Sway Bar Lower Bushings 2001 Ranger 2 WD

[-Nate]

O.K., I was doing routine wheel bearing re packing and noticed the driver's side vertical sway bar bushings / Grommets have failed, that's the little tinkling rattle sound my son heard (over my TOO LOUD radio) .

So, my question is this : should I replace with Polyurethane typ ? .

I only drive this thing on pavement and don't go fast, (75MPH mostly) I'm an old man with an old truck but if the Polyurethane is better for some reason I'll go hunting for it .

This is a bone stock 2001 Ranger base fleet model, 2.5 liter 4 banger and manual 5 speed box . I have very good tires and Bilstien HD gas shocks on all four corners and drive it far and wide, almost always unladen and on pavement .

Thoughts and suggestions welcomed .

TIA,

 

[sgtsandman]

I would just use links with standard bushings. Polyurethane bushings can improve performance, with the right application, but unless you plan to change the main suspension bushings, they won't make much of a difference. Polyurethane bushings also tend to make the ride harsher since they are made of a stiffer material.

Whichever direction you decide to go, expect to need to cut the links in order to remove them. The bolts tend to rust lock themselves into the sleeve.

 

[JoshT]

Just get what ever the local auto parts store sells. Your type of driving you won't notice much difference between poly and the normal rubber. Heck, anti-sway bar end link bushings material isn't going to make that much difference anyway. All they really do is provide some flexability between the supension and bar, it's the bar itself that does all of the work.

 

[-Nate]

Thanx both of you .

I figured as much, I don't drive this rig fast because it gets twitchy above 70 MPH, I was just worried about low quality soft rubbers failing as the originals did .

Thank you also for explaining why the new parts came as a kit including the steel threaded parts .

I'm in So. Cal. so very little rust but like to be ready .

I discovered and am reading down the rabbit hole of Dank Memes ~ good stuff for this old ex farm boy Blue Collar Geezer .

 

[JoshT]

I don't drive this rig fast because it gets twitchy above 70 MPH, I was just worried about low quality soft rubbers failing as the originals did .

Get the rest of the suspension checked out and an alignment check too. I'm at 70+ in my 99 4x4 all the time, never a problem with twichyness.

 

[-Nate]

Well ;

It drives nice and straight, tires wear *perfectly* and when I'm exceeding common sense speeds in the canyons the tires never make a sound, I thought it's just the narrow track and short wheel base....

I -do- plan to replace the upper & lower control arms soon because the boots have rotted away .

I was lucky and found some N.O.S. aftermarket arms that have ZERK fittings, I'm retired Mechanic so I love things I can maintain .

 

[-Nate]

FWIW :

My son, wife and not a few passengers all seem to think I drive too fast often .

 

[JoshT]

Well ;

It drives nice and straight, tires wear *perfectly* and when I'm exceeding common sense speeds in the canyons the tires never make a sound, I thought it's just the narrow track and short wheel base....

I -do- plan to replace the upper & lower control arms soon because the boots have rotted away .

I was lucky and found some N.O.S. aftermarket arms that have ZERK fittings, I'm retired Mechanic so I love things I can maintain .

Some tires can just be that way too.

NOS aftermarket? I hope you didn't pay extra for that. Replacement control arms are readily available for these, even ones with zerk fittings. My usual go to for parts shopping is RockAuto, but will go local is price isn;t too high or I need it quicker.

FWIW :

My son, wife and not a few passengers all seem to think I drive too fast often .

No wife, kid, or passengers, but I have that problem too. Unfortunately we don't have comparable canyon roads on this side of the continent. Have to make do with mountains when I get the chance.

 

[-Nate]

Rock Auto is where I found them, that's the only place that has greasable .

No, I didn't pay extra, just took a long time to find them and they sent *one* without Zerk fitting and thought I
d pay the return freight .

I love the Desert too, I just live at the very foot of the San Gabriel Mountains so why let them go to waste ? .

Less traffic out of town too, that's always a good thing .

 

[-Nate]

O-kay then ;

This morning I jacked up and blocked the truck and removed the L.F. wheel, got the new urethane link bushings installed in jig time, decided to look at the brake, pads are fine but the caliper doesn't move easily so I removed it and cleaned the accumulated much and brake dust out, discovered the ABS sensor's slots were all packed with brake dust and grease, cleaned that all up then changed the ATF in the tranny ~ it only has 30,000 +/- miles since I last changed it but it came out like brown water, refilled it, takes a but more than two quarts .

I'm looking forward so seeing it it changes the shifting, it shifts pretty nice now but but who knows .

Back with more questions ere long, thanx Fellas ! .