99 Intrigue Front Sway Bar Replacement

[EIntrigue]

Has anyone replaced a front sway bar on their Intriuge? Mine is cracked with a small piece broken loose on the drivers side. This is right where the sway bar connects to the link.

Chilton's says the engine/transmission needs to be lowered with special GM jack.

[LittleHoov]

Chiltons is wrong on this one.

Support the car with jackstands so that both front wheels hang freely. You will also wants to remove the wheels.

As you know from the Chiltons, there is an endlink assembly on each side of the swaybar, and then bushing/brackets that attach the swaybar to the frame.

Loosen and remove all of these bolts. I believe the stock swaybar will actually slide out without having to remove anything. Feed it out through the passenger side, it helps to have another person with you. If you cant get it out, take loose the passenger side tie-rod end, it will most certainly come out like that.

No special tools or equipment is neccessary. You may want a ratcheting box-end wrench in size 15mm if im not mistaken. There is one bolt on the driver side that attaches the swaybar to the frame, that most ratchets will not fit on, and the only way to get it loose is with a box end, because there are brake lines right next too it. Youll see what im talking about.

You can simply replace the front swaybar with a new one of the same size. But why do that when you can upgrade? http://www.gmpartsdirect.com/results...ber=pk12456148
This is an excellent kit to perk up your daily driver.

Also, a new bar will most likely come with new rubber bushings, but I recommend the MOOG end link set commonly sold at auto parts stores. They arent rubber, and are similar in performance to poly bushings. So they alone will make a decent upgrade.

The front swaybar is a pretty easy removal, but like a said, having a friend will help a lot, especially when getting it out. Have your friend start taking things loose on the driver's side then laugh as he curses while spending 10 minutes taking out one bolt.

I cant think of anything else, if you have any other questions be sure and post back here, and myself or someone else can help you out. If you do decide to order that kit, the drilling template for the strut tower brace does not come with the kit, and must be obtained separately. GMPD's customer service hooked me up with it, and I still have it and can e-mail the templates to you to print out if youd like.

Good luck!

[EIntrigue]

LittleHoov,

Thanks for reply. This seems so much easier than Chiltons. It is almost hard to believe. Chiltons even explains that you need to disconect steering. I don't like the sound of that.

Are you sure it is that easy?

Thanks.

EIntrigue

[LittleHoov]

Yup it actually is that easy. I have that GMPP kit installed on my very own car and did it personally.

You dont have to do that whole complex procedure. Simply a grand total of 6 bolts that hold the bar itself in. Then its just a matter of wriggling it out and putting the new one in.

If memory serves we were able to weasel the stock bar (28mm?) out of there without taking loose the tie-rod end, but it was a close fit, so close in fact that we couldnt fit the new one (34mm) in without taking it loose.

Something that occurs quite commonly is the stock endlinks on there having rust form up to the point you cant get the apart without essentially destroying them. So if you dont order a kit that comes with new ones. Pick up the MOOG ones. I think theyre about 7 bucks for a set.

I thought it looked like a murder procedure as well, then I started reading on ClubGP about the GP guys installing this kit and how easy it was. So I gave it a shot.

[EIntrigue]

LittleHoov,

You hit the nail on the head. The sway bar replacement was a success with very few difficulties. No need to disconnect tie rods. Chilton's sure had it wrong. Thanks a lot. This really saved me a lot of time and effort.

EIntrigue

[LittleHoov]

Good deal, glad you got it taken care of. I cant believe Chiltons makes it out to be so difficult. I always double check what they say if it seems really complex on something that should be rather simple.

Im happy to be of help, I take it you replaced it with a stock one?