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What is the best way to go about tightening a new sway bar link to the sway bar end on 2005 W211 standard suspension?
Removing the link was easy since I had removed the strut beforehand. With the strut out of the way I was able to get a 12mm hex bit socket onto the sway bar link bolt to keep it from turning while I loosened the nut.
Installing it is a different story. Everything I read says the suspension must be in a loaded position before tightening suspension components. If I am to load the suspension then I have to install the strut, right? And if I install the strut then I can't access the hex head bolt on the sway bar link.
You see in the photos the link with the strut removed (easy access) and the link with the strut installed (limited access).
Not sure what to do? Would it be ok to tighten the sway bar link nut/bolt to the sway bar end while the suspension is unloaded or is there another way of properly tightening it that I'm not thinking of?
Take this with a HUGE grain of salt, because it's probably wrong. Here is how I did it though. Connect up the end link, tighten it at the top. You will still have some ability to rotate it to some degree, and just have it hanging down without it being connected to the ball joint on the lower control arm. The lower control arm will be flopping around because you haven't torqued the bolts yet. where it connects to the sub frame, rotate it up and get the strut attached. Use a floor jack to lift the LCA and put it under tension before tightening down the bolts. Then once you have done that, you will find connecting the link is a huge PITA because lining it up just right is damn near impossible. What I did then was put an over size socket over the hole in the end link, and use a c Clamp to slowly push the end link over the ball joint on the LCA. You scrape against the threads a bit, but as long as you nominally line up the ball joint, you will get the end link down on the control arm and then will be able to put the nut on and torque it to the proper values.
Again, this is probably incorrect, and probably will result in reduced life for the end link bushing, but that's how I did it.
What I'm having trouble with is the warning that the instructions give about tightening nuts and bolts of chassis components only when vehicle is in the ready-to-drive position.
If I heed those instructions then I must install the strut to the lower control arm prior to tightening to sway bar link to the lower control arm. And therein lies the problem. I can't access the hex bolt on the sway bar link with the strut attached.
I'm beginning to wonder if I'm overthinking it. Maybe I just position the sway bar link in as close to a ready-to-drive position as I can get it, torque away, and hope for the best.
Ok, so I got confirmation from an experienced MB mechanic that the hex bolt on the sway bar link is a notorious pain in the **** to access when the strut is installed. I'm glad it's not just me feeling that way.
The solution is a rather simple one. Get a 12mm hex key (Sears sells one individually and they could use the business) and cut the handle down so that it's short enough to fit between the link and strut.
I stopped by a local auto repair shop and had them cut about an inch off of the handle using a pneumatic cut-off tool. Even then it still took 10 minutes and two cut-off wheels.
With this modified tool I will be able to torque the sway bar link bushings with the car in a ready-to-drive condition.
By the way, the MB mechanic also confirmed for me that the ball joints can be torqued while the car is on jack stands; however, the bushings must be torqued in ready-to-drive condition. Anyway, just thought I'd share in case this info is able to help someone else down the line.
Amazon has a set of stubby allen keys that are worth to have in your tool set.
I looked but all I could find were sets that are max. 10mm. That's why I was glad when I found a single 12mm key at Sears. If you have a link for a stubby set that contains larger sizes please post it if it's not too much trouble. Thanks.
I did not have a 12mm allen wrench to modify, but had many 12mm nuts and bolts...
I stacked 2 12mm nuts on to bolt with a 12mm head and secured everything with Loctite Red. Then ground off the extra threaded portion. Although not quite as easy to use a a cut Allen wrench, this was free.
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