Houston, we have sway bar mounting problems.

[CDLong]

From a previous thread, some know the crossmember the sway bar mounts onto was bent. I straightened it as best I could and bolted it back up. Yesterday after torquing the passenger's side radius arm bracket I tried to install the sway bar. The bushings didn't come anywhere near fitting to be bolted to the brackets on the crossmember. I got them roughly in place and then the sway bar couldn't be moved to the connector links. I had to remove the crossmember to connect the sway bar to the links. I think I have the connector links on the correct sides. I had the originals links on the correct side, but my wife told my Granddaughter to pick up papaw's parts and put them in a box. I did swap the connector links side to side and it was worse. The passenger's side isn't tight, I just threaded the nuts on until they stopped at the nylon insert. The driver's side has space and I can't push it over to bolt it up. Should I use a ratchet strap to pull it over? Or, God forbid, do I have more problems? The last picture I'm holding the sway bar roughly where it would be bolted to the crossmember.

[85lebaront2]

I don't know if these will help as Darth is a 2WD F350 crew cab dual rear wheel truck:
Sway bar mounting brackets:

End link attachment:


Is it possible you have a 2WD sway bar and the 4WD is longer?

[dirtymac]

We