Sway bar link pliers

[ex-x-fire]

Anyone try one of these yet? I bought a pair on Friday, the mac guy said he sold 40 of them in a week. I guess they grab the joint & keep it from spinning. 9 Circle 9cl-89101 They were about $25.

 

[pajibson]

Following

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[Stevenn1]

OEM Tools 25296 might work too.

 

[visionguru]

Anyone try one of these yet? I bought a pair on Friday, the mac guy said he sold 40 of them in a week. I guess they grab the joint & keep it from spinning. 9 Circle 9cl-89101 They were about $25.

Not sure how effective this plier can be for those of us living in the rust belt. I replaced a few sway bar links on my car. They are the type with hex hole in the middle, never once could I hold the middle post to prevent it from spinning with a vise grip. In order for this tool to be effective, it has to be able to cut deep dents into the metal. Not very likely based on the size.

I found that the most effective way is thoroughly cleaning up the rust on the threads and the hex hole. It works every time.

 

[ex-x-fire]

I'm hoping they work at least 50% of the time.

 

[NYBODYMAN]

Following as well.

 

[rmsg0040]

Not sure how effective this plier can be for those of us living in the rust belt. I replaced a few sway bar links on my car. They are the type with hex hole in the middle, never once could I hold the middle post to prevent it from spinning with a vise grip. In order for this tool to be effective, it has to be able to cut deep dents into the metal. Not very likely based on the size.

I found that the most effective way is thoroughly cleaning up the rust on the threads and the hex hole. It works every time.

What I do is hold the thread with vise grips and loosen a bit, then go in with a cutoff tool or angle grinder, next time I will try a recip just to see

 

[K-Dog]

Can I see a pic of them in use to help me understand ....

 

[CJM8515]

I just usually cut them off. Rust belt here and its not worth the effort even if the things cost 50 bucks

 

[ex-x-fire]

The purpose of this tool is to remove them with intention of replacing them, yes I've cut them & torched them. This is just another tool in the arsenal. So the bottom line is nobody has used them yet.

 

[visionguru]

Looks the same as this one?
http://www.jegs.com/i/Eastwood/352/13488/10002/-1

 

[Ditch]

Anyone try one of these yet? I bought a pair on Friday, the mac guy said he sold 40 of them in a week. I guess they grab the joint & keep it from spinning. 9 Circle 9cl-89101 They were about $25.

he is probably lying

 

[WhiffySpark]

I torch them off.

 

[TT54l32v]

I use a pole jack and put pressure on the joint and pop it with the impact until it comes off, but most of mine have to go back on due to it not being what I'm replacing.

 

[Locker537]

I just replaced both sway bars on my firebird. Three of the four endlink studs sheared. One sheared while using an impact on it. The other two sheared under hand tool power.

The endlinks have a bolt head on one end and a nut on the other. Awkward as hell to reach but not horrible. Is this not that common?

 

[L.Cheapo]

I just replaced both sway bars on my firebird. Three of the four endlink studs sheared. One sheared while using an impact on it. The other two sheared under hand tool power.

The endlinks have a bolt head on one end and a nut on the other. Awkward as hell to reach but not horrible. Is this not that common?

A lot of them don't have the bolt head you're referring to. Instead, they are smooth and round there, and use a small recessed hex or torx hole in the end of the stud. PITA in an area that gets corrosion.

 

[ex-x-fire]

I just replaced both sway bars on my firebird. Three of the four endlink studs sheared. One sheared while using an impact on it. The other two sheared under hand tool power.

The endlinks have a bolt head on one end and a nut on the other. Awkward as hell to reach but not horrible. Is this not that common?

What year is the firebird? 67-92 use the ones like in picture two. The pliers are for the first type.

