You’re very welcome cig, but are you sure you’re looking at the sway bar end links? Can you post a photo of what you’re replacing, or perhaps a link to the replacement part? I’ve never seen a sway bar link with a boot.
Cig, I just realized that they DO have boots over the link ball joints. I stand corrected.
Comprende. I wasn’t clear in stating my doubts. Since it took an 18" breaker bar just to rotate the frozen nut/stud/ball, and still the nut didn’t break free, I’m doubtful the additional resisting torque from a 6" allen wrench will help (I don’t have an allen head socket). Plus, if I try that, I have to abandon the 18" breaker bar/socket and resort to a shorter box wrench in order to insert the allen wrench.
Plus, I just want to crack some nuts. 
I know you said you can’t get an angle grinder in there, but can you get a dremel tool in there? Perhaps even with a 45 degree angle attachment on it? Perhaps you can cut the nut free.
A Dremel might be the best option.
This problem is why salvage yards don’t usually mess with things like this; they just torch them in half.
mountainbike, righto. My boots over the ball joints are all long gone. It is a different application - being in the front of a Caravan. But I already “scouted” the job and its exactly that set-up - a nut on a stud where the end of the stud takes a hex key. And I said to myself “boy, that just looks like more of a PITA than it needs to be.”
A hex or a torx? Like I said I don’t know anything about it but seems strange they’d use a hex on something like that.
It’s a standard hex allen socket. It’s fine for holding the stud while you tighten the nut during installation of a new part. Not so fine when you’re trying to break a 15-year-old rusted nut free.
I have a small rechargeable Dremel that isn’t very powerful, but I could get a cut started on the nut and then finish it off with the nut cracker.
Sounds like a good plan. Let us know how you make out. I know from experience that these can be a challenge to remove.
Well, here’s the scoop. After cranking on the nut/ball joint and turning it while trying to loosen the nut…the creaking noise is gone. Yeah, it’ll come back some day. Maybe tomorrow. Maybe next year. But until it does, I’m gonna let it ride.
Thanks for all the good advice. When the noise comes back, I know what to do.
LOL, outstanding!
I applaud your success. If it returns, you’ll know what to do.
Happy motoring,
TSM
I'm doubtful the additional resisting torque from a 6" allen wrench will help (I don't have an allen head socket). Plus, if I try that, I have to abandon the 18" breaker bar/socket and resort to a shorter box wrench in order to insert the allen wrench.I know you're done for now but next time if you don't have an hex bit socket and only have an "L" allen wrench, try using a deep socket on a long extension and slip it over the long leg of the allen wrench for increased leverage or a small diameter pipe will also work.
Update:
Well, the noise came back after a few days, so I surrendered and had my mechanic install the Driveworks aftermarket part from Advance Auto. Noise gone for good now.
Then, several weeks later, I needed a new idler arm for my 1989 B250 camper van. Bought the Driveworks brand part from Advance Auto, which was significantly less expensive than the Moog part. Had my mechanic put the new idler arm in, and after it was done he said the new part fit perfectly and seemed impressed with its quality and asked me where I bought it. I laughed and told him it was the cheapest one I could find at Advance Auto.
So that was a pleasant surprise…quality as well as low price…a rare combination these days.
Thanks for the follow-up. I’ll do so as well. I just put some driveworks links on the front of my Caravan. (About 3 weeks ago). I probably mentioned it in this thread, but I wouldn’t use it for something I consider critical - like ball joints or tie rods. But I was fine to save the $$ for these.
They’ve been nice and quiet and all. The install was annoying, but that’s got nothing to do with brand. But I will mention that a couple off weeks after having done it, my wife happened park with the wheels turned to the passenger’s side. I figured with an easy view I’d take a look in there. It’s hard to see the bottom joint, but the boot on the top joint was already separated. It wasn’t dried up and broken. It had just pulled away. I don’t expect them to last long.
They do have a lifetime warranty though, so I guess in the end it’s just some more labor. But I don’t trust the stuff. One thing that does make it hard is the “branding” problem. “Driveworks” is just a brand name on the box. The supplier (and part design/quality) could change at any time. That just leaves it a crap shoot.
The “crap shoot” is true I guess. The sway bar link I got looked a bit cheesy compared to the OE part. But the idler arm looked high quality. Probably came from different factories…