BRacing
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- August 21, 2001
- Messages
- 123
- Reaction score
- 0
- City, State
- Northern California
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- '96 Explorer Sport
I installed both the front and the rear Saleen sway bars today.
The front went on without incedent, less than an hour's work in the driveway with simple tools. I reused the original Ford bushings, but i might want to upgrade the fronts to polyurethane later, avalable through Explorer Express or Energy Suspension.
Because of my 96 model year, no manufacturers make an aftermarket "universal" bushing kit for the larger rear sway bar. I know i'm not the only one with this problem, so that's why i'm posting this.
The rear sway bar is designed to reuse the factory Ford bushings, just drilled out a little. I took the bushing bracket and bar into the local 4wd shop, and we measured and checked what was avalable. Everything from ES would not fit because the bolt holes are too far apart on the explorer. However, we DID find another brand that fit.
"POLY FOR VEHICLES" is the brand of universal bushings that fit. I used part number 144 - Sway Bar Bushing Kit Bar Size 7/8. The slots were just barely short of the holes for the original bracket, so i filed away some material in each slot to allow for proper alignment. I ended up filing less than 1/4 inch on each end.
The bars ended up fitting great! I look forward to driving up and down some twisty roads to see the handling improvement.
If you have any questions, feel free to ask!
-Brad
The front went on without incedent, less than an hour's work in the driveway with simple tools. I reused the original Ford bushings, but i might want to upgrade the fronts to polyurethane later, avalable through Explorer Express or Energy Suspension.
Because of my 96 model year, no manufacturers make an aftermarket "universal" bushing kit for the larger rear sway bar. I know i'm not the only one with this problem, so that's why i'm posting this.
The rear sway bar is designed to reuse the factory Ford bushings, just drilled out a little. I took the bushing bracket and bar into the local 4wd shop, and we measured and checked what was avalable. Everything from ES would not fit because the bolt holes are too far apart on the explorer. However, we DID find another brand that fit.
"POLY FOR VEHICLES" is the brand of universal bushings that fit. I used part number 144 - Sway Bar Bushing Kit Bar Size 7/8. The slots were just barely short of the holes for the original bracket, so i filed away some material in each slot to allow for proper alignment. I ended up filing less than 1/4 inch on each end.
The bars ended up fitting great! I look forward to driving up and down some twisty roads to see the handling improvement.
If you have any questions, feel free to ask!
-Brad