Issues with factory front end link removal

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

J3FF3RSON

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2015
Posts
192
Reaction score
59
Location
Louisville, Kentucky
Ram Year
2014 Ram R/T
Engine
5.7L Hemi
Hello everyone,

I'm currently in the process of replacing the Hellwig front sway bar, and I wanted to put new F-150 end links on the front, however I am having a hard time removing the bottom bolt from the end link. I'm holding the top of the end link with a wrench and using a ratchet to remove the bolt, but the bolt turns with some resistance, but the bolt isn't moving. Is there something else keeping this bolt from coming out?

I appreciate the help!
 

moregrip

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 19, 2015
Posts
612
Reaction score
217
Ram Year
2015
Engine
Hemi 5.7
I used vice grips on the upper portion of the stock end link, mine became sacrificial.
 
OP
OP
J

J3FF3RSON

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2015
Posts
192
Reaction score
59
Location
Louisville, Kentucky
Ram Year
2014 Ram R/T
Engine
5.7L Hemi
The top portion doesn't move at all when I'm spinning the nut at the bottom because my wrench is holding it firm just under the top threads. Should I be holding the end link at a different location?
 

jettajam1

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2015
Posts
1,219
Reaction score
676
Location
CA
Ram Year
2012 and 2019
Engine
Hemi 5.7
You will need to hold the lower hex when loosening the lower nut. I encountered the same thing and right before I took a sawzall to it....I noticed the lower hex. I used a ratcheting box end wrench for the nut and a 5/16? box for the hex.

Here they are removed (notice the lower hex)

6df0f9926188dd0387f5941d94ba3640.jpg

And the Mevotechs I installed

f18f439988a8534fc6c37097d9eaa920.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
OP
OP
J

J3FF3RSON

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2015
Posts
192
Reaction score
59
Location
Louisville, Kentucky
Ram Year
2014 Ram R/T
Engine
5.7L Hemi
That picture is actually very helpful! Alright, lets see if I can get these off before dark!

Thanks for the responses!
 

jettajam1

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2015
Posts
1,219
Reaction score
676
Location
CA
Ram Year
2012 and 2019
Engine
Hemi 5.7
Keep us posted on the outcome


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Last edited:
OP
OP
J

J3FF3RSON

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2015
Posts
192
Reaction score
59
Location
Louisville, Kentucky
Ram Year
2014 Ram R/T
Engine
5.7L Hemi
Quite possibly the most frustrating design I have ever seen in my life. My 3/4 12 point box wrench wouldn't hold the recessed bolt without slipping as i turned the 5/16 hex at the bottom, while no other size I had worked on it. My Flex Heads also wouldn't fit up there.

So they are still on the truck until I can source a tool that will work in that recessed hole, while simultaneously allowing another socket / wrench for the bottom hex bolt.
 
Last edited:

jettajam1

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2015
Posts
1,219
Reaction score
676
Location
CA
Ram Year
2012 and 2019
Engine
Hemi 5.7
Frustrating is right....hence my sawzall comment. I was able to get a 19mm wrench in there at an angle and wedge it up against the frame just enough to hold the nut stationary, then started turning the hex (it was a *****) but it worked.

Good luck brother,


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
OP
OP
J

J3FF3RSON

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2015
Posts
192
Reaction score
59
Location
Louisville, Kentucky
Ram Year
2014 Ram R/T
Engine
5.7L Hemi
Found a way to take that thing off. I went down to Sears and found a Max Access Rachet which allows the threaded part of the bottom to slide through the ratchet, keeping access to the bottom hex.

Tools I used for that bottom bolt:

- 1/4 Inch Drive Ratchet
- 6 inch 1/4 inch extension
- 5/16" Socket

-3/8 Inch Drive Max Access Rachet
- 3 Inch 3/8 inch Max Access Extension
- 18 Inch, Max Access Socket

See the pics below:
 

Attachments

  • IMG_8416.jpg
    IMG_8416.jpg
    101.5 KB · Views: 113
  • IMG_8417.jpg
    IMG_8417.jpg
    102.1 KB · Views: 112
  • IMG_8418.jpg
    IMG_8418.jpg
    99.1 KB · Views: 113

grozier

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 20, 2016
Posts
210
Reaction score
27
Location
Independence mo
Ram Year
2015
Engine
hemi 5.7
You say put a F-150 part on a ram?

Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk
 

moregrip

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 19, 2015
Posts
612
Reaction score
217
Ram Year
2015
Engine
Hemi 5.7
The top portion doesn't move at all when I'm spinning the nut at the bottom because my wrench is holding it firm just under the top threads. Should I be holding the end link at a different location?

