Sway bar removal - Ford Forums - Mustang Forum, Ford Trucks, Ford Focus and Ford Cars

jsuthers · 06-04-2010, 15:56

Looks like one of my sway bar links broke causing the second one to fail because when I walked out from work today I saw the say bar sticking out from the back of my car.
I have two options.

1. repair myself (how much would this cost and how hard of a job?)

2. just completely remove the sway bar (good? bad? benefits? and how hard of a job?)

Thank you,

Jeff

BigMerc96 · 06-04-2010, 16:29

Just went through this trying to locate the rear-end clunk on my car. I don't recommend removing the sway-bar long term. The handling of the car is much less predictable, at least with my car without the sway-bar.

Replacing the end-links is a piece of cake, and you should replace them in pairs (though it sounds like you don't have a choice).

1. get the rear end of the car in the air and on stands, with the rear wheels removed (be sure both rear wheels are off the ground, otherwise the sway-bar will be under tension and could cause injury when you do the next step).

2. use a deep well socket to unbolt the lower end-link nut(don't remember what size) the sway-bar may spring down a bit when you undo the first one.

3. Use a open-ended wrench on the top end-link nut and a pair of pliers to hold the end-link while you unbolt it.

4. the end-link should be out now, so repeat steps 2&3 on the other side.

5. with the Raybestos brand end-links that i used, instead of having a nut on both ends, it is one long bolt. the order of assembly of these is: washer, bushing then put it through the hole in the frame, then bushing, washer, metal spacer sleeve, washer, bushing, sway-bar, bushing, washer, and finally the nut.

I got the parts at RockAuto for $20 a pair, so it's not an expensive fix.

jsuthers · 06-04-2010, 18:25

Thank you BigMerc96,

not sure if this changes anything (assuming I'm going to be needing the end-link kits?)

(sorry about the image quality it was taken with my cellphone)

**Bert** · 06-04-2010, 19:40

If it's been broken for awhile, you'll notice an improvement on handling right away. Especially if you push it.

jsuthers · 06-04-2010, 20:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by rtg143

If it's been broken for awhile, you'll notice an improvement on handling right away. Especially if you push it.

not sure how long its been broken and hopefully I can get this done soon.

BigMerc96 · 06-05-2010, 14:20

when you remove the old end-links, could you post up a picture of them? I'm interested to see whats left of them, and how they failed. I don't see them at all in your picture, kind of expected to see them hanging down from the frame, but all I see is the sway-bar handing down.

Mine were in a very sad shape, when I removed them the rubber just crumbled.

jsuthers · 06-05-2010, 22:41

Well I found something funny (sorta)... Took some more pictures and look what I found.

(again sorry about the quality its taken with my cell)
This failed before and they must not have fixed it fully (they just used a massive zip-tie)

and also what you see is all that's left of the sway bar end-links on both sides lol everything else is gone!

http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/moreinfo.php?pk=1032437 (this is the correct part kit right?)

**Bert** · 06-06-2010, 07:39

That's the correct kit.

BigMerc96 · 06-06-2010, 09:06

Interesting, the bolt just rusted through. Kind of figured that's what happened, but still interesting. That's the exact kit I used, and it fits perfectly and looks fine 9,000mi later. (not saying that the Raybestos kit is better than others, just that it has worked for me.)

The massive zip tie you found is used to secure the parking break cables to the sway-bar and keep them from chafing against the sway-bar end-links. Mine is still together, and I must say it doesn't really do its job that well.

jsuthers · 06-06-2010, 10:17

Ok thanks Bert and BigMerc
I feel better now that I know a zip-tie wasn't holding my sway bar up.

It doesn't do its job at all, both of my brake cables there have spots that are rubbed away