Best source for front sway bar bushings & endlinks?

[Cobra Jet]

Does anyone have a good source for buying the front sway bar bushings and endlinks online?

You would think these things are made out of gold due to the Ford Dealer pricing.... WTF... I priced them out yesterday at a local Ford Dealer and here's what I was quoted:

$39.00 for EACH endlink
$18.00 for EACH bushing

I said to the parts guy - "are you SURE that is the price for the endlinks - that is not for a PAIR?!?!"... He says, "nope, that is for each one". I asked if they sold a kit, meaning selling them by the pair for a better price and I was told no, they only are sold separately as such.

Seriously??!!??

I declined buying the parts and walked out.

~~~

I've been in the Ford game for quite a while, owning 17 Mustangs to date (both stock & heavily modified) - and I pretty much know that the endlinks & bushings for them are usually sold as "kits" (pairs). Energy Suspension or Prothane sells them if wanting something other than rubber. There are certain sites/vendors that even sell the stock rubber bushings and endlinks as pairs as well for the Mustangs...

I just don't know of any decent "Explorer" sites for parts...

I've never heard of these parts being "sold separately" - especially when BOTH areas of concern are usually replaced IN PAIRS if doing an R&R...

Was I being taken for a ride by this Ford Dealer???

Any help is appreciated!!

 

[ncranchero]

MOOG from whatever parts store you're close to. If you're playing Mustangs then you're no stranger to the parts house! Some of the chain parts stores even have the Moog items re-boxed into their own boxes. Get poly bushings from wherever, not rubber.

Moog - Sway Bar Link Kit, Front - Part Number: K7275 (2 required )
Moog - Sway Bar Link Kit, Rear - Part Number: K80033 ( 2 required )
Moog - Sway Bar Bushing, Front W/29mm Or 30mm Bar- Part Number: K80080
Moog - Sway Bar Bushing, Front W/31mm Or 32mm Bar- Part Number: K80081

 

[Cobra Jet]

MOOG from whatever parts store you're close to. If you're playing Mustangs then you're no stranger to the parts house! Some of the chain parts stores even have the Moog items re-boxed into their own boxes. Get poly bushings from wherever, not rubber.

Moog - Sway Bar Link Kit, Front - Part Number: K7275 (2 required )
Moog - Sway Bar Link Kit, Rear - Part Number: K80033 ( 2 required )
Moog - Sway Bar Bushing, Front W/29mm Or 30mm Bar- Part Number: K80080
Moog - Sway Bar Bushing, Front W/31mm Or 32mm Bar- Part Number: K80081

Yep - no stranger to the Mustang parts houses... LOL!

Thanks for the parts # info above as well - I'll definitely be looking to buy those as replacements. Damn stocker bushings are worn out after only 30k miles (getting the common groan/squeak from them when driving and when I checked it out by pushing manually on the bar, same noise & the truck is only used locally around town, barely sees the highway). Amazing that factory parts are failing with so little miles on these Explorers.

 

[jakedrew]

you dont need say bar end links. Just replace the middle bushings that hold the sway bar to the frame. Mine were squeeking at 40k miles. replaced them with ford ones and it has been 20k miles and it hasnt made noise.

They were about 40$ from the dealer.

Or you can call /look up "tousley ford" http://www.tousleyford.com/index.cfm?action=parts&subaction=partsformand get parts at 10% over cost by saying you are from the forums. (if you dont say that, you wont get a deal).

I got my front wheel bearing for 170$ shipped, and if I was going to walk into a ford dealership and get it , it would be about 250$.

great place for all your ford parts.

 

[KPPCExplorer]

One of my sway bar bolts just broke and I ordered 2 new sets for less than $10 each. Look on rockauto, that's where I got mine. Great prices and fast shipping.

 

[Cobra Jet]

Steve -

I have another question... stupid maybe, as I'm not familiar w/ Explorer suspension specs...

How do I find out which size front sway bar I have for getting the replacement sway bar bushings? Do I find this on the VC label on the truck, or do all 6cyl 4.0 Explorers have the same size front sway bar?

 

[skeeter123]

I usually check RockAuto.com and Amazon.com......

 

[Cobra Jet]

I usually check RockAuto.com and Amazon.com......

I did - and depending on sway bar diameter, this would determine which set of bushings are needed for the R&R (as even listed by Steve). I did the lookup on RA by inserting exact vehicle info year/make/model - but there still is no specific info as to which set I would need to buy (as there are (2) sets listed for a 2004/4.0 Exp).

I certainly don't want to buy the wrong set.

 

[ncranchero]

I'd probably just crawl under and measure for myself. That way I'd know I was getting the right ones. I don't know that, going by application, that Ford could tell you the diameter. Probably just a part number....theirs.