Strange front stabilizer bar linkage on '96 GC
 

I'm in the process of replacing the front shocks and springs in my '96
Grand Cherokee Laredo 6 cyl. As part of this repair I was planning to
replace the front stabilizer bar bushings.

I bought a bushing kit and reviewed the procedure in my Haynes shop
manual....it looked fairly straight forward.

Step one was to remove the top nut that holds the stabilizer bar upper
linkage stack in place. The nut loosened up and backed out ok until it
got near the end of the bolt and at that point it began to spin without
rethreading any further. After some head scratching, I compared the
photos in the manual to what I was actually seeing and realized my
stabilizer bar upper linkage is quite different from what's in the manual.

The manual shows a stack that is (starting from the top) as follows:

Nut
Metal Retaining Washer
Rubber Bushing
Eye Hole at the end of the Stabilizer Bar
Rubber Bushing
Metal Retaining Washer

The upper linkage stack that I actually have is as follows:

Nut
Metal Washer
Eye Hole at the end of the Stabilizer Bar
What appears to be a little rubber boot that is covering a ball joint
(when i slide the boot down it appears that it is filled with grease but
I can't get it down enough to see what's inside)

It seems that the little ball joint is spinning when I try to threading
the top nut off of the bolt. I've tried to get a vise grip pliers into
the area between the rubber boot the Eye Hole but I can't get the boot
pushed down enough to squeeze the pliers in.

FWIW, the bushing kit I purchased has two bushings and two metal
retaining washers per side, just like the photo in my manual.

So. I'm stuck. I can't remove the top nut, nor can I tighten it back
down....it just spins.

Can anyone tell me what's going on?

Why is my upper linkage completely different?

And most importantly, What can I do to get the nut tightened down? (I
don't have to replace the bushings, I just want to get my jeep back on
the road).

Re: Strange front stabilizer bar linkage on '96 GC
 

maleemi wrote:
> I'm in the process of replacing the front shocks and springs in my '96
> Grand Cherokee Laredo 6 cyl. As part of this repair I was planning to
> replace the front stabilizer bar bushings.

By stablizer you mean anti-sway?

read here.
http://revbeergoggles.com/front_antisway/index.html
http://revbeergoggles.com/rear_antisway/index.html

If your talking about the track bar. The big heavy
bugger, then that upper joint is a ball joint and you
have to pop it off with a pickle fork. Putting the
new one on takes an air wrench to keep it from spinning.

--
-- DougW -- 93 ZJ 4.0 http://revbeergoggles.com
HESCO Supercharger - 300W IASCA Stereo - Edelbrock IAS Shocks
Gibson Exhaust - rear DCpower - custom gauge install - Stillen Rotors
Banks Header - and BEER, in the fridge!

Re: Strange front stabilizer bar linkage on '96 GC
 

maleemi wrote:
> I'm in the process of replacing the front shocks and springs in my '96
> Grand Cherokee Laredo 6 cyl. As part of this repair I was planning to
> replace the front stabilizer bar bushings.

By stablizer you mean anti-sway?

read here.
http://revbeergoggles.com/front_antisway/index.html
http://revbeergoggles.com/rear_antisway/index.html

If your talking about the track bar. The big heavy
bugger, then that upper joint is a ball joint and you
have to pop it off with a pickle fork. Putting the
new one on takes an air wrench to keep it from spinning.

--
-- DougW -- 93 ZJ 4.0 http://revbeergoggles.com
HESCO Supercharger - 300W IASCA Stereo - Edelbrock IAS Shocks
Gibson Exhaust - rear DCpower - custom gauge install - Stillen Rotors
Banks Header - and BEER, in the fridge!

Re: Strange front stabilizer bar linkage on '96 GC
 

maleemi wrote:
> I'm in the process of replacing the front shocks and springs in my '96
> Grand Cherokee Laredo 6 cyl. As part of this repair I was planning to
> replace the front stabilizer bar bushings.

By stablizer you mean anti-sway?

read here.
http://revbeergoggles.com/front_antisway/index.html
http://revbeergoggles.com/rear_antisway/index.html

If your talking about the track bar. The big heavy
bugger, then that upper joint is a ball joint and you
have to pop it off with a pickle fork. Putting the
new one on takes an air wrench to keep it from spinning.

--
-- DougW -- 93 ZJ 4.0 http://revbeergoggles.com
HESCO Supercharger - 300W IASCA Stereo - Edelbrock IAS Shocks
Gibson Exhaust - rear DCpower - custom gauge install - Stillen Rotors
Banks Header - and BEER, in the fridge!

Re: Strange front stabilizer bar linkage on '96 GC
 

Yeah, it's the anti-sway bar NOT the the track bar, but the linkage
stack is completely different that what's shown in the manual and also
what's included in the bushing kit I purchase.

