Exactly HOW easy is it to install a rear sway bar??

OK, I'm a chick. Hate to admit this, but I am limited on strenghth and brute force. Yes, I know... so, I need (or really really want) to install my new Cobb RSB tomorrow morning. I have to do this by myself if I do because hubby will be at work and I have to be somewhere by 2 pm. The car is going to the shop tomorrow night and I'll pick it up Friday eve to get the clear bra installed. Autocross is first thing Sat morning. Can you see my time crunch??

 

We have power tools, air tools, impact wrench, etc. is this easy enough that I could do this myself or will I need a second person? How long does it normally take as well? I'm sure there's got to be some kind of walk through or how to on this forum as well... Any suggestions would be helpful.

I would want some time with the new setup before the AutoX but here is a good walkthrough. You can do it!

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10073

It is very easy. Stay away from the air tools for this job

hmm. ya i just found that. looks maybe a little too much for me to do in such a rush. i might have to install that after this coming event on Saturday, but have it done before the July 8 school.

It is very easy. Stay away from the air tools for this job

BS!

 

Any job that doesn’t need air tools is a job not worth doing

BS!

 

Any job that doesn’t need air tools is a job not worth doing

 

Don't confuse the issue.

 

If you feel that it is too much to do in a rush, then it is best to wait.

once you've done it once, you can knock it out in 30 minutes with an air ratchet. That's if it goes well.....I've gotten hung up on endlinks a few times....stubborn SOB's sometimes.

Ez

my gf swapped her rear sway on her baja, I dont see what you cant do it.. it's fairly easy enough.. just get the correct tools and you'll be ok..

well, whenever i'm trying to do something in a rush, i always mess it up.... did you see what i did to my new 06 headlights when i cleared (melted) them?? so, i'd rather just wait til i have some expertise to help me and as rclark pointed out, probably would be good to get used to the RSB before i take it out to autox. but i should be able to do this relatively easy right? maybe i'll work on it on Sunday.

It's not hard at all; I installed my perrin rsb in about a half hour (just unbolt the mufflers and you can take out the old and swap in the new).

 

Depending on your settings, it might not take too long to get used to it either. The Perrin on the softest setting isn't too different from stock, but it removes the body roll. I drove for about 2 weeks with it and stock suspension and then about 1 week with it and Tein Flex's, then took it to Watkins Glen. The time between components was enough to feel confident on the cars handling.

It's not too bad, definitely a good first place to start for doing your own work.

 

Even by yourself, you should be fine!

 

 

- Andrew

well, i think i'll wait til Sunday eve when i have hubby around. he gets upset when i crawl under the car by myself and no one's around.. just in case "something" were to happen and the car falls on top of me. not that it couldn't happen, but i'm not a total idiot. i usually make sure the car's on jacks and it's not going anywhere first. the other issue of time that i run into, is that when i am "working" on the car, i tend to find other projects to do at the same time... i have a homelink/autodimming mirror and a boost guage to install too.

 

i'm not a car mod virgin, i've installed many of my own. however, i've never done a RSB before or taken apart the exhaust unless it was already apart. i've installed countless CAI and short rams (none on my LGT though) including my husbands since he blew out his MAF the first attempt. still not sure wth he did, i've never had that problem in the 8 or so I've done. I actually enjoy installing things myself to someone else for me, unless that someone else knows how to do it faster and better, in which i try and con them into letting me help or at least allowing me to crawl under there and take some pics while they explain wth they're doing! lol.

Here's a basic instruction that I sent to a user a couple of days ago via PM.

 

here is a standard procedure.

 

1. There's are two 14mm bolts on each side of the Y pipe holding the mufflers. Undo those. You will need a ratchet and an open end wrench. Might also want to spray some PB Blaster just in case.

 

2. Let the mufflers hang

 

3. Undo the endlinks on the suspension. These are 14mm nuts.

 

4. Undo the 4 12mm bolts that hold the sway bar brackets in place.

 

5. Carefully remove the swaybar through the open area you created by unbolting the mufflers.

 

6. With the sway bar out, remove endlinks and install them on your new swaybar. If your new bar is adjustable, the closer the endlinks are to the fulcrum point, the stiffer it is.