I put the vice grips around that rubber boot, hence the sacrificial part
 

Gary's Hemi

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 19, 2010
Posts
1,001
Reaction score
884
Location
Walker, La
Ram Year
2016
Engine
5.7
Found a way to take that thing off. I went down to Sears and found a Max Access Rachet which allows the threaded part of the bottom to slide through the ratchet, keeping access to the bottom hex.

Tools I used for that bottom bolt:

- 1/4 Inch Drive Ratchet
- 6 inch 1/4 inch extension
- 5/16" Socket

-3/8 Inch Drive Max Access Rachet
- 3 Inch 3/8 inch Max Access Extension
- 18 Inch, Max Access Socket

See the pics below:

Thats what I used to take the links off. Works perfect. Always comes in handy to have a good selection of tools.
 
OP
OP
J

J3FF3RSON

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2015
Posts
192
Reaction score
59
Location
Louisville, Kentucky
Ram Year
2014 Ram R/T
Engine
5.7L Hemi
What a hell of a difference up front. It's firm, and incredibly responsive in turns. The only reason I'm getting any lean at all is because of those Belltech garbage shocks - which I will be soon replacing with QA1's. This was well worth the energy to replace fellas, and I hope anyone looking to do this mod will see this thread before taking on the task.


However, I noticed that this sway bar is now very close to the tie rods bars. And I mean by close, I can only stick my fingers between the sway bar, and the tie rod. The Hellwig also appears to be on the end links at an angle, and not straight, however, they are tight. I couldn't seem to get the bar lined up like the factory bar at any angle, and I want to verify that this is normal.
 

Gary's Hemi

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 19, 2010
Posts
1,001
Reaction score
884
Location
Walker, La
Ram Year
2016
Engine
5.7
What a hell of a difference up front. It's firm, and incredibly responsive in turns. The only reason I'm getting any lean at all is because of those Belltech garbage shocks - which I will be soon replacing with QA1's. This was well worth the energy to replace fellas, and I hope anyone looking to do this mod will see this thread before taking on the task.


However, I noticed that this sway bar is now very close to the tie rods bars. And I mean by close, I can only stick my fingers between the sway bar, and the tie rod. The Hellwig also appears to be on the end links at an angle, and not straight, however, they are tight. I couldn't seem to get the bar lined up like the factory bar at any angle, and I want to verify that this is normal.

So your endlinks are at an angle pointing in when mounted to the bar? Mine were like that.
 
OP
OP
J

J3FF3RSON

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2015
Posts
192
Reaction score
59
Location
Louisville, Kentucky
Ram Year
2014 Ram R/T
Engine
5.7L Hemi
This is what I'm looking at on both sides. See how close the Tie Rod is as well.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_8423.jpg
    IMG_8423.jpg
    91.2 KB · Views: 69

Wild one

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2016
Posts
13,718
Reaction score
23,372
Ram Year
14 Sport
Engine
5.7
This is what I'm looking at on both sides. See how close the Tie Rod is as well.

I doubled up the cups between the center shaft and the cups between the shaft and rubber bushings. I utilized the cups off the original endlinks. Spaces the bar up slightly,not much but enough to help the clearance issues.
 

Gary's Hemi

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 19, 2010
Posts
1,001
Reaction score
884
Location
Walker, La
Ram Year
2016
Engine
5.7
This is what I'm looking at on both sides. See how close the Tie Rod is as well.

Yea my endlinks were at an angle like that when I installed the f150 links. I found that them being at an angle made the truck rock from side to side too much when hitting a bump so I reinstalled the factory links & the side to side motion was gone. The f150 links did help alot w/ body roll due to releveling the bar but the side to side motion just wasnt for me. The links are supposed to be straight up & down, idk what exactly the effect of them being at angle causes but I couldnt get used to it
 
OP
OP
J

J3FF3RSON

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2015
Posts
192
Reaction score
59
Location
Louisville, Kentucky
Ram Year
2014 Ram R/T
Engine
5.7L Hemi
Yea my endlinks were at an angle like that when I installed the f150 links. I found that them being at an angle made the truck rock from side to side too much when hitting a bump so I reinstalled the factory links & the side to side motion was gone. The f150 links did help alot w/ body roll due to releveling the bar but the side to side motion just wasnt for me. The links are supposed to be straight up & down, idk what exactly the effect of them being at angle causes but I couldnt get used to it

I'd say that I could easily use the poly bushings that came with the F-150 end links to make it a little stiffer. May end up going back to factory links, I'll update everyone.

BTW, did you happen to experience any failures with your factory end links with the Hellwig on it?
 

Dubstep Shep

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2014
Posts
2,240
Reaction score
513
Location
Houston
Ram Year
2014 R/T
Engine
5.7L Hemi
Easiest way to do it is put weight on the wheel when you loosen and torque down the links. The weight of the truck on the joint keeps it from spinning if you use an impact.
 

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
194,902
Posts
2,863,861
Members
155,252
Latest member
radikio
Top