Sgkukov

Hey Guys,

So i replaced my end links about a year ago in the Moose, this did little to solve that annoying clunk. New struts as well... same clunk. I learned to live with it.

Anyways i had the car up on ramps and was under it to do an oil change. I noticed i could move the sway bar left to right about... maybe a 1/2 inch.. left to right play. The little collars on the sway bar don't sit flush against the bushings theyre about 1/2" of free space between the bushing and collar, when i move the sway bar left to right its the collars that seem to be allowing the free play.

Is the collar being like that normal? I figure it would be pushed up solid against the bracket and sway bar bushing?

Derf00

Does it play up and down at all? I had the same clunking on my car, did all the same stuff (control arms (helped)) Stabilizer links nope, struts and mounts (was due) and still had some clunking. Replaced the stabilizer bar bushings. that fixed it. They are cheap so it wouldn't hurt but my bet is on yes, that is the source of your clunking. Sounds like logs when you go over a speed bump?

Sgkukov

Sounds good. I'm going to do them. Did you replace with urethane? Ideally i think i'd stick with rubber but i can't find any in stock for cheaps... i can get Energy Suspension where i work for super cheap. I don't really race though so i dont want to hurt ride quality.

Derf00

You can go to Rock Auto to order aftermarket or go to ebay and look for fords PN 5L8Z5484CA if you want genuine. I spent the $35 for the pair for genuine OEM.

Never tried the Energy ones. It won't hurt ride quality but you will need to keep them greased or possibly have squeaks.

Also, when replacing the bushings with OEM, they aren't slit so you need to remove the sway bar to put the new bushings on. Easiest way is to remove the top nuts of the stabilizer links that connect the stabilizer link to the strut. Then, drop the bar with the links still attached. Makes it way easier to get the stabilizer bar link to stabilizer bar nuts off and back on and torqued to 85 ft lbs.

Norm Peterson

Ride quality isn't going to be affected very much at all and certainly won't turn 'harsh' because of polyurethane sta-bar bushings.

I would use something like 3M silicone paste - been using that stuff on mine (Strano bars) for 7 years and everything is still quiet. They get re-packed about every 18 months to two years. I found that brush-on 3M stuff in a boating supply store.


Norm

moto2000

I have an Eibach rear sway bar and used to get the dreaded clunk all the time. I tried every thing possible...must have installed, removed, installed, torqued, retorqued a million times until I figured it out.

Apparently the driveway i was doing it on, wasnt level (and I should have known this, because the bolts that connect the end links to the body did not line up nicely and/or slide in-and-out freely. I used a jack to slightly raise the lower side of the body to the point where the bolts lined up. After that, I easily noticed that torquing it felt much more solid. After that, the rest was history.

I'm not sure if this is your problem, but I figure it might help someone.

Sgkukov

interesting... my sway bar bushings don't seem to be in bad shape.

When i bought and installed new end links i honestly don't remember if i had both wheels jacked up or jacked each wheel up at a time.

Lets assume i had both sides up at jack stands. Would installing and tightening the sway bar end links while both wheels are just hanging be bad?

Also i havn't notice this on anyone elses sway bar in the pictures i have seen. I have little collars on my sway bar that sit just inside of the brackets. If the collars were pushed 1/4 each out on either side they would stop the left to right free play on my sway bar. I'd figured the collars should sit almost flush with the bracket.

Derf00

You normally want to have the suspension component you are tightening up under load (at ride height). However, stabilizer links have ball and socket joints that would allow them to rotate into the correct position for the lower side. The upper side does also but it's easy to jack up the control arm to get the proper load on them before tightening the upper side. Also the stabilizer bar does have some give so not a huge deal there either but, it's easy to get to the bar bushing brackets from under the car with ramps.

The sway bar is intended to have a little bit of play left/right. Those collars are to keep the bar from going to far one way or the other.

flash_xx

If the front sway bar has play side to side it was mounted incorrectly. It has two rings which go either on the outside or inside of the bushings (don't remember) If one of the rings is on the outside of the bushing and the other side on the inside, the bar can slide side to side.

Sgkukov

thanks for responding. the collars are both on the inside of the bushings. The collars have about 1/4-1/2" space between them and the bushings which is where i get my free play. I can slide the sway bar left to right until it hits the collar.