Bulletproof Front Sway Bar End Links

[swshawaii]

Well, almost bulletproof. LOL

Custom end links using parts from various sources over ten years ago. No failures since.

Copied and pasted from EF.
https://www.explorerforum.com/forums/threads/sway-bar-links.325617/post-2791778Pictures using Energy Suspension 9.8103 or Prothane 19426 polyurethane bushings with 7/16" hardware from the Moog K7275 end link kit. The ES bushings have 7/8" outer nipples. Reduce with a bench grinding wheel, lathe, or drill and a flat file. My front sway bar eyelets and holes in the LCA's were 11/16". Moog K7275 bushing nipples are undersized at 5/8". I drilled the flat washers from the red ES 9.8105R kit I was using before from 3/8" to 7/16". By comparison these poly bushings can be tightened to the 18-21 ft/lb. factory spec without crushing. The soft blue Moog thermoplastic rubber bushings contributed to three failures in two years. These custom end links are holding up well with no signs of wear. Red bushings shown below are 3/8" I.D. (9.8105R) and MUCH smaller by comparison. If you want to tighten up the feel of your front end this may be the best bang for the buck mod out there. These are the correct length for 2001-05 and 2007-10 Sport Trac FRONT sway bar end links.

 

[blert]

Nice! Any chance you would be willing to fabricate the kit and sell them? Would be interested if the price were right. Yeah, I'm kinda lazy.

 

[swshawaii]

@blert
Not difficult to fabricate. I'm not sure reducing the bushing nipples is even necessary. I recall someone from EF sourcing the parts I listed and installed them without modifying the bushings. IIRC, it was somewhat difficult to get the nuts started, but once tightened he had extra threads showing. I think the most difficult parts to find would be the eight washers that are 7/16" x 1-1/4" O.D. There are other manufacturers using the K7275 end link number that are 7/16" bolts and nuts. Search the RockAuto web site. The cup washers used in the K7275 kit are too thick because the ES bushings are much taller.

 

[DILLARD000]

@swshawaii
Thanks, that's good info+pics! Running custom SwayLinks on this 2001 SportTrac a couple of years now;
assembled from various upsized AllThread+Nuts+Washers+Bushings, more adjustable than stock SwayLinks.
Certainly helped calm down frontend driving mountain switchbacks on potholed washboard roads.
Need to take pics & make part list of those assemblies..

 

[swshawaii]

IMO, the key component is the oversized polyurethane bushings. Moog's old style blue thermoplastic rubber, and even the newer polyurethane (K700542) end link bushings are garbage. The ES 9.8103 "full size" truck bushings are very beefy and can really be tightened without damage. IOW, these bushings ROCK!

 

[user 64972]

What version of Sport trac does this apply to? I have a Gen 2 and am curious. Maybe I missed what years this is for? If so, my apologies.

OLE442

 

[swshawaii]

These are the correct length for 2001-05 and 2007-10 Sport Trac FRONT end links.

Last sentence in OP.

 

[user 64972]

Yup, missed that! Thanks

 

[blert]

@blert
Not difficult to fabricate. I'm not sure reducing the bushing nipples is even necessary. I recall someone from EF sourcing the parts I listed and installed them without modifying the bushings. IIRC, it was somewhat difficult to get the nuts started, but once tightened he had extra threads showing. I think the most difficult parts to find would be the eight washers that are 7/16" x 1-1/4" O.D. There are other manufacturers that use the K7275 number that are 7/16" bolts and nuts. Search the RockAuto web site. The cup washers used in the K7275 kit are too thick because the ES bushings are much taller.

I got tired of having to pretty much constantly tighten the damned sway bar links and ordered a new K7275 kit and the bushings from ES. I figured I could find the washers locally and went on the hunt today. I found grade5 washers the correct size. Will they suffice or should I keep looking for grade8?

