Rear sway bar stabilizer bushing replacement info

[FordLover]

I noticed my entire rear bar was loose, from the end links, and both frame to bar bushings were toast. No parts house could find the bushings listed, so I ended up at the dealership. I got the new Moog endlinks online.

For what it's worth it a pretty easy job, though access is very limited. The nuts on the body to bar are 15 mm, and are on the top side of the frame. I jacked up the rear, put the frame on jack stands, let the rear suspension droop, and removed the rear wheels for better access.

The valuable info is the part number, 3L2Z-5493-CA Insulator

Ford only listed 1 part for the bushing, so all 2002's must have had the same size bar, which surprised me because mine is a V8 and has the heavy tow package. But the part fit perfectly.

I used Moog K80033 end link kit for the rear end links, and did the whole job in about an hour.

 

[vhfreak]

Looks like I'm about to have to do this, as my rear bushings have taken their leave of the vehicle, as I just discovered while doing the end links. How do you get access to those bracket bolts? I can't figure that out, much less how to properly torque them.

 

[vhfreak]

For the sake of anyone else having to tackle this job, it wasn't as hard to get the bracket bolts off as I thought it would be. I was able to get both of the front bolts with a long ratchet, but the rear bolts took a combo wrench about 1/6th turn at a time. Tedious, and not exactly pleasant, but not terrible.

I can't imagine it's possible to properly torque them given the space limitations, so I just got them as tight as I could by hand.

 

[mbrando1994]

Use blue threadlocker (lock-tite) to hold the bolts if they can't be torqued tightly, make sure you get them hand tight with a regular ratchet. DO NOT overtighten them! I did this once and the nuts are welded on to the frame, very difficult to get the bolt out. Good luck all

 

[pioneer2156]

what size is the sway bar bushing?

 

[swshawaii]

Polyurethane option. (Prothane)

Rear 21mm.
http://www.aftermarketsuspensionparts.com/61160

http://www.aftermarketsuspensionparts.com/blog/how-to-measure-a-sway-bar-6-different-ways/