Need advice on bent sway bar link bracket

[taylormade73]

Well, pulled a bonehead move whewling a few weeks ago. Didn't expect to do any rock crawling, juat some wooded trails and sand dunes. So, I didn't disconnect my sway bar. Everything was fine until a couple LJ's came up behind me and said "follow me" while passing. Simple right? Well, yes, until I find myself halfway up the face of some rocks and then finw I cant go any further. Got out and saw my sway bar had inverted. So, I was able to disconnect anyway and make it the rest of the way up. Later on when I went to reconnect I found that there was little clearance between pin and axle. I have to tap it back on. It appears as though the bracket is bent. Think this happened when I inverted my sway bar? Can I just bend it back without causing substantial weakening of the bracket or weld to the axle?

 

[taylormade73]

Anyone?

 

[Goatman]

Any time you bend or un-bend metal it weakens it. The question is how much. I would think that bending it back should be ok as long as you are sure no cracks appear in the metal. And keep an eye on it. For a while at least.
And next time you see a big pile of rocks ahead pull the pins!
My mother would give you the "If you see your friend jump off a bridge,....."

 

[taylormade73]

My mother would give you the "If you see your friend jump off a bridge,....."

...make sure your bungee cord is short enough.

 

[JEEPCJTJ]

Without going outside and looking at mine, I can't quite tell if, or how much, your's is bent. I'm not doubting you, I just think the BF Hammer wants to help you

 

[Irun]

If you use a big hammer, just be careful to keep an eye on where the bracket is welded to the axle. Pushing it back and then beating it forward with a BFH can cause metal fatigue. From what I can see it doesn't look like it moved a lot, so hopefully you can move it enough to stop the metal on metal contact. If it doesn't want to move, a torch may be needed to heat and bend it. That involves a lot of work though, because you may have to remove parts to do it so you wouldn't cause other damage with the torch.

 

[mrblaine]

Anyone?

I don't see the bend yet. Did you take a pic of the side that is bent?

 

[mrblaine]

"If you see your friend jump off a bridge, would you follow him?"

Maybe, depends on the line he took.

 

[taylormade73]

I don't see the bend yet. Did you take a pic of the side that is bent?

 

[ranger101]

I’d pull the pin from the mount to make sure it’s not bent first.

 

[Joey Jeepz]

Ever fix this? Just realized a Jeep I bought about a year has the same bend at that pin.

 

[taylormade73]

Ever fix this? Just realized a Jeep I bought about a year has the same bend at that pin.

Yes, I bent the bracket back enough to gain clearance. I've sold the axles since and installed aftermarket ones.

 

[Joey Jeepz]

Yes, I bent the bracket back enough to gain clearance. I've sold the axles since and installed aftermarket ones.

Thanks. I ended up heating the bracket up and bending it out a bit. Slides out no issue now. Tha ks for the reply!

 

[taylormade73]

Thanks. I ended up heating the bracket up and bending it out a bit. Slides out no issue now. Tha ks for the reply!

Welcome. Didn't even know you replies to the thread because you didn't quite me. I have notifications turned off unless someone quotes me. To many otherwise.