Sway Bar End Links

[emberswzd]

Not to interfere with any comments because i am an aviation mechanic that uses this forum with help on my explorer. I like to take in everyone's opinion on almost everything but never would I gloat on my qualifications. Believe it or not i would trust a mechanic who is knowledge specific on my explorer before i trusted someone who likes to throw out their race care experience/engineering know how. Lord knows i trusted many engineers in the aviation field but the experienced hands on mechanic was definitely the person i would follow. Point is we are all here to help people with explorer issues, well not me, I'm here to get help. Just my 2 cents worth... No need to tell me to mind my own business.. I do that well but hate when 2 people who help others bicker over something as small as bolt size and it's effect on sway. Anyway have a great day

 

[emberswzd]

Last time I looked this was an Explorer forum.

Wow 25,000 posts... great job

 

[GETMYBELTSON]

Joe, thanks for the input. However, wouldn't a longer (and therefore more flexible) link absorb some of the energy that is supposed to be transferred due to flex? Or is there not enough flex involved for it to be relevant?

 

[J_C]

Joe, thanks for the input. However, wouldn't a longer (and therefore more flexible) link absorb some of the energy that is supposed to be transferred due to flex? Or is there not enough flex involved for it to be relevant?

What Joe wrote in #13 applies, http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1991385&postcount=13

Changing link length while leaving everything else the same just rotates the sway bar with no change in the mechanical operation of it.

IF instead you meant using taller bushings (since you wrote more flexible, with the same bushings a longer link would be no more flexible, all else being equal) on the link, you decrease the effectiveness of the sway bar while adding a little more cushioning. The vehicle handling would be a little compromised, it seems a bad idea and if the ride is too rough you should consider different shocks or tires instead.

If you meant a longer link would make the metal rod itself bend (or bend more), the link is always supposed to be large enough diameter that it has no appreciable bend at all, it is not spring metal and will quickly fatigue and break if it is bending.

 

[Sensei Wu]

I know this is a very old post but I'm in the same exact situation now. I've been going crazy trying to figure out what that dreaded banging/cluncking was. Even took it to the dealership, which I hated doing. I have no idea how they missed it One side isn't tight at all and the other side two of the bushings are gone. I'm a little p'd at them but so happy to finally find the culprit. Gonna try to take care of it this weekend.

I just checked my end links and found the driver side bolt came loose by itself i guess.I tightend it and the noises went away. The nut was installed on the bottom and the bolt on top like the originals were.
Is it normal for an end link bolt to come loose ?? was very aggravating trying to figure out that clunk noise.

 

[J_C]

^ Look on the bright side, if they had found the bad links then the bill would probably be $120 more, instead of the $15 to DIY for OEM quality end links or ~ $25 for better quality... though based on the Moog problem solvers I bought last time, I can't consider them higher quality.

2nd bright side is that if they didn't even think to check the links with a clunking complaint, they aren't a place I'd want to touch the vehicle and might end up overtightening them, leading to premature bushing failure, while most dealership parts have short warranties that wouldn't cover that eventual premature failure so you're stuck doing it over again anyway.