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Swaybar Project Finally Completed!!

Sparky83

Virginia Chapter member
5,564
217
Norlina NC
So i started this update awhile ago.. and now i finally got it finished.. when i first got the truck i had to replace/repair the drop links cuz they were so worn out.. I opted for Energy Suspension Poly bushings for them.. It took a couple different orders to get the right ones for whats on my truck but eventually got them.. Downside was my truck came equipped with 1-1/16" sway bar.. so none of the Swaybar to axle mounts would work..

(ES only has the complete kits with 1-1/8" 1-1/4" and 33mm.. ES and ford both claim the F350's werent equipped with 1-1/16.. my digital caliper and the truck beg to differ there.)

well after exhausting research and cross matching parts.. I discovered Moog made replacement 1-1/6" rubber bushings for the truck (ironically Moog does list it as a rear sway bar factory replacement for Dana 80 axle which i do have).. So i started a tiring search of cross referencing what all other vehicles used the moog ones then cross referenced all those same vehicles with energy suspension to see if i could just get the mount bushings.. AND EUREKA!!! 1981 Mustang Cobra were equipped with 1-1/16" sway bars that cross referenced the same moog part and the ES poly ones i could get separately :) (4-5110G For the Black with Graphite in them 4-5110R for the red ones)

So 2 months ago i bought 2 sets to do the front and back as my factory rubber ones were loose around the bar allowing it to bounce around on bumps making a thunky noise.. 2 days later i had em and went to install them.. While the rear ones went on problem free the fronts were not so much... turns out the front sway bar mounting bushing sat 1/8" taller than the rear ones did.. so my new bushing would have room to slide back and forth.. so i left the factory ones in place till i could figure out what to do..

For the next 2 months i scoured the internet trying to find the part number for the rear bushings retaining brackets to use up front.. utter fail till 2 weeks ago... i found them on Fordparts.com (too bad i didnt know about that site 2 months ago).. Searching through the data base i was able to find the part number and ordered 2 new brackets.. (since theyre sold individually..) well after being on back order for the last 2 weeks they finally arrived on thursday..

I got up early today since i supposed to work on my neighbors truck this morning.. wanted to get it done before it got to the 100* they were predicting for today.. unfortunately he didnt get the parts so i decided id work on getting the new bushings in for the front.. only hitch in my plans was the brackets for the rear and the brackets for the front have a SLIGHTLY different bolt span.. no problem though.. unfortunately someone had borrowed my round file and hasnt returned it yet :-arrgh.. (dont think ill ever see that thing again) so i had to use a large broken drill bit about the same size of the hole and my drill to elongate it a little with the side of the bit.. (cant drill with it anyways since it snapped the top off lol) didnt take much just needed a little to get over the end of the studs and threads...

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Part number for the brackets if your going into the store.. If your ordering it on the site its Part# 5486... They call it a Swaybar bushing retainer. Theyre 14.33 a piece.. After taxes it came out to $30.38 for 2.. the one at the local dealer where i had them sent to said she thinks fords discontinuing them since NO OTHER DEALERSHIP in the US had them available and had to be Special ordered.. ive found with the Dana axle parts Fords actually ordering them straight from dana and was probably why it took so long to get.. Have had my parts guy in MA tell me that about the dana parts its Dana Mfg. parts in a relabeled Motorcraft bag just fyi.

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new bracket.. i suspect its made from spring steel and was why i didnt want to try jury rigging one myself. but could be wrong..

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comparison shot of the front sway bar bushing and bracket in back with the rear one in front..

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the size difference becomes evident when the brackets not on them..

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just the brackets..

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from left to right.. Energy Suspension Poly bushing 4-5110G. Factory Rear bushing. Then the front one.. can really see the size difference there..

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Front Passenger side one

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Front Driver side one..

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for those worried about the clearance.. it still clears.. unless your doing that Jeep Rock crawling thing where you got one side your truck 4 foot in the air and the other side touching the ground you wont have clearance issues.. and at that point your not running a sway bar anyways..

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matter fact the sway bar didnt even seem to resist when i was tightening it down..

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now that bar is snugly held by the bushing.. unlike the factory ones i could shake the bar by hand with it on the ground..
 

DNFXDLI

The Token Canadian
Staff member
Big difference while driving now?
 

Sparky83

Virginia Chapter member
5,564
217
Norlina NC
havent taken it anywhere... nephew arrived while i was working on the truck... so when i finished i went inside and stayed there lol... if i dont drive it tomorrow i will be on monday.. can tell you without it - it does make a big difference.. when i was dealing with the drop links i had it off the truck for a few weeks... truck rolled alot more lol... when i fixed the rear ones a couple weeks ago the clunking from back there disappeared.. hoping the same will be gone from the front too..
 

Sparky83

Virginia Chapter member
5,564
217
Norlina NC
the research was... the actual repair was fairly easy...
 

Sparky83

Virginia Chapter member
5,564
217
Norlina NC
didnt notice any stiffness difference. but did notice it was much quieter now... no more kerthunky thunks when hitting bumps..
 

Sparky83

Virginia Chapter member
5,564
217
Norlina NC
yup kerthunk athunk athunk...
 

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