How do you replace a front sway bar on a 2000 grand prix?

Answer 1

Hey, I have a 1998 Grand Prix GTP this is my experience:

1. Its not as easy as many make out.

2. Prep work will save your A**.

3. Addco makes a nice kit for around $160 US on Summit Racing.

Tools needed - Wrenches 15mm, 13MM, 18MM. Sockets : 15MM shallow, 18MM deep, Hammer, Wire brush, Grease.

Jack the car up and put it on jack stands, this can be a little difficult if you live in the rust belt like I do, where the pinch strip is almost rotted away. Then put the jack under the front support for safety. Pull both front wheels 3/4 " to get plastic lug covers off, and 3/4" (or 19MM) to get the lugs off. now take your wire brush and clean the tie rod bolts throughly, until they are shiney clean and use the 18mm to back the nuts off, if they start to spin, put it back on and clean some more. If no matter what you do the ball joint spins in the tie rod, cut the ball joint off of it (I used a angle grinder with a wheel) and break the jam nut loose then count the threads to keep your alignment straight. If you get it off with out cutting the end its much easier. If you managed to get the joints off - if they are original they should lift right off - maybe a few taps of the hammer and they come right up, if they have grease fittings you may need a pickle fork to separate the joint from the spindle.

Now if you got the kit I suggested it comes with links, so you can cut the old ones off, just because its a pain to try and pull them apart once they've been on as long as the car's been in service. Again Cut off wheel, sawzall maybe, torch only if you really know what you're doing because its close to the CV joint and ABS wires. If you don't have acces to any of this stuff you can try and break the bolt free and it might snap or just spin off. It's 13MM (might be 14, I did mine yesterday)- cutting it off is deffinately the way to go. You can use the hammer to pop the bolt back through the hole in the lower a frame, it takes a little work to get it to pop out because the rubber bushings weld themselves to the bolt.

Now you can get to the fun part, getting the sway bar hold down bolts out. They are 15 MM, you can use the shallow socker for three out of four bolts. All but the drivers side rear bolt. These will fight all the way out so a little PB blaster penetrating oil helps. but it is slow going. The last one, is a real problem - I used a 15mm box end up side down so it I could work it back and forth and it took 10 minutes but I got it out without dropping the sub frame. If you can get the hold downs off the bar it will make removal easier but if you slowly and gently snake it by you can get it out. no need to remove brake calipers or rotors or anything else.

Installation is the oposite of removal with a few tips:

Clean the hold down bolts with a wire brush until they shine, then coat them with antisieze. Then clean the subframe where the hold downs mount with break clean, finally thread the bolts back in the holes to make sure they thread in clean. This helps with cross threading problems that are common on these jobs.

Grease all of the bushings inside and out before installing them. it will eliminate squeaks. Push the bar in first and then put the hold downs on when it is in the car. it makes life so much easier.

Now that you have your hold downs in place thread the bolts down- you have to force the bracket down over the bushing to get enough so you can get some threads on the bolts. Before you put a wrench on it make sure you get at least a couple of threads into it. use the wrench for more feel, if it binds up at all stop and go back to make sure everything is right. When you have all four bolts caught stop and go onto the links.

Each link should have the bolt head on the bottom and then go like this: I greased each poly bushing with all purpose grease while putting it together and then wiped off the excess when I was done.

Bolt--Washer with cup facing up - Rubber bushing with flat side down---Lower A frame---Bushing Flat side UP----Washer with cup side DOWN----Metal bushing---Washer with Cup Up----Bushing with Flat side down----Sway bar-----Bushing flat side UP-----Washer with cup DOWN---Lock nut.

Both sides are like this, and then once you have them together go back and tighten up the hold downs. Go back and forth on each bolt in the hold down to tighten them evenly all the way down. Then tighten the links until you can just turn the bushings by hand. If you greased them, it will be difficult - but use a paper towel and you'll be able to feel it. Do not over tighten these until they buldge out, it can wreck the bar.

Once you have everything back together and tight, go back and check it all again. Then put the wheels back on it and take it for a test ride, it should feel great. Mine does. The OEM bar I pulled off was fine for a daily driver but was cracked clean through on both sides, Its hollow tubing that is crushed down and welded. the Addco bar is solid steel and 2mm thicker. I should never have to change it again. I'm saving for the rear bar next.