Sway bar retainer link/shaft bushing link

AMC Diplomat

AMC Diplomat

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I've been road testing the car to shake out any problems and, crap, did I find one. It sounded like the wheel was falling off all of a sudden. Turns out the bushings on the sway bar retainer link on the passenger side decided to exit.

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I'm wondering if anyone knows where I can get new ones. The threads look pretty smashed/seized. I've tried poking around but I'm not having any luck. My other thought was to try and get it apart and try and freshen up the threads with a die, maybe enough to try and thread a different nut on there.
 
The brackets pop up from time to time but are rare. The replacement bushings are like the sway bar end link ones.
 
Like he said. The rubber parts are easy to get at the parts store or equivelant, the link/bracket (or whatever it's called) are not available aftermarket or repop, unfortunately.
 
Aspen500 said:
Like he said. The rubber parts are easy to get at the parts store or equivelant, the link/bracket (or whatever it's called) are not available aftermarket or repop, unfortunately.
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Looks like option 1 is try and get it apart without ruining it. Option 2 is... cut it and weld a grade 8 bolt on? What a ridiculous, important, piece with no good replacement options. Curse of the FMJ bodies strikes again.
 
Use heat. They usually arent too hard to get the nut off. I've has ones that look a lot worse then that.
 
They are tough to find! I bent one on my AHB and had it repaired with good welds. And if your wondering, the AHB and Civi models are different but I believe you could use the AHB one if you're lucky enough to find one. See my pic of them side by side and you'll see the AHB ones are thicker from factory.

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If you can't find one I'd even consider slitting a new bushing that has tight interference and slipping into the gap. It might stay on it's own then but you could zip tie the bushing. At least until you find the part you need. MAYBE something from another Mopar if it's the right size of course.

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Mikes5thAve said:
Use heat. They usually arent too hard to get the nut off. I've has ones that look a lot worse then that.
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Yeah it'll be interesting. Might be a few days. I've gotta get work done on another vehicle in the fleet first.
 

LSM360 said:
If you can't find one I'd even consider slitting a new bushing that has tight interference and slipping into the gap. It might stay on it's own then but you could zip tie the bushing. At least until you find the part you need. MAYBE something from another Mopar if it's the right size of course.

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Yeah I'm worried I'll wipe the threads or I'll get it apart and find it's horribly bent. If I can get it apart and run a die down it, even if shrinks it maybe I can cross thread a nut on there it'll be an improvement
 
AMC Diplomat said:
Yeah I'm worried I'll wipe the threads or I'll get it apart and find it's horribly bent. If I can get it apart and run a die down it, even if shrinks it maybe I can cross thread a nut on there it'll be an improvement
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I'm saying leave the threads alone, don't loosen or tighten; take a large enough rubber bushing and slit it. Then open it enough to push over the link.
 
If you do try getting the nut off, run a thread chaser down the exposed threads to clean them up first. A lot of times the threads covered by the nut are fine, and only the exposed threads are rusted.
 
LSM360 said:
I'm saying leave the threads alone, don't loosen or tighten; take a large enough rubber bushing and slit it. Then open it enough to push over the link.
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I got what you were saying, in the pic it looks like you wiped the threads, which is what I'm afraid of
 
AMC Diplomat said:
I got what you were saying, in the pic it looks like you wiped the threads, which is what I'm afraid of
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They were like that when I started removing. I heated, bent back in shape, added reinforcement welds and it went back on fine. It was that middle section that was kind of damaged by fleet mechanic :(
 
Thanks to Volare77, I got the AHB part number, found 2 sets, and paid through the nose on ePay for nos ones. Ended up being almost $160 with tax and shipping for two complete links, 4 pieces
 
With heat it should come off or see if you could get a cut off tool or dremel in there to slit the nut to hopefully make it give. The worry isn't so much the threads but breaking the stud off if you put too much force on it.
 
Mikes5thAve said:
With heat it should come off or see if you could get a cut off tool or dremel in there to slit the nut to hopefully make it give. The worry isn't so much the threads but breaking the stud off if you put too much force on it.
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If I do manage to get them apart then they're going into the parts hoard now that I've bought the AHB parts. Just like the 4 leaf brackets I took off the car when I put the 5 leaf ones on. Never know when they might come in handy or I can trade them for something

Edit: you guys are all awesome by the way. I can ask a question about a car line that hasn't been in production since 1989 and get answers and solutions even on a weekend. Thanks again to Volare77
 
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