Stabilizar Bar link replacement Q's

Hey gang,

Has anyone here replaced their Stabilizer Bar Links? I tried to do it, this past weekend, but got frustrated and quit.

I was able to unscrew and remove the flat nut (on top of the link), but the rest of the unit would not descend or drop off the bar... even when I pounded on it with a mini-sledge. Is there a trick to it? It was behaving as if the incumbent rubber bushings were permenantly fused to the link rod (although the rod will freely turn right or left).

One would think that after the top flat nut was removed, the rest of the link link would simply fall out, but that's not the case.

Help!!
Ace