 

7. Grease the points where the bushings will be attached on the new bar using lithium grease. Get PLENTY of it on there.

 

8. Slip on bushings.

 

9. Install the swaybar back in place. Routing the "legs" over the control arms.

 

10. Install the brackets over the sway bar bushings and into their respective slots.

 

11. Re-torque the 12mm bolts back in place. Torque them to 19 ft-lbs.

 

12. Re-install endlinks to control amrs.

 

13. Re-install mufflers back in place using the 4 14mm bolts + gaskets.

 

14. Enjoy.

very nice! i may attempt this tonight if i have enough time. just depends on when i get home from my last appt (7pm). otherwise, i'll do it this sunday.

my gf swapped her rear sway on her baja, I dont see what you cant do it.. it's fairly easy enough.. just get the correct tools and you'll be ok..

 

Yes, but I am not just any ordinary girl

It wasnt hard at all though, cept the dirt in my eyes

-Kelz

Yes, but I am not just any ordinary girl

It wasnt hard at all though, cept the dirt in my eyes

-Kelz

thanks! that helps out alot! but aside from the dirt in your eyes, pretty simple? looks easy enough. I got the cobb RSB so I think i may go ahead and try to install this tonight when i get home.

OK, I'm a chick. Hate to admit this, but I am limited on strenghth and brute force. Yes, I know... so, I need (or really really want) to install my new Cobb RSB tomorrow morning. I have to do this by myself if I do because hubby will be at work and I have to be somewhere by 2 pm. The car is going to the shop tomorrow night and I'll pick it up Friday eve to get the clear bra installed. Autocross is first thing Sat morning. Can you see my time crunch??

 

We have power tools, air tools, impact wrench, etc. is this easy enough that I could do this myself or will I need a second person? How long does it normally take as well? I'm sure there's got to be some kind of walk through or how to on this forum as well... Any suggestions would be helpful.

 

Use the air tools to remove all bolts, torque wrench for re-assembly. The Cobb instructions should be fool proof (although fools can be incredibly clever). Take a good look at the mounts before you add the re-reinforcement's, it just doesn't jump out at you how they should be mounted.

 

other than that it is a snap, good luck Ms Goodwrench!

 

The rear took less than an hour, front is a lot more work.

frankly, no brute force is needed on a swaybar install, except for maybe removing the muffler bolts. Mine were no big deal, but I tried taking off a particular user's mufflers... it was next to impossble

You can see my 2 cents worth at:

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36951

 

I'd leave yourself 1.5 hrs in case you run into a snag (I had to run and get a pair of needle nose vice grips). Hopefully it will only take you about 45 min.

wow.. I know Im.. ahem, an experienced user.. but in 1.5 hrs you might be able to whip out both front and rear.

 

If these were Cobb sways or Perrins (with the supports) then I can see the extra time.

You can see my 2 cents worth at:

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36951

 

I'd leave yourself 1.5 hrs in case you run into a snag (I had to run and get a pair of needle nose vice grips). Hopefully it will only take you about 45 min.

just finished them. i have the cobb RSB with the brackets. took about an hour to do, much more difficult than just a 30 min install. lol. the brackets were kinda a PITA. i'll take it for a spin to see if i can tell a difference. only prob i ran into was how to grease the bushings. i didn't but hubby insists we need a "grease gun" so we'll be off to pick one of those up i guess. ???

just finished them. i have the cobb RSB with the brackets. took about an hour to do, much more difficult than just a 30 min install. lol. the brackets were kinda a PITA. i'll take it for a spin to see if i can tell a difference. only prob i ran into was how to grease the bushings. i didn't but hubby insists we need a "grease gun" so we'll be off to pick one of those up i guess. ???

 

you don't need a grease gun. You lube it, slip it on. A lot of the lube comes out, but its ok.

 

The brackets DO make the install considerably more challenging

well, i didn't put ANY lube on there... so i think i gotta figure out how to get it in there without disassembling the entire damn thing again! lol. thus, the grease gun. i think he wants it because he just installed his RSB and didn't lube his either. cause i asked him wth i'm supposed to do with this goop that came with it, and he tole me, to just leave it and we'll get a grease gun later.. guess he can't complain about me spending money on mods now. lol

Shouldn't be very hard to just undo the two swaybar mounts, take the rubber mounts off the bar, grease, reinstall. I think you can just leave the swaybar connected to the endlinks. Certainly you shouldn't need to take the whole bar out.