New here with front end link questions!

[Theodoremartinez]

I’m new here! I’ve got a 98 exploder 5.0 awd XLT with 245k..
I just replaced the sway bar end links with polys from car quest. I’m wondering how tight they should be as I have no torque wrench.. Also, I have rubber bushings in the rear sway and front sway bar.. is this I save to have? Any info would help

 

[410Fortune]

you tighten those until the clear plastic little ring at the center of the "hourglass" pushes out to fill the hole in the control arm. From your pic it looks like you have done it correctly.

Yes it is perfectly safe to have rubber in one sway bar and poly in the other
Lets see how long these last! That style usually lasts 3-5 years LOL

Congrats on your purchase, a 5.0 Gen II explorer is a SMART CHOICE

 

[Fix4Dirt]

I’m new here! I’ve got a 98 exploder 5.0 awd XLT with 245k..
I just replaced the sway bar end links with polys from car quest. I’m wondering how tight they should be as I have no torque wrench.. Also, I have rubber bushings in the rear sway and front sway bar.. is this I save to have? Any info would help

View attachment 434252 View attachment 434253

im not entirely sure of their spec but i tightened em down pretty good with a 3/8. not overtight but pretty tight. the crush on mine looks very siniliar to yours. are the rubbers OE or new? ive got poly in the end links and all the sway bushings. to confirm youre saying the front end link is poly rest is rubber? i see nothing wrong with that

welcome to EF!

 

[Theodoremartinez]

you tighten those until the clear plastic little ring at the center of the "hourglass" pushes out to fill the hole in the control arm. From your pic it looks like you have done it correctly.

Yes it is perfectly safe to have rubber in one sway bar and poly in the other
Lets see how long these last! That style usually lasts 3-5 years LOL

Congrats on your purchase, a 5.0 Gen II explorer is a SMART CHOICE

Thanks, it’s my first time doing end links and I was worried for a bit.. the exploder used to be my dads and he passed away a few years ago, so the expo became mine. I’m looking forward to everyone’s input and guidance.. the folks here seem very knowledgeable! Thank you! Nice rig btw!!

 

[Fix4Dirt]

Thanks, it’s my first time doing end links and I was worried for a bit.. the exploder used to be my dads and he passed away a few years ago, so the expo became mine. I’m looking forward to everyone’s input and guidance.. the folks here seem very knowledgeable! Thank you! Nice rig btw!!

sorry to hear about your dad. lots of knowledgable folks here, yep! i have ES polys in mine, and its been through its paces offroad... no issue as of yet

 

[Theodoremartinez]

im not entirely sure of their spec but i tightened em down pretty good with a 3/8. not overtight but pretty tight. the crush on mine looks very siniliar to yours. are the rubbers OE or new? ive got poly in the end links and all the sway bushings. to confirm youre saying the front end link is poly rest is rubber? i see nothing wrong with that

welcome to EF!

Yep the end link bushings are poly, and the bolts and sleeve are new. I wanted to get either moogs EE or motorcraft, but I also didn’t want to wait for parts to come in.. what would you fellas suggest for a longer lasting part? This exploder is my girlfriend, and I don’t mind spending a little extra on her for something better!

 

[Fix4Dirt]

Yep the end link bushings are poly, and the bolts and sleeve are new. I wanted to get either moogs EE or motorcraft, but I also didn’t want to wait for parts to come in.. what would you fellas suggest for a longer lasting part? This exploder is my girlfriend, and I don’t mind spending a little extra on her for something better!

that setup should last a decent amount of time imo. I have energy suspension ones, very good imo. for the sways i like poly much better than any rubbers. imo if it aint broke right now, dont fix it and lol!!!!

 

[Theodoremartinez]

that setup should last a decent amount of time imo. I have energy suspension ones, very good imo. for the sways i like poly much better than any rubbers. imo if it aint broke right now, dont fix it and lol!!!!

Okay awesome! Thanks for the info!

 

[C420sailor]

Depends on how the truck is used. On road, they’ll last many years.

I used to chew through the polyurethane ones rapidly. These hard plastic guys seem to outlast them by quite a bit.

 

[swshawaii]

@Theodoremartinez
Your CarQuest (Raybestos?) end links look good. Are they solid bushings? Unless Moog changed it's probably good you didn't use theirs.

rusty Moog K700542 endlink - after 20 months

Changed my Moog K700542 endlink and my temporary junkyard OEM endlink for new Moog ones of the same model. Used a deep socket on the bottom barrel nut. It was rusty, so I thought I just broke the barrel nut loose. Kept turning. Eventually figured out that I snapped the main 3/8" Grade 8 bolt...

www.explorerforum.com

Moog PS End Link Bushings Downgraded?

I bought a pair of Moog K700542 Problem Solver front end links on Rockauto. It appears as though they have downgraded the bushings. What they claim is polyurethane, and picture solid bushings like the following: What I received instead, looks like they tried to downgrade to thermoplastic...

www.explorerforum.com

 

[Theodoremartinez]

@Theodoremartinez
Your CarQuest (Raybestos?) end links look good. Are they solid bushings? Unless Moog changed it's probably good you didn't use theirs.

rusty Moog K700542 endlink - after 20 months

Changed my Moog K700542 endlink and my temporary junkyard OEM endlink for new Moog ones of the same model. Used a deep socket on the bottom barrel nut. It was rusty, so I thought I just broke the barrel nut loose. Kept turning. Eventually figured out that I snapped the main 3/8" Grade 8 bolt...

www.explorerforum.com

Moog PS End Link Bushings Downgraded?

I bought a pair of Moog K700542 Problem Solver front end links on Rockauto. It appears as though they have downgraded the bushings. What they claim is polyurethane, and picture solid bushings like the following: What I received instead, looks like they tried to downgrade to thermoplastic...

www.explorerforum.com

These ones feel really solid so far and no squeaking.. I did hear the moog ones weren’t as good as they used to be so I went with the carquest end links because I was on a budget…I saw in a thread her that someone used the moog Bolts with meatier bushings… that’s a good idea!

 

[swshawaii]

^ From 9/18/2011 and still going.

Sway Bar Links

i have installed on my ex the eibach sway bar kit...In the begining of the year i had to replace my sway bar link bushings because the eibach bushings that came with the kit were worn down and the links were loose... As of yesterday i have the same problem and my links are loose again...my ex...

www.explorerforum.com

 

[cabbagelord]

I’m new here! I’ve got a 98 exploder 5.0 awd XLT with 245k..
I just replaced the sway bar end links with polys from car quest. I’m wondering how tight they should be as I have no torque wrench.. Also, I have rubber bushings in the rear sway and front sway bar.. is this I save to have? Any info would help

View attachment 434252 View attachment 434253

Install them unloaded, then drop the vehicle on the ground and see how tight they are. if the bushings don't turn with your hand when the vehicle's weight is on them you are good.

 

[RoyKelly2]

Lets see how long these last! That style usually lasts 3-5 years LOL

Congrats on your purchase, a 5.0 Gen II explorer is a SMART CHOICE

My wife's 01 Sport goes through the right one in about 6 months. Not sure if it's all the potholes in our roads or it had some damage. My 97 XLT AWD has no issues like that, so suspect damage