Project Vehicle - 1998 Explorer Limited

[RandomNerd2000]

@CDW6212R Shoot, my motor I think sits too far to the right because the right one aligns square with the frame rail. I haven't devised the plan for when the engine gets worn out.

 

[GLOCKer]

What you'll spend when at your wit's end...

I was quoted $130 to replace the stupid EGR tube and I'm going to pay it.

Moving on; I was under the front end inspecting it and here is what I observed:
Ball joints - totally shot to hell!
Stabilizer bar links - Totally shot to hell!

So now I get to learn about this stuff. Hopefully I can sort this on my own!

 

[Mbrooks420]

Ball joints aren’t hard, sway bar bushings and end links are cake.

 

[GLOCKer]

Ball joints aren’t hard, sway bar bushings and end links are cake.

Do I need to buy some $88 tool to install the ball joints?

 

[Mbrooks420]

Nope. I used no specialty tools the many times I’ve done it, other than a pickle fork.

 

[GLOCKer]

Nope. I used no specialty tools the many times I’ve done it, other than a pickle fork.

Cool! When I get a chance I'll get under "The Turd" and start making a list of bushings I'll need!

 

[Mbrooks420]

Should be the pair of endlinks in the front, and two sway bar to crossmember bushings.

 

[GLOCKer]

Should be the pair of endlinks in the front, and two sway bar to crossmember bushings.

Yeah. How do I figure out what size sway bar bushings to order?

 

[German Engineer]

Yeah. How do I figure out what size sway bar bushings to order?

I just bought the entire links (with the necessary bushings) for my stock explorer as a kit. They should come as a set all ready to "plug and play" so to say.
But if you have a modified suspension and can't just order the standard part, then you could just do this.

The sway bar links just need to have the correct dimensions to fit when the truck is standing on completely level ground (especially not leaning to one side!)
So you can just crawl under the front and take the measurements for the length when the truck is standing on level ground and that should pretty much do. If necessary you could get the diameter of the bushings on a standard set.

They look similar to like this:
Advance Auto Parts - Down for Maintenance (This in the link is not the correct part!!! I just linked it because of the picture.)

The dimensions are really not very critical.
And whatever you install, don't tighten them too much when you install them, or they will only wear out quick.

 

[RandomNerd2000]

While you've got the truck in the air also inspect your brake pads and rotors, when I got my 2000 it had a stuck caliper that'd been so HOT it turned a rotor BLUE, and somebody had put new pads on it. When I started driving it, I wondered rather quickly why it just didn't stop, and made copious amounts of dust. Two rotors and nice ceramic pads later, no abnormal dust. The more you know.

 

[GLOCKer]

You guys are pretty damn awesome! This forum has proven to be a great resource!

News on the EGR tube front...
I'm glad I took the truck to a shop. The owner called me and told me I would have gone nuts trying to install the EGR tube I had as it was not the right part!

 

[GLOCKer]

I just bought the entire links (with the necessary bushings) for my stock explorer as a kit. They should come as a set all ready to "plug and play" so to say.
But if you have a modified suspension and can't just order the standard part, then you could just do this.

The sway bar links just need to have the correct dimensions to fit when the truck is standing on completely level ground (especially not leaning to one side!)
So you can just crawl under the front and take the measurements for the length when the truck is standing on level ground and that should pretty much do. If necessary you could get the diameter of the bushings on a standard set.

They look similar to like this:
Advance Auto Parts - Down for Maintenance (This in the link is not the correct part!!! I just linked it because of the picture.)

The dimensions are really not very critical.
And whatever you install, don't tighten them too much when you install them, or they will only wear out quick.

I was referring to the sway bar bushings themselves. There seems to be a billion options on RockAuto as to the sizes.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Autozone has various sizes of links with red urethane bushings in stock on display in their aisle. They also have a free tool loaning program with ball joint presses, and other tools so that you don't have to keep buying tools.

 

[koda2000]

Yeah. How do I figure out what size sway bar bushings to order?

Measure the diameter of your sway bar. A digital caliber works best, but you can do it with an adjustable wrench and a tape measure/ruler. You could even take a strip of paper, wrap it around your sway bar and mark it with a pencil. Measure that and divide by 3.14 to calculate the bar's diameter. Basic math.

 

[CDW6212R]

The front bars should all be 34mm, that's for selecting the frame/bar bushings. The critical dimensions are the length of the end links, and the bushing diameters. You need the links to be the same as yours, but that's a ride height thing(if you raise the truck, it needs to be longer(the bar should be parallel to the lower control arm)). Parts sources or books should list end links as matching the stock parts(stock ride height).

You want the biggest bushing diameters too, smaller ones wear out much faster, and some brands have cheap bushing materials. OEM is good, Energy Suspension is the best, ES is good too, Moog is hit or miss, and stores usually carry 2-3+ choices.

 

[GLOCKer]

Truck sounds sooooooo much better with a new EGR tube and my butt dyno says she accelerates nicer and runs with traffic easier now too!

 

[BrooklynBay]

Are you able to return the wrong EGR tube?

 

[GLOCKer]

Are you able to return the wrong EGR tube?

Yep!

 

[GLOCKer]

These still look good, no?

JUST KIDDING!!!!

 

[CDW6212R]

Yep, time for new BJ's and end links.

The Moog UCA's run about $60 from Amazon or Rock Auto, but you must get an alignment with those. I did all four of mine last month, it's not something you want to do if you like short jobs. I've never changed just the upper BJ's, each of my trucks had enough miles I wanted to replace the bushings too.

The lower Moog BJ's I noticed are under $20 each now on Amazon, they used to be over $35.