Littlebeefy Posted April 5, 2023 Share Posted April 5, 2023 Hi guys, I'm thinking I'm gonna try fitting a factory sway bar on my 84 Bronco. I don't have the parts and it looks like I have some options. I have a D44hp so I have to fab an end link solution anyway, which means I have some flexibility with which of the factory sway bars I use. A couple of questions: What is the deal with the F-250, F-350 4x4 non-monobeam sway bar mount? That one uses a frame rail to frame rail crossmember to mount the insulators to. Why is it different and what is the benefit of mounting the sway bar this way? If I can get the part should I use that crossmember? If I don't use the crossmember, do the insulators mount directly to the frame rail or do I need to use plates that get bolted to the frame rails, then attach the insulators to the plates? Is this only a 1980 MY thing? What year did the frame rails get that impact absorbing crumple feature? Will all F-truck sway bars be interchangeable (at the frame rails) up to that year? Thank y'all! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machspeed Posted April 5, 2023 Share Posted April 5, 2023 Following.....my truck handles like the Queen Mary! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Littlebeefy Posted April 5, 2023 Author Share Posted April 5, 2023 Following.....my truck handles like the Queen Mary! I'm with ya. At full speed, it takes a distance roughly half the length of Ohio for the SR-71 Blackbird to change direction by 90 degrees. I'd say my Bronco exhibits similar handling characteristics to that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Littlebeefy Posted April 5, 2023 Author Share Posted April 5, 2023 I'm with ya. At full speed, it takes a distance roughly half the length of Ohio for the SR-71 Blackbird to change direction by 90 degrees. I'd say my Bronco exhibits similar handling characteristics to that. This is the crossmember I'm talking about (I think). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
85lebaront2 Posted April 5, 2023 Share Posted April 5, 2023 I don't know if it will help, but, I put a set from a 1990 F250 2WD on Darth. The sway bars were an option for him. Front bar: It made a noticeable difference in cornering as the front doesn't roll as much as it did without them. End brackets for links were purchased from Green Sales, the rest came off the 1990 F250 parts truck. Rear bar: Keep in mind two items, first Darth is an F350 crew cab dual rear wheel truck, second wheelbase is 168 inches. As a result, I do get some frame flexing despite the 7 inch tall sides. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gsmblue Posted April 5, 2023 Share Posted April 5, 2023 I don't know if it will help, but, I put a set from a 1990 F250 2WD on Darth. The sway bars were an option for him. Front bar: It made a noticeable difference in cornering as the front doesn't roll as much as it did without them. End brackets for links were purchased from Green Sales, the rest came off the 1990 F250 parts truck. Rear bar: Keep in mind two items, first Darth is an F350 crew cab dual rear wheel truck, second wheelbase is 168 inches. As a result, I do get some frame flexing despite the 7 inch tall sides. I rebuilt the AR bars on my Bronco. Moog had the links and bushings Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Littlebeefy Posted April 5, 2023 Author Share Posted April 5, 2023 I don't know if it will help, but, I put a set from a 1990 F250 2WD on Darth. The sway bars were an option for him. Front bar: It made a noticeable difference in cornering as the front doesn't roll as much as it did without them. End brackets for links were purchased from Green Sales, the rest came off the 1990 F250 parts truck. Rear bar: Keep in mind two items, first Darth is an F350 crew cab dual rear wheel truck, second wheelbase is 168 inches. As a result, I do get some frame flexing despite the 7 inch tall sides. Thanks Bill. I think the bracket that is circled in blue is the one in the ebay pic: driverside.bmp Would you mind taking a picture of what the bracket looks like on the passenger side frame rail? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Littlebeefy Posted April 5, 2023 Author Share Posted April 5, 2023 I rebuilt the AR bars on my Bronco. Moog had the links and bushings GSMBlue, in theory you have the exact same sway bar as Bill, but you have the 4x4 installation on the frame rails. Would you mind shooting pics of the bracketry on the L/R frame rails for comparison to Bill's? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
85lebaront2 Posted April 5, 2023 Share Posted April 5, 2023 Thanks Bill. I think the bracket that is circled in blue is the one in the ebay pic: Would you mind taking a picture of what the bracket looks like on the passenger side frame rail? It is a mirror image, I had pulled the whole thing except for the axle brackets off the 1990 parts truck. I can try sometime, Darth isn't on the road currently as I have coolant showing up in one or more right bank cylinders. At best it will be a bad intake gasket, at worst a cracked head. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gsmblue Posted April 5, 2023 Share Posted April 5, 2023 It is a mirror image, I had pulled the whole thing except for the axle brackets off the 1990 parts truck. I can try sometime, Darth isn't on the road currently as I have coolant showing up in one or more right bank cylinders. At best it will be a bad intake gasket, at worst a cracked head. How’s this?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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