cross stay upper
and not forgotten all the bushes