Front sway bar end links

[cbxer55]

For the last year, my Ranger has made a lot of racket on up-and-down movement. Thought it was the ball joints, but my tires are not wearing strange. Inspected everything, and found the front end link bolts protruding out the top of the sway bar almost two inches. There were some missing bushings as well. When I got it all apart, there are only four bushings, should be eight (four per side).

Also, at highway speeds, it felt unstable, like it was going to go out of control with one strong crosswind.

Auto Zone has Energy Suspension components of the proper size with all polyurethane components. Replaced the frame mount bushings and the end links with them.

Man, truck feels totally new. Took it for a drive around my favorite curvy road, and it's TIGHT! Hit the highway and went to 90 without any funny feeling. And the other benefit, no more front end noise. Totally quiet now. The bang I sometimes got on turning is gone. Apparently with that gap on top, the bar was moving up and down on the bolt and making that banging noise I heard.

Well worth the money for the way it drives now.

I had fitted my truck with a Hellwig rear sway bar in 2002. One side has some slop, but I cannot turn the hardware, it's apparently seized. Looks like I'll have to cut it all off, as I did the fronts. Going to put all new sway bar bushings and end links on the rear next weekend.

The fronts only took about one hour to do. Didn't even take the wheels off, just turned them to full lock and worked on them from the front side. Put everything together loosely and tightened it all when everything was in place.

 

[cbxer55]

Changed the frame mounts for the front bar today, using Energy Suspension polyurethane parts. Much tighter around the corners than even the end links did. The frame bushings are smaller than the stock ones, so I assume less wiggle room. They're nice, they even have zerk fittings so you can grease the thing when needed.

Going to do all the back parts on my Hellwig sway bar this weekend. It's been on the truck for 15 years, and the end links are loose, unable to turn the bolts. Going to have to cut them off as well. Got all the parts in the garage.

At least there is one thing Vato Zone sells that's worth the money.