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I bent my front left con rod last weekend - I went a bit too hard to get up a badly rutted track. I found a MY sportswagon with straight rods, but I've never changed one before.

Is it simply a bolt off / bolt on job, or is their something special I need to do? Looks like a 17mm and 19mm socket job, but the bolt nuts seem to be pretty tight. Can I use a rattle gun to undo the nuts, or should I stick with a socket set and some more muscle?

I was thinking of removing the front sway bar at the same time as I replace the con rod. The rod has bent where the sway bar connects to it.

Probably sounds like a pretty lame question to some of you guys who have done engine transplants, but as I said I've never done it before so I thought I'd ask for some advice first.

Jack i think you might have your bits mixed up, I thought the con rods hang onto the pistons ( inside the motor ), mabey you mean the control arm that holds your steering knuckle. yes ???

Told you I had never done this before.

Yep, I've probably got my names mixed up. The bit that's bent is a length of round rod around 18mm diameter and aprox 18" long that goes from under the footwell to join onto the lower steering arm. It's held to the vehicle by two bolts at the front and one bolt at the rear of the rod. The swaybar connects to this rod via a saddle clamp and some more bolts. As this rod is bent (and thus shorter in overall length) the front left wheel has moved backwards about 15mm and is rubbing on the front mudflap area. The rubbing is particularly nticeable when the sterring wheel is turned halfway to the left.

I thought it was called a con rod (ie: control rod). Obviously I'm wrong and if anyone can work out by my description above what it's proper name is can you please let me know?

Maybe I should change my name to Numpty?

Thanks

Sounds like the radius rod?

The swaybar connects to this rod via a saddle clamp and some more bolts

sounds like the radius rod

It would have to be a Radius Rod. It is as simple as you said undo the 17 mm under the feetwell (by hand as you can't get a rattle gun in there) and undo the two 19mm bolts/nuts on the control arm, and remove. Rattle gun should be alright on the 19mm just take it easy and remember they are bolt and nut so use a spanner on the other side to rattle gun.

be warned - subaru's aren't known for their body strength... be aware, you may potentially have bent other things... control arms, sway bar / mounts, and even, heaven forbid... rip out captive nuts. be prepared for the worst. sorry to put a dampener on things, but you should be prepared for the worst.

Generally whenever I've bent a radius rod I've bent a lower control arm.

Oh and if you have actually bent a con rod off roading I like your style, you'll fit right in here

Not to say bending a radius rod isn't an achievement, just bending a con rod is a very serious effort

Jordan.

Radius rod - okay, thanks for the help guys. I'll be doing the job either tomorrow afternoon or Saturday morning. This is my first go at doing something mechanical and I'm looking forward to it.