piece of cr@p OEM endlinks

[Unleashed]

Today, I really HATED my Protege. I was gonna install my new shocks on the rear. Everything went fine until we came to the point of removing the swaybar endlinks. We couldn't find a hex bit that was the right size, so we ran out to a hardware store and bought a new one. Got back home, stuck the hex in the endlink bolt, and started loosening. We're down to the last few threads, when the #$%^ing bolt strips!!! I mean we never even touched it before, and the first chance it gets the mother breaks on me. F that shiat!!! We replaced shocks on Hondas, VWs, and Nissans before and this never happened.
Now I have to buy a sway bar with endlinks (was gonna do that anyway, but not for another month), unless someone can tell me how the hell I can remove them from the shock without destroying them.

PLEASE HELP

[NegatiZE]

You can buy the endlinks without the swaybar. Here's the part number for the FRONT: http://www.wihandyman.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3972

Your Mazda dealer should be able to tell you the rear part #.

[THEGOLDPRO]

dude i did the same thing, it is a totaly ghey ass setup.

[Unleashed]

i can get endlinks anywhere, the problem is getting the stripped ones OFF

[smoomz]

he he what u do is burn the old ones off and put new endlinks on its the easist way and most time consuming had the same prob except i broke 2 and said screw it might as well replace them all

[Unleashed]

jeezus, **** just keeps adding up i stripped a lugnut trying to get my front wheels off... WHY ME?! and i broke the socket

[walight01]

are you using proper tools?

[Gbourdon]

You can just cut the endlink off. Unless you are replacing the whole strut assembly you can get by without even disconnecting the endlinks. You can drop the whole rear down. I have done both front and back springs without taking out endlinks.

They are always a PITA, I broke 3 socket extensions on the last DX I changed the springs on.

[Lil Freek]

i'm doing mine in like 10 days.. i'm not really looking forward to it... i was told to soak the endlinks in Liquid Wrench for a wee prior to the install of my springs... which i am going to do, i just hope it does something good.

you can always dremel the endlink that's causing issues

[Unleashed]

I'm doing shocks, so unless you're a magician you need to remove the endlinks.

And yea, I'm using the right tools.... well, except for the lugnuts, i have to use a regular socket to loosen them cause the tire iron is too wide to fit in the holes. prolly gonna use an impact gun next time.