pic of broken EE swaybar bracket

[Creager]

I hope this doesn't come off the wrong way because I'm not trying to be a smart### ( I was looking at some of my posts and I was a d*ck.... it must come natural??) but I think maybe this isn't the right bracket. The bracket doesn't have to be factory but it will probably need the offset in order to make the bushing sit flush, without any play.

yep i think your right... it would support what i imagined happened. The bracket had to crack, then the bar had to of wiggle it bent.

 

[Rhett]

but I think maybe this isn't the right bracket. The bracket doesn't have to be factory but it will probably need the offset in order to make the bushing sit flush, without any play.

That is a good point. I am going to compare it with the pass. side bracket (which is still intact) where it meets the frame.

I would be ticked if it wasn't the right bracket; they sold it to me, it's supposed to be a sway bar bracket for a 1st gen truck.

For a year, it did not have any play in it...I keep up with my truck and I'm under it often...but then again grabbing it with your hands and trying to move it is one thing...but subjecting it to driving stresses is another...it could have wiggled and eventually snapped that bracket...

 

[Rhett]

Tonight I am gonna pull off the broken bracket, and see if I can find a replacement somewhere around town...

I got a pic of the other side, I may post it to compare the offset...

 

[SKIN]

Did you let your wife drive it?

 

[Rhett]

Here's the other side that is still intact. It's a little blurry and not from the side angle but it does show how it should look:

The cross-member to the right is the front frame x-member under the rad.

 

[CDW6212R]

Rhett, what did the original brackets look like? Did they mount the bar that close to the frame, or was the bar about two inches lower?

If that new bar is mounted in a different location than the original bar, then you might be stretching the end link enough to pull back and down on the bracket. When the front end drops fully(vehicle up as high as it will go), the unsprung weight may be pulling downward and back on those bar brackets. If that is what is happening, then you need to restore the location of the bar, or lengthen the endlinks by the amount that the bar has been raised. Good luck,

 

[Rhett]

The new bar mounts in exactly the same place as the OEM bar. Same bolt holes, etc. Both bars contacted the frame via their bushing.

I think there's no question that over time, the bracket was pulled back on that side by front-to-back movment of the beam. Why? I am not sure yet. I am looking at the end link on that side, though probably not tonight as even after I pull into the garage, my truck will be dripping wet from Hurricane Dennis.

 

[CDW6212R]

Both my 91 and 93 Explorer's have brackets which locate the bar down about two inches farther than your's. I don't know if your bushings would fit well in these type of brackets, but I would try to get a pair of brackets like these. Good luck,

 

[Bill Kemp]

I got new bushings fron EE a couple of months ago and asked where the bracket was that was shown on the web page. I was told that they no longer use those because of problems with them holding up. So I just used the stock bracket.
The greaseable brackets are from Energy Suspension. http://www.suspension.com/s.b.bushings.htm

 

[Rhett]

Both my 91 and 93 Explorer's have brackets which locate the bar down about two inches farther than your's.

By "down about two inches" do you mean closer to the ground by 2 inches?

 

[Rhett]

I got new bushings fron EE a couple of months ago and asked where the bracket was that was shown on the web page. I was told that they no longer use those because of problems with them holding up. So I just used the stock bracket.

There we have it. There are problems with the EE brackets holding up.

You say the stock brackets will fit over the Energy Suspension bushings. That's great news. Now I have to find my old swaybar...

The greaseable brackets are from Energy Suspension. http://www.suspension.com/s.b.bushings.htm

Yes I believe the bushings I have are Energy Suspension bushings. They came with the new bar and EE said they were Energy Susp.

 

[CDW6212R]

I hope your brackets will work. Good luck,