SOLVED(ISH) - 89 Bronco II sway bar bushing mystery

[ecgreen]

Swapping out the sway bar bushings on my 89 BII. The bar to frame bushings that are sold for the 89 BII are all too short. The ones for sale are around 2 11/16 inches high (bracket height) and mine is around 3 3/8 inches high. The part number is E97A-5484-AB. I can't find any polyurethane versions of this bushing and only a few rubber ones.

Just for poops and giggles I looked at some 1990 bushings and most of those where taller ones, but none that I can find are a direct replacement for E97A-5484-AB. Looks like I will have to take a gamble with these.

Anyone know whats going on? Did they use a 90's sway bar on my 89? Back to the future style?

Forgot to mention the hole is around an inch in diameter...maybe a 1/16th over that. Hard to tell with all the wear on a 31 year old bushing.

 

[ecgreen]

Called MOOG and the K8690 bushing is darn close on all dimensions - just a little taller. Might try those. I'll post up a solution when I find it, I can't be the only one with this issue.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

I'm on my phone so going by memory.
B2 front sway bars are 1 1/16", they are thicker than all rangers other than the hi-riders. I'm not sure about the different depth of the bushings but I have a pic that is somewhere in one of the articles on sway bars. In the pic I compare 3 different bars and show the bushings and bushing brackets. Perhaps you can find that pic and it might help.

 

[ecgreen]

I'm on my phone so going by memory.
B2 front sway bars are 1 1/16", they are thicker than all rangers other than the hi-riders. I'm not sure about the different depth of the bushings but I have a pic that is somewhere in one of the articles on sway bars. In the pic I compare 3 different bars and show the bushings and bushing brackets. Perhaps you can find that pic and it might help.

Didn't think to look in the articles...on it now Batman

 

[ecgreen]

Found the article...awesome stuff! So yeah, the bushing hole is around 1 1/16" like you said (although I got closer less than a 16th but who knows). However, all of the available bushings I have found with that diameter hole are 2 11/16ish high (depending if you measure the lip of course). According to my research on what is available on the market, you only get 3+ inch height of bushings in the 1990 BIIs and Rangers. Of course just because that is what is sold doesn't mean that is what was available as we all know. If someone knows of something that's on the market to solve my issue, let me know.

I am going to take the inch diameter Mood bushing from a 90 BII and see how she fits. Better smaller hole than larger I am thinking.

I wonder if someone swapped a 90 sway bar into my 89 at some point. I love the mystery of figuring out old rigs!

 

[ecgreen]

The Moog 8690 bushings arrived and they are just about identical. Definitely a solution if you find yourself with an 89 bronco II with the high bushings.