Front sway bar replacement

Tiny
DENNIS HAZARD
  • MEMBER
  • 2000 CHEVROLET MALIBU
  • 3.8L
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 150,000 MILES
How do I replace the sway bar? There are 6 bolts underneath to drop the cradle, but I can't get some out.
Tuesday, September 17th, 2019 AT 1:24 PM

6 Replies

Tiny
KASEKENNY
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  • 18,907 POSTS
Hi,

You should not need to drop the subframe to do this repair. It should just unbolt and then the links are removed and then it slides out. If you drop the subframe not only will you have to do an alignment but you will potentially drop the engine and transmission out on the ground.

According the instructions, you may need to drop the rear of the subframe in order to gain enough space to get it out but you don't take all 6 bolts out.

Let me know if I am misunderstanding something and we can go from there. Thanks
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Tuesday, September 17th, 2019 AT 7:18 PM
Tiny
DENNIS HAZARD
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  • 22 POSTS
How would you get to the bolts the bolt the sway bar on? That’s what are problem is.
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Tuesday, September 17th, 2019 AT 7:23 PM
Tiny
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Yeah. That is where you need to drop the rear of the subframe/craddle to gain access. Refer to step 5 and 6 above where it says to remove the mount. If you are doing this on the ground, it is going to be hard.

Here is a video of a Monte Carlo. A little different but same idea.

https://youtu.be/UijW-hRy60s
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Tuesday, September 17th, 2019 AT 7:47 PM
Tiny
DENNIS HAZARD
  • MEMBER
  • 22 POSTS
The bottom of my sons car looks nothing like the one in the video.
The sub frame on his has the two bolts, but it also has another bracket behind that with two bolts one both sides that we can't get out. So with that said there is no way to drop the sub-frame/cradle, we have a car lift but can't get the bolts out.
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Tuesday, September 17th, 2019 AT 8:25 PM
Tiny
DENNIS HAZARD
  • MEMBER
  • 22 POSTS
We can’t get the sub-frame to drop enough.
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Wednesday, September 18th, 2019 AT 9:07 AM
Tiny
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Okay. I understand it looked different. It was a different vehicle but the idea of how to replace it was the same. If you have taken the rear sub-frame bolts loose or out, then just slightly loosen the others until you gain enough access. Keep in mind, if you remove them, it can fall out and injure you. Use a screw jack like they are in the video so that you can control the rate it is dropping.
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Wednesday, September 18th, 2019 AT 6:29 PM

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