Kizashi Club

The lack of twisty roads might be why you never noticed the handling lacking prior? It will also make it harder for you to make a comparison when you do finally find that ideal test road. (The difference is a lot more noticeable the harder you push the cornering limits.)

I finally drove my Kizzy for the first time since installing the sway bar. There is definitely less body roll in the turns and the car responds quicker when changing directions. I hit a cul-de-sac fast enough to get the Dunlops vocal and while the body roll is still there, it has been greatly reduced to acceptable levels. And as expected, I observed no difference in NVH.

I can't wait to go on a proper drive to feel the full benefits of the sway bar.

bootymac wrote:I can see how you're having problems. I noticed some of the hardware on the underside was developing some surface rust, and my Kizashi has never seen snow or salt in its 10 month life.

Have you tried using penetrating fluid? I soaked all the fasteners with Liquid Wrench penetrating fluid beforehand.

Mine is a 2010 that started it's life in NJ, I bought it used last January. It doesn't look bad underneath, but I had the same issue taking off the exhaust.

Yes, I squirted PB Blaster on it Friday night, and I think I also put some on the sway bar hardware a month ago when I did the exhaust. Had the rear sway bar in mind, even back then. I also tried heating up the end link nut with a torch, but stopped when it started to smoke. Didn't know if the smoke was grease burning off or the rubber boot burning, but either way, I decided that was enough.

Woodie wrote:

bootymac wrote:I can see how you're having problems. I noticed some of the hardware on the underside was developing some surface rust, and my Kizashi has never seen snow or salt in its 10 month life.

Have you tried using penetrating fluid? I soaked all the fasteners with Liquid Wrench penetrating fluid beforehand.

Mine is a 2010 that started it's life in NJ, I bought it used last January. It doesn't look bad underneath, but I had the same issue taking off the exhaust.

Yes, I squirted PB Blaster on it Friday night, and I think I also put some on the sway bar hardware a month ago when I did the exhaust. Had the rear sway bar in mind, even back then. I also tried heating up the end link nut with a torch, but stopped when it started to smoke. Didn't know if the smoke was grease burning off or the rubber boot burning, but either way, I decided that was enough.

Mine came off without too much trouble as I did not have much corrosion. However, I noticed that the bolt on the end link on the right hand side was rotating with the nut. I could not get the nut off until I held the bolt with vice grip pliers while wrenching the nut off. I did not have to remove the end link so I did not need to use the Allen wrench.

Nice write up on how what a sway bar actually does if you don't know. Not many pics, but a pretty good explanation. More than I wanted to know...
http://www.houseofthud.com/cartech/swaybars.htm

KuroNekko wrote:. However, I noticed that the bolt on the end link on the right hand side was rotating with the nut. I could not get the nut off until I held the bolt with vice grip pliers while wrenching the nut off. I did not have to remove the end link so I did not need to use the Allen wrench.

Just for clarification, the end link stud is a set screw that is held in place with the 5mm hex while you remove the 14mm nut. Using vice grips to hold the stud can damage the threads on it

bootymac wrote:

KuroNekko wrote:. However, I noticed that the bolt on the end link on the right hand side was rotating with the nut. I could not get the nut off until I held the bolt with vice grip pliers while wrenching the nut off. I did not have to remove the end link so I did not need to use the Allen wrench.

Just for clarification, the end link stud is a set screw that is held in place with the 5mm hex while you remove the 14mm nut. Using vice grips to hold the stud can damage the threads on it

I guess the 5mm Allen hole is on the outside? I did not even see it.
Also, I held the bolt by the shaft, not the threads as it came out partially before the bolt started to turn with the nut. The whole bolt is not threaded.

KuroNekko wrote:

bootymac wrote:

KuroNekko wrote:. However, I noticed that the bolt on the end link on the right hand side was rotating with the nut. I could not get the nut off until I held the bolt with vice grip pliers while wrenching the nut off. I did not have to remove the end link so I did not need to use the Allen wrench.

Just for clarification, the end link stud is a set screw that is held in place with the 5mm hex while you remove the 14mm nut. Using vice grips to hold the stud can damage the threads on it

I guess the 5mm Allen hole is on the outside? I did not even see it.
Also, I held the bolt by the shaft, not the threads as it came out partially before the bolt started to turn with the nut. The whole bolt is not threaded.

Gotcha. Damaged threads are never fun to deal with, but this is a part that we're probably never going to remove anyway.

The 5mm hole was on the threaded stud side for my Kizzy. There could be a difference in model years though

You might have damaged the dust seal/ boot by rotating the threaded section of the end link?

murcod wrote:You might have damaged the dust seal/ boot by rotating the threaded section of the end link?

A little grease did come out, but the boot was not damaged or torn. I cross-referenced with the end link on the other side to make sure the fitting of the rubber boot was how it should be. I will take a more careful look at it when I check the bolts on the sway bar this weekend.

The bolt started rotating in the end link when I was trying to get the nut off of it.