JEEBS

So I have noticed a few pops and clucks with my new Whiteline FSB installed that were not there before and I'm going to attribute that to the old, and worn endlinks. I was looking to replace both of them with aftermarket but didn't really anything that suited my needs. Most of them were universal and not s2k specific.

My question is, in order to remove the nut you have to place a 5mm allen key into the endlink while removing the nut. This is easy to do on the nut that is on the sway bar but the one attached to the knuckle has zero room to undo the nut so is there a trick to this? Do I have to do something special? I have searched and not come across anything that is helpful.

Thanks,

zeroptzero

I just did mine this past week. I was lucky to own one of those funky ratchet sets that have a hole right through the rachet and socket, that way I could use a 5mm allen wrench right through the socket and ratchet, holding the bolt and being able to loosen the locknut with the 14mm socket ratchet. Without this tool set I don't know how I would do it, perhaps a stubby ratcheting box end 14mm wrench and an allen key. But there is very little room in there a regular box end wrench won't fit afaik. You can use a regular 14mm socket and ratchet to loosen the locknut the initial mm or so before it starts to spin the bolt, you then need to hold the bolt and loosen the locknut. Both front endlinks have this access issue.

On one endlink the allen bolt stripped on me (very common) and I used a pair of needle nose vice-grips to hold the back of the bolt as tightly as possible, and I was able to use a socket to remove the locknut from the front side. If you can get the locknut loosened a couple mm's, you might be able to get a thin set of needle nose vice grips on the back of the allen bolt, but it can be tricky if you don't have much room.

I was glad to find out that Honda no longer recommends those locknuts on their endlinks, I was given a more regular nut to use on the new endlink, you don't even need to hold the bolt with an allen wrench to install it, just a ratchet and socket. It should remove easily in the future too.

JEEBS

Any pictures of said rachet and socket set? I just want to know for reference.

I might have to look into holding the bolt with some vice grips. It looks like such a pain in the ass. I've read other threads where people say its easy and I dont see what they are talking about.

Would a regular nut back out after a while? One would think that they would make endlinks similar to ball joints with a castlenut and cotter pin.

Thanks for the response.

JEEBS

^^

zeroptzero

Hi, sorry my home computer is dead, I don't have any pictures of my tools. Regular nuts supplied by Honda should be fine, as they are easy to torque in place, they do have little lines on the mating surface to give them extra grip on the mating surface. My Honda dealer said they have stopped using the earlier locknuts for a while now as they create issues on removal, thus any issues would have arose by now. I won't use the old locknuts at all, major pain in the ass to remove and install.

Here is a link to the tools I have, you can't get them in the US under this name, but I know other tool makers make this type of socket and ratchet set. Notice the hole right in the ratchet and the sockets have similar holes in them when mounted together you can run a long allen key right through the ratchet and socket from behind. I didn't pay anywhere near this price but I posted a pic to help you out. Sucks to have to buy a tool just to do one job like this, but it's the only way I could have done it, luckily I had to tool on hand already. Check out the link below , see the picture of the tool being used on the wood stud and nut/bolt, shows you what I mean about the access hole through the tool. Perhaps you can find a similar tool at Sears -Craftsman tools ?

http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/6/To...c.jsp?locale=en

RonnieB

I used an impact and they came right off.

JEEBS

I tried this and it just kept spinning. Any chance that you dont have locking nuts?

zeroptzero

I also tried an impact gun and it spinned, I think they stopped using the really tight locknuts on newer models as per my Honda dealers comments to me. They told me that they end up cutting them off for most cars that come in with bad endlinks. I tried a nut splitter on one of the locknuts, I didn't get it setup properly and it didn't work for me due to the tight space of the one I was trying to do on the rear, it might be somnething that works on the front. Other than that I'm running out of suggestions.

zeroptzero

If I didn't have my odd ratchet and socket set I was going to try a short stubby ratcheting box end wrench (14mm) on the nut and use a 5mm allen wrench to hold the center bolt/stud. I know it is really tight in there for space but I thought a small wrench might fit if short enough. I would use a socket and ratchet to first break the nut loose as you won't have much torque with the stubby wrench, then use the tools to remove it from there. Lube the bolt as much as you can with penetrant. Other than cutting it off with a torch I don't know what else to suggest other than the 2-3 suggestions I've listed above in other replies and this one.

JEEBS

Okay so I tried to replicate the clunk/popping noise and the only way I got it to do it was by driving it. I had it up on jack stands and nothing. I looked at old threads and a few people mentioned here and there that it coulbe be the endlinks. This all started after I put on the Whiteline FSB.

I will have to look at it again tomorrow.