I replaced the rear stabilizer/anti-sway bar several weekends ago and
didn't have any problems but the front is wiggin' me out.

Anyone have any ideas why it's so different?

DougW wrote:
> maleemi wrote:
>> I'm in the process of replacing the front shocks and springs in my '96
>> Grand Cherokee Laredo 6 cyl. As part of this repair I was planning to
>> replace the front stabilizer bar bushings.
>
> By stablizer you mean anti-sway?
>
> read here.
> http://revbeergoggles.com/front_antisway/index.html
> http://revbeergoggles.com/rear_antisway/index.html
>
> If your talking about the track bar. The big heavy
> bugger, then that upper joint is a ball joint and you
> have to pop it off with a pickle fork. Putting the
> new one on takes an air wrench to keep it from spinning.
>

Re: Strange front stabilizer bar linkage on '96 GC
 

Yeah, it's the anti-sway bar NOT the the track bar, but the linkage
stack is completely different that what's shown in the manual and also
what's included in the bushing kit I purchase.

I replaced the rear stabilizer/anti-sway bar several weekends ago and
didn't have any problems but the front is wiggin' me out.

Anyone have any ideas why it's so different?

DougW wrote:
> maleemi wrote:
>> I'm in the process of replacing the front shocks and springs in my '96
>> Grand Cherokee Laredo 6 cyl. As part of this repair I was planning to
>> replace the front stabilizer bar bushings.
>
> By stablizer you mean anti-sway?
>
> read here.
> http://revbeergoggles.com/front_antisway/index.html
> http://revbeergoggles.com/rear_antisway/index.html
>
> If your talking about the track bar. The big heavy
> bugger, then that upper joint is a ball joint and you
> have to pop it off with a pickle fork. Putting the
> new one on takes an air wrench to keep it from spinning.
>

Re: Strange front stabilizer bar linkage on '96 GC
 

Yeah, it's the anti-sway bar NOT the the track bar, but the linkage
stack is completely different that what's shown in the manual and also
what's included in the bushing kit I purchase.

I replaced the rear stabilizer/anti-sway bar several weekends ago and
didn't have any problems but the front is wiggin' me out.

Anyone have any ideas why it's so different?

DougW wrote:
> maleemi wrote:
>> I'm in the process of replacing the front shocks and springs in my '96
>> Grand Cherokee Laredo 6 cyl. As part of this repair I was planning to
>> replace the front stabilizer bar bushings.
>
> By stablizer you mean anti-sway?
>
> read here.
> http://revbeergoggles.com/front_antisway/index.html
> http://revbeergoggles.com/rear_antisway/index.html
>
> If your talking about the track bar. The big heavy
> bugger, then that upper joint is a ball joint and you
> have to pop it off with a pickle fork. Putting the
> new one on takes an air wrench to keep it from spinning.
>

Re: Strange front stabilizer bar linkage on '96 GC
 

maleemi wrote:
> Yeah, it's the anti-sway bar NOT the the track bar, but the linkage
> stack is completely different that what's shown in the manual and also
> what's included in the bushing kit I purchase.
>
> I replaced the rear stabilizer/anti-sway bar several weekends ago and
> didn't have any problems but the front is wiggin' me out.
>
> Anyone have any ideas why it's so different?

The front track bar changes depending on what engine the jeep comes with.
I have a heavier duty sway bar that is actually for the V8 ZJ.

They might have made changes if you had the tow package

--
DougW

Re: Strange front stabilizer bar linkage on '96 GC
 

maleemi wrote:
> Yeah, it's the anti-sway bar NOT the the track bar, but the linkage
> stack is completely different that what's shown in the manual and also
> what's included in the bushing kit I purchase.
>
> I replaced the rear stabilizer/anti-sway bar several weekends ago and
> didn't have any problems but the front is wiggin' me out.
>
> Anyone have any ideas why it's so different?

The front track bar changes depending on what engine the jeep comes with.
I have a heavier duty sway bar that is actually for the V8 ZJ.

They might have made changes if you had the tow package

--
DougW

Re: Strange front stabilizer bar linkage on '96 GC
 

maleemi wrote:
> Yeah, it's the anti-sway bar NOT the the track bar, but the linkage
> stack is completely different that what's shown in the manual and also
> what's included in the bushing kit I purchase.
>
> I replaced the rear stabilizer/anti-sway bar several weekends ago and
> didn't have any problems but the front is wiggin' me out.
>
> Anyone have any ideas why it's so different?

The front track bar changes depending on what engine the jeep comes with.
I have a heavier duty sway bar that is actually for the V8 ZJ.

They might have made changes if you had the tow package

--
DougW