Installing a sway bar - Should suspension be compressed or no?

[jond]

This is probably a dumb question, but does it matter if the wheels are hanging or compressed when installing a swaybar?

For example, can I just jack the car up and put it on jackstands, or do I need to put ramps under the wheels and get the pressure of the car back on the wheels?

 

[Heeltoe914]

You should be able to I did mine with it up in the air and wheels hanging. I had to remove the front battery and under tray (5 more min.) to get the frt sway bar in and out.

 

[L8apex32]

HeelToe914 is a quicker mechanic than me. It took me much more than 5 minutes to remove the spare tire, spare holder bracket, battery and battery support bracket. But, it is still easy like he says.

Just plan on removing this stuff before doing replacing a sway bar.

Wheels can be in droop or compression, either works. You'll have a HARD time getting one on or off if one wheel is loaded while the other is in droop.

BTW, the perfect tool for this job is those box-end wrenches with built in rachets. It sucks to have to use an open-end wrench on these. When I put my sway bars on several years ago, I did not have the racheting wrenches - but now I do and they save lots of time with this job.

 

[Heeltoe914]

Thanks I have air tools. But you only have to take the spare out and than support the battery and its bracket, than remove the four 10mm bolts holding the spare tire bracket to the lower bars running from frt to back, I think there where 6 13mm bolts holding it. Just lower it you dont have to remove it all the way let it hang on the two rear bolts.