 

[swshawaii]

@blert
I see no reason why grade 5 flat washers wouldn't work. Unless they're super thin they should not bend with moderate torque. Main thing is you can get the nuts started if you don't reduce the 9.8103 bushings. Go for it because this repair is a long term solution for a well known problem. Keep us posted. GL

 

[blert]

Well, I feel stupid AF.
Got the ES bushing a few days ago and have been waiting on fedex for some other parts. They arrived today and I was stoked because now I have something to do that isn't housework or lawnwork or some other boring crap. While unboxing I realized, just now, that I only ordered one ES bushing kit and it only has four bushing for one side. Went back to their website to order another and shipping was more than the bushings. Freakin-freak-freak! Luckily, I found them on ebay for only about $10 shipped free. So instead of a $10 mistake it was less than two bucks. I did, however, find the grade8 washers locally for 55 cents each (yes, i grabbed 8 of them).

 

[swshawaii]

BTDT. I've always thought of bushings in PAIRS. @blert, do you plan on installing the bushings straight from the packages? Just curious to know if it can be done easily or they need to be compressed to get the nuts started. TIA

 

[blert]

Going to try and install unmodified first. When looking for K7275 kits I found that, while they all may say K7275, they tend to have different length bolts depending on the brand. I found a set that says the bolts are 10.4" long where many others stated anywhere from 9.75" to 10". Hoping the extra .4" will help some. Moog also has a set labeled "extra strong", or something, that has a 9.5" bolt and what looks like a 1.5-2" barrel nut instead of the typical nylok nut. That might be something to look into in the future. It shouldn't be too hard to compress the front end if I need to though. Either a small bit of finesse with the jack or getting my 175# son and 200+# neighbor to sit on the hood should work.

 

[blert]

Here's a pic of the bushing and cup washer from the Mevotech kit next to the ES bushing with washer...

Looks like there should not be any problems.

 

[blert]

Got the second set of ES bushings in. Was looking through my toolbox and found four washers that were left over from the work I did early last year. These washers are like twice the thickness of the ones I bought last week. So, I wasn't happy with the new washers but I had an idea. I have four fat washers so I could double up the new washers.

I had no issue installing them. Bolt was plenty long and had a good 1/8", or more, of thread to start the nut. The bushings "nipples" did need to be made smaller as there was no way they were going to sit in the holes properly. Used a very sharp knife to carefully trim them down until each one sort of snapped in.

The kit I used is the Mevotech MK7275. It has a 10.4" bolt. Mevotech also has the GK7275 with a 10.35" bolt for cheaper but I spent the extra couple of bucks to get the kit in black. The Moog K7275 has a 10.295" bolt. Any of these kits should work without having to compress the front end, but might struggle a bit with Moog kit.

The Mevotech TXK7275 (10.1" bolt) and the Delphi TD626W (10.02" bolt) would have made the job a lot harder.

While there are other 7/16" kits on Rockauto, they don't state the bolt length, so that's a gamble.

 

[DILLARD000]

Excellent feedback.

 

[swshawaii]

Excellent follow up @blert. Pics would be nice. (hint ; )

Hopefully this will motivate those using worn or broken end links. Thanks for your thorough posts.

 

[blert]

Excellent follow up @blert. Pics would be nice. (hint ; )

Hopefully this will motivate those using worn or broken end links. Thanks for your thorough posts.

Pics won't be any different than what you have already posted but I will try to remember to snap a couple when I am under there to do the oil change in the next couple of days.

Edit: old->oil

 

[WinoOutWest]

Hopefully this will motivate those using worn or broken end links. Thanks for your thorough posts.

Yes it does! I've been driving around with a broken link for a month now (less than a year old) so I am keening following these updates as a collect the parts needed for some bulletproof links this time. Thanks for your posts all.

 

[swshawaii]

This is one of those upgrades you'll regret not doing after your first sway bar end link failure. It really tightens up the "feel" of the front suspension and steering. As mentioned the 7/16 x 1-1/4 OD washers are the most difficult parts to find. After reading blert's updates the cost for these custom end links should not exceed $40 with shipping. Still not sure abut reducing the 9.8103 bushing flanges that fit in the lower control arm holes because several people from EF said they installed them without modification or issues after. Glad to help in any way, just ask. GL