Sway Bar Fun Continues - Part #?

[DjDom]

Well.. sort of a continuation of this:
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=411441

Anyway, I got the links off, and I was going to take the sway bar off.. Got 3 bolts off, then realized 1 was different.. That's when I got thinking, some idiot mechanic was here before me.

The sway bar end links were put in up side down, but they were the original ones. The sway bar bushings were garbage.. and the mechanic lost one of the original bolts, and used a bolt in place, completely different, with 3 thick compressing washers..
I'll get a pic of this soon ^

Part #?
Can someone just confirm that I'm looking at the right thing?
I need the bolt that holds on the D bracket that holds the sway bar on.
I'm looking at part #: N807396-S100 ; Am I looking at the right thing?

 

[Turdle]

I'm thinking if it took this long to find the mismatched bolt I'd just stick it back in there--or find a shorter one.

Isn't it just an m12 thread with 14mm head?

PS, I cannot view your picture for some reason

 

[koda2000]

ah, what's the diff? it's only a sway bar bushing bolt. if you want a shorter one, just go to the hardware store. what do you mean, the links were upside down? are you saying the nuts were on top? again, really doesn't make any diff as they work the same either way and due to Fords ****ty design, they can't fall out because they're rusted solid in the plastic sleeve.

 

[DjDom]

I'm thinking if it took this long to find the mismatched bolt I'd just stick it back in there--or find a shorter one.

Isn't it just an m12 thread with 14mm head?

PS, I cannot view your picture for some reason

It's not that it's too long or too short, I think the thread got messed up now, cause as I was tightening it down, it would pop, and move out a bit. You can not tighten it down all the way.

The picture is from FordParts.com , odd..
try this? http://www.fordparts.com/Commerce/RenderIllustration.ashx?id=278931163&f=3&n=F67Z5486AA

ah, what's the diff? it's only a sway bar bushing bolt. if you want a shorter one, just go to the hardware store. what do you mean, the links were upside down? are you saying the nuts were on top? again, really doesn't make any diff as they work the same either way and due to Fords ****ty design, they can't fall out because they're rusted solid in the plastic sleeve.

As I said in my last post, it backs out when tightening. And yeah, they were upsidedown, but I'm saying how good the mechanic was.. losing the bolt and all.
And it seems like he put in the original links back.. they sure looked like they were from 97.

 

[toypaseo]

Maybe a good time to upgrade to new poly bushings, brackets, and bolts...

 

[DjDom]

Maybe a good time to upgrade to new poly bushings, brackets, and bolts...

New bushings are on, brackets are fine, just need the bolts.

 

[swshawaii]

It's not that it's too long or too short, I think the thread got messed up now, cause as I was tightening it down, it would pop, and move out a bit. You can not tighten it down all the way.

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=335575

 

[DjDom]

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=335575

Hmm, that's interesting.
However, I can start my bolt.. it goes in to about 40 ft lbs but it just spins.

 

[swshawaii]

Surprised your 65-87 ft/lb torque spec is that high. ST sway bar frame bracket bolts are only 30 ft/lbs. :scratch:

 

[DjDom]

Surprised your 65-87 ft/lb torque spec is that high. ST sway bar frame bracket bolts are only 30 ft/lbs. :scratch:

I think it has to do with the slightly larger hollow bar, and the way it's mounted. Your bar is mounted differently. Also, the D brackets are different.

 

[Turdle]

Hmm, that's interesting.
However, I can start my bolt.. it goes in to about 40 ft lbs but it just spins.

Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe the part inside the frame with the threads is actually a "u nut" which slides over the metal. I think the hole is stripped out.

 

[DjDom]

Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe the part inside the frame with the threads is actually a "u nut" which slides over the metal. I think the hole is stripped out.

I hope that's the case. Then I could easily replace it.

 

[Turdle]

30 ft lbs sounds correct. 87 is in the head bolt range. I think the above diagram is for something different.

 

[DjDom]

Nope, diagram is for the right thing..
It's odd how tight they have to go.

 

[koda2000]

imo, to require 60 foot pounds of torque you'd need to have a bolt with a head size of around 18-19mm, roughly 3/4". the sway bar bolts aren't that big are they? general torque specs are largely based on bolt grade and size, not so much what you're trying to clamp down. furthermore i don't see the need for those bolts to be that tight as the sway bar merely pivots at that point. i wouldn't tighten those bolts more than 40-45 foot pounds. not scientific, just my opinion.

 

[DjDom]

imo, to require 60 foot pounds of torque you'd need to have a bolt with a head size of around 18-19mm, roughly 3/4". the sway bar bolts aren't that big are they? general torque specs are largely based on bolt grade and size, not so much what you're trying to clamp down. furthermore i don't see the need for those bolts to be that tight as the sway bar merely pivots at that point. i wouldn't tighten those bolts more than 40-45 foot pounds. not scientific, just my opinion.

I agree, but the thread is actually quite large, whereas the head is small.
It is M12 thread, with a 15mm head. All replacement M12 bolts I could find had at least an 18mm head. Just the way Ford made the bolt I guess.
I ordered them at the dealer today.

 

[SoNic67]

The bigger head won't "fit inside the notches. If they made bigger notches, the bolt centers would have to be distanced more, leaving more stress on the bracket.
What stress? If the sway bar moves up-down as a whole, sure, there is no stress on it.
But when it moves different on sides, the torsion bar will try to "pull" the bracket off from the frame - on the side that sway goes "up".

 

[Sedition]

How tight should the anti sway bar link bolts be? I think I may have over-tightened mine and significantly reduced their service life.

 

[DjDom]

How tight should the anti sway bar link bolts be? I think I may have over-tightened mine and significantly reduced their service life.

About 12 ft-lbs. if they look squished badly, they're too tight.


An update to this:
I grabbed the bolt from the scrap yard.. Started screwing it in, hoping that it'll work..
It went in really rough, even after cleaning the hole and the screw. But, as I was tightening it, it didn't pop and it tightened down to 70 ft-lbs.
Phew.. the thread in the hole was fine, the bolt they used to replace the factory one was not.

 

[swshawaii]

Great to hear.

Hopefully they won't need greasing for a long time.