One of these things is not like the other! (Sway bar links)

[asurotc206]

I was driving home from drill this past weekend, and I heard a clank right as I hit a pothole in the highway. I pulled off to investigate, and I find:

I get home and get the parts to work on it, and of course it rains. But finally:

I had noticed that my ride was getting harsher and harsher, and the body roll was becoming unbearable. I attributed it to worn out struts (135K and climbing on OE) and put it aside to be fixed when I got around to it. Glad I heard the clank the other day and investigated. Definitely saved my self some money. Reading around the forum, I discovered that most people here who've had to replace them end up cutting the old ones off. No difference here. I on the drivers side for a good while before . The passenger side was so eat up that it just broke off in my hand. Took about 3 and a half hours to get it all done... And it rides a whole hell of a lot better now.

EDIT: I did notice that on both sides, the top and bottom bushings started to bulge (as expected), but the middle ones did not (not expected). Should I keep tightening down on these until they do?

 

[Exproblems]

EDIT: I did notice that on both sides, the top and bottom bushings started to bulge (as expected), but the middle ones did not (not expected). Should I keep tightening down on these until they do?

Don't over tighten them, you can blow out the bushings. The torque setting for the front Stabilzer bar-to-link-nuts is 18 ft lbs for 2002-2005 Explorers.

 

[asurotc206]

Don't over tighten them, you can blow out the bushings. The torque setting for the front Stabilzer bar-to-link-nuts is 18 ft lbs for 2002-2005 Explorers.

Thanks. I'll check the torque when I get home. I had planned to double check them when I got home anyway after a day of driving all over the area.

 

[swshawaii]

Ford's 18 ft/lb torque spec for the OEM links may be too tight for the rubber Moog bushings.
The stock plastic end link bushings require higher torque. Moog recommends tightening until
slightly bulging. 10 ft/lbs is close. Pics above look slightly loose if the suspension is loaded.

http://www.moogproblemsolver.com/_pdf_En/MOOG_PS_Bulletin_25471_K7275_En.pdf

 

[asurotc206]

The pics shown above look slightly loose if the suspension is loaded.

Thanks for the input!

It isn't loaded at this point. I still had the tires off and the front end up on jack stands when this picture was taken.