swaybar sizes, front and rear.

[snoranger]

Just because you cant cut off a stud and drill a hole, then it cant be done?!?!?

 

[JoshT]

I'm fine with calling it a joke, but next time you might want to throw something in the post to make light of your joke. I gave the negative rep because when reading it you came across as being a d!ck with that post. I've been seeing way too many posts like that by way too many users here lately, and many of the were not jokes. I was simply using the rep function the proper way (as I see it), based on the information I had at the time, with a little bit of pissed off at people. Sorry that I took your joke the wrong way. I got more to say but I'll leave that to a PM.

Just because you cant cut off a stud and drill a hole, then it cant be done?!?!?

Cutting off a stud and drilling the hole isn't a problem, besides there's a little more to it than that. So unless you can show me where you've done this on a first gen 2wd beam and driven it around for 100K+ miles then but out. Doesn't matter anyway, the OP asked for interchangeable which means this wouldn't apply.

 

[JoshT]

RAB, don't know if you're still following this thread but I now have confirmation that a sway bar was available on the front of a first gen Ranger, and can be swapped (bolt-on) to any other first gen. The confirmation I have is from a 4wd truck but mounting would be the same on a 2wd. It does in fact attach to the radius arms and cross under the radius arm cross member. Check out this thread for pics that show how it's mounted.

 

[woodyedmiston]

Sway Bar

OK - here is my two cents for your consideration. My 1999 2WD Ranger comes with a 1 1/16 solid bar, that is basically a straight bar bent about 8" on the end and flattened for the bolt hole.

So . . . I took it off, went to El Lupe's Pick A Part locally, and compared what was up on blocks to it. The 2000 Explorer bar was 1.345 in or 34mm and mounted to the front of a portion of the frame, whereas mine bolted straight up. But, the distance between the mounts was the same.

The bends of the Explorer were a little more of a right angle, so I heated it with a torch, stweaked them till the holes lined up, painted it and bolted it on. I used the polyurethane bushings for the 2000 Explorer, purchased from Autozone $49 + 20 for the wrecking yard Explorer bar.

If you try this, don't be afraid to heat and bend whatever bar gets close, just don't quench it, let it cool without help.

Good Luck.

 

[rab]

RAB, don't know if you're still following this thread but I now have confirmation that a sway bar was available on the front of a first gen Ranger, and can be swapped (bolt-on) to any other first gen. The confirmation I have is from a 4wd truck but mounting would be the same on a 2wd. It does in fact attach to the radius arms and cross under the radius arm cross member. Check out this thread for pics that show how it's mounted.

thanks, so any 1st gen 2wd or 4wd will bolt up to a 2wd 1st gen(83-88) for the front correct?
how about the rear is that confirmed that all ranger,b2's and explorer bars 2wd and 4wd will work..???

 

[Polk]

If you try this, don't be afraid to heat and bend whatever bar gets close, just don't quench it, let it cool without help.

Even letting it "air cool" most likely has still taken the temper out and you risk having the bar bend instead of just flex.

 

[rab]

bump

 

[kaytbugsdad]

I know that ANY year Bronco II and Ranger rear sway bar will fit on ANY Ranger, the front sway bar is what is a little complicated...... The front brackets from the 89-92 2wd Ranger will fit, you will need to cut the little posts off flush with the beam on the 83-88 Ranger.... I have been using this set-up in my 87 Ranger for about a year now, with absolutely no problems..... Hope this helps!!!!

 

[JoshT]

That's odd the brackets I have from an 89+ 2wd Ranger need the bolt in the front of the beam. Maybe there were two different 2wd brackets. I know on mine if I left the bolt out of the front, it would just bend the bracket as there's nothing to hold the bottom end in place.

Hate to ask but could you post a pic of your brackets?

 

[kaytbugsdad]

Not sure why your brackets are bending....... I'm not even using the front bolt that holds the bracket to the beam, bracket is still as straight as the day I put it on..... I'll see if I can get pics for you sometime tomorrow, Josh....

 

[JoshT]

Not sure why your brackets are bending....... I'm not even using the front bolt that holds the bracket to the beam, bracket is still as straight as the day I put it on..... I'll see if I can get pics for you sometime tomorrow, Josh....

Sorry wasn't meaning to say that it did bend them, just that I though it would. I personally didn't trust it when I put a front bar on my truck a little more than 9 years ago, hence the reason I went aftermarket. Maybe it's a sign that I beat on my trucks a little too much? If you've used that set up with no problems I'll keep it in mind with future discussions on this topic.

The aftermarket bar I used mounted using the other style found on first gens. It crosses under the radius arm cross member and attaches to the radius arm at the shock. I'll be moving this bar over to the 86 that I'm rebuilding (with 95+ front components) because I have it and it's bigger than most if not all factory bars. That said I did retain the beam brackets for the newer style sway bar that came with my used dream beams, figured it'd be easier to install them now than tear everything back apart later if I needed them.

 

[rab]

ok so what is the biggest oem/stock ranger,explorer,b2 front bar that will fit a 1st gen ranger?

from the sounds of it the b2 rear bar is the biggest oem/stock one correct?

 

[4.0B2]

ok so what is the biggest oem/stock ranger,explorer,b2 front bar that will fit a 1st gen ranger?

from the sounds of it the b2 rear bar is the biggest oem/stock one correct?

on the rear, yes.... the B2 is the answer....but only some B2's. Mine didn't have the 1" sway bar.

 

[snoranger]

ok so what is the biggest oem/stock ranger,explorer,b2 front bar that will fit a 1st gen ranger?

from the sounds of it the b2 rear bar is the biggest oem/stock one correct?

The 1-3/16ths off the 87-89 STX is the largest front that came on a TTB. It mounts in front of the beams... The early trucks had the sway bar behind the beams in the radius arm crossmember. If you have this style, you would need all the brackets to mount the front mount.

 

[rsparhawk]

I have a 88 ranger GT with the front swaybar. I cant remember exactly where it connects to the beams and what not right now. I'll take a picture and get the size off of it when I get home this evening.