In need of advice on how to get a stuck wrench off...

[J.andretti93]

Installing whiteline lowering springs, tightening back up the necessary bolts than I made the crucial mistake of using a closed ended ratcheting wrench on the 15mm nut for the sway bar end link. Now I can't get it off... tried everything...began to strip the allen hex bolt.. cutting the tool off is my last option.. Any other methods I should try?

 

[koozy]

Unscrew the Allen hex bolt only until it backs all the way out towards the inside. Just imagine if you were screwing the bolt off from the other side.

Once the bolt is out, the wrench will move with the nut.

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[MagneticMaine]

Bang the open end with a hammer.
Don’t use non reversing ratcheting ratchet wrenches. If it were reversible you could just go back in the other direction to free it..


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[J.andretti93]

Allen hex bolt began stripping instead.. barely grabs on anymore...deeper down the rabbit hole of shit I go lol.

 

[D1JL]

You should be able to bend the tab on the strut, back just a little.
Using large channellock pliers.

 

[MRX330]

You have to get smart or get strong. 👨‍🎓or💪

 

[J.andretti93]

You have to get smart or get strong. 👨‍🎓or💪

Geee thanks pop! Never looked at it that way, the wrench should come right off now.

 

[MRX330]

Geee thanks pop! Never looked at it that way, the wrench should come right off now.

Ha ha good luck son 👌

 

[Ford ST]

What happens when you try to pull on it in a clockwise direction? Not trying to be rude but I know I'm strong enough I could snap that bolt with that wrench. It's a end link so it's easily replaceable. It's honestly not worth fighting so break something or cut it.

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[Hijinx]

Just drop the strut back out.

Disconnect the endlink at the other end and pull the whole thing out. You’ll be able to see your options better.

 

[Intuit]

Money wise, cheaper route is to cut the tool. Assuming they sell individual replacements, it'll probably be $10-$20 or whatever.

Time may be another story. That's probably hardened steel. You may be able to drill out the pawl mechanism.

Might be able protect the paint with cloth and use a 5lb hammer against that corner of the strut spring seat. But I can't ascertain what the potential consequences would be, if any, using the limited angles of the photo.

................ non reversing ratcheting ratchet wrenches. If it were reversible you could just go back in the other direction to free it..

Typically have to have a notch of room to release pressure on the pawl mechanism before it'll let you move that little lever to reverse.

 

[D1JL]

Go to Harbor Freight Tools.
Buy a cutoff saw with cut off disks.
Cut off the end link from the back side.
Go back to Harbor Freight Tools and return the cut off saw (sorry, keep the disks).
Order new end link (drive without until received).

 

[Intuit]

@D1JL - Funny... visited a hardware store earlier this week and the restocking guy was busy working next to me. I saw there was a socket set that was missing one socket and pointed it out to him. He takes it down. Then I saw another socket set and pointed that out. He takes that down. Now paying more attention, there were a few more missing sockets spread across a few more sets. Each one was missing a different socket. Apparently someone even cheaper than the "buy it, use it, return it" type, decided to steal an entire set, one socket at a time. Wow...

 

[MRX330]

So the same guy came in buying the same item and returning it 20 times. If this happened the store deserves it for being sofaking dumb 😢

 

[TyphoonFiST]

Dremel that Bitch off with a Cutoff wheel on the ball and socket side on the threads of the stud. Replace/Order sway bar End link...THROW AWAY GEAR WRENCHS. ...lesson learned.

 

[kivnul]

Dremel that Bitch off with a Cutoff wheel on the ball and socket side on the threads of the stud. Replace/Order sway bar End link...THROW AWAY GEAR WRENCHS. ...lesson learned.

Hey now, I love me some gear wrenches. There just is a time / place for them. Final torque on a bolt & nut is not one of them.

 

[CanadianGuy]

Unfortunately it’s either Bend tab, cut tool or cut endlink.

 

[kivnul]

Option 4?

 

[J.andretti93]

Thanks to everyone for chiming in, ill be cutting the endlink here shortly. So since ill be replacing the endlink my next question is does anyone have any experience with aftermarket endlinks? Is it worth it?
I was looking at the whitelines from woosh $124
oem would be $37

 

[CanadianGuy]

Thanks to everyone for chiming in, ill be cutting the endlink here shortly. So since ill be replacing the endlink my next question is does anyone have any experience with aftermarket endlinks? Is it worth it?
I was looking at the whitelines from woosh $124
oem would be $37

I have the superpro. Adjustable endlinks is best used if the car is lowered to properly balance the steering. If that is not changed the OE are good enough.