 

[greasemonkey44]

https://store.snapon.com/LP-Series-Pliers-Locking-Thin-Curved-Jaws-5-long-P645954.aspx
these have been an big help
havent seen the kind abve

 

[redwrench60]

You guys that aren't pro techs don't realize we disconnect sway bar links for many many other reasons than for replacing them. FWD axle seal replacement, CV axle service, removing front suspension cradles for engine and trans work and many more jobs that simply require disconnection and reuse. If I torched off every part that was challenging to remove I'd burn the whole damn car down. Sometimes speed and finesse win the day. I have the Snap On version and I can have the sway bar link removed before you get the torch rolled over and lit.

The thin (less than 1/4") jaws fit inbetween the link bracket on the strut and the delicate rubber boot on the link and hold the stud from spinning while you buzz the links nut off with an impact. Super easy and no destruction required. You could even grind down a regular pair of vise grips if your thrifty.

 

[Locker537]

What year is the firebird? 67-92 use the ones like in picture two. The pliers are for the first type.

1998. The end links are the second type.

 

[dnschmidt]

I've got the TOPTUL version up on EBay for $19.50 plus $7.00 shipping. Little did I realize that the proper name for these were Parrot Nose Pliers.

 

[ducksface]

You guys that aren't pro techs don't realize we disconnect sway bar links for many many other reasons than for replacing them. FWD axle seal replacement, CV axle service, removing front suspension cradles for engine and trans work and many more jobs that simply require disconnection and reuse. If I torched off every part that was challenging to remove I'd burn the whole damn car down. Sometimes speed and finesse win the day. I have the Snap On version and I can have the sway bar link removed before you get the torch rolled over and lit.

The thin (less than 1/4") jaws fit inbetween the link bracket on the strut and the delicate rubber boot on the link and hold the stud from spinning while you buzz the links nut off with an impact. Super easy and no destruction required. You could even grind down a regular pair of vise grips if your thrifty.

I'll buy that.
Viable tool now that thinner jaws were mentioned.
And I can see the parrot nose being viable now that I see in use on a cramped vehicle.
Could easily become the goto tool for this.
My original assessment was made on my own, now known to be very limited, sway link experiences.

Now a that's left is buying them for 50 to 80 percent less from NOT the Mac dealer.

 

[redwrench60]

I'll buy that.
Viable tool now that thinner jaws were mentioned.
And I can see the parrot nose being viable now that I see in use on a cramped vehicle.
Could easily become the goto tool for this.
My original assessment was made on my own, now known to be very limited, sway link experiences.

Now a that's left is buying them for 50 to 80 percent less from NOT the Mac dealer.

Yeah there's other options out there. Cheapest would be a pair of round jaw vise grips from the flea market with the jaws carefully ground down thin enough for the application. That's what I used to do before purpose made tools became available. I use them a lot and would wear the teeth out then have to find another pair. I decided to buy the Snap On version due to it being a better design than my modified vice grips and more suited to the task. As well as when the teeth get worn and no longer hold well my dealer happily swaps them out for a grippy new pair.

 

[ducksface]

It just dawned on me that I have one of those.
Bolder shorter nose. Full width jaw. It was advertised as an added jaw face for removing rounded bolts.
Still in my rack unused. I had a plan for it, plan went to the ether....

 

[ex-x-fire]

I tried them out today, they work pretty darn good.

 

[FlushingDIYer]

I've got the TOPTUL version up on EBay for $19.50 plus $7.00 shipping. Little did I realize that the proper name for these were Parrot Nose Pliers.

Are these parrot nose pliers really used for sway end links? I hate destroying them when the hex or torx on the inside is rusted out. I've gotten into the habit of carefully using a pair of Vise-grips, but if these parrot-nose pliers are thinner, and less likely to break a boot, I might have to get one for my box.

 

[dnschmidt]

Personally, I've never used them for sway bar links because I've got a plasma arc cutter if worse comes to worse and I live in Arizona where typically they come off without issue. I've used them for pipe wrenches though and they work pretty good for that. I guess anything that's round would be fair game.