Upgrading Sway Bars

[1997XLTRollover]

Hey gents, a buddy of mine is thinking of pickup up a 96 V8 AWD (recommendation from me to go with a gen 2 and a V8 of course). But the one thing I told him to do was to upgrade at least the front sway bar. Now his problem is he can't do what I did and just buy the X-Spec kit and slap it on.

So question is, are there any other sway bar options for us 95-97 guys? I think rear bars are still available but how about the front? Are we stuck with adapting a 98-01 factory bar or is there any aftermarket company that makes a solid bar for it? I know Dorman in the past has made solid bars for factory hollow equipped vehicles, but I don't think they ever made one for our Gen 2's.

 

[swshawaii]

Addco 540 front. Addco 670, or Hellwig 7648 rear. If stock suspension, ALWAYS upgrade the 19mm REAR sway bar FIRST.

EDIT- Sorry, just saw your friend has a 1996. Quote from Explorer Express that is no longer on their site regarding their long discontinued "X Spec" rear sway bar. Prior to 1998, stock front sway bars were large diameter, but hollow. Probably still a good idea to upgrade the rear first for the safest and balanced handling.

Ford revised the front sway bar for 98 models. They are now solid like our 95-97 part. These vehicles require only a rear sway bar to upgrade to X spec. Bar is 1.125 dia with Energy Suspension poly bushings.

 

[1997XLTRollover]

Ok I'll have him upgrade the rear bar at least. So are there no upgraded front bars for the 95-97?

 

[swshawaii]

IIRC, the mounting points and brackets were different pre 1998. Hopefully Don (CDW6212R) will see this and chime in.

.

 

[1997XLTRollover]

IIRC, the mounting points and brackets were different pre 1998. Hopefully Don (CDW6212R) will see this and chime in.

.

They are. That's why I was hoping there was a direct bolt in bar for 95-97 like the X-Spec kit was so we don't have to go drilling holes in the frame and all that garbage.

 

[toypaseo]

@CDW6212R

 

[swshawaii]

Wanted - '98 sway bar measurements | Ford Explorer and Ford Ranger Forums - Serious Explorations

The front sway bar from 98-01 is the same size, but mounts differently at the links. It will not work.

John V @ EE

99 Front sway bar diameter? | Ford Explorer and Ford Ranger Forums - Serious Explorations

 

[swshawaii]

Search Addco 540 (1 3/8") front sway bar AFTER upgrading the rear. (Addco 670 or Hellwig 7648)

http://www.addco.net/aftermarket/catalog/ford/

 

[CDW6212R]

The 95-97 front bar have the frame brackets attached vertical to the side of the frame, versus the bottom surface of the frame for 98-01's. I don't know if the early bar will swap with the later bar, I've wondered that before. The size is supposedly identical(diameter), so what matters is the shape(location) of the mounting area for the frame brackets. I was hoping someone here by now had tried the 98-01 bar on the older 95-97's.

The 1.5" front bar is a good match for the EE rear, if you like flat handling and don't go off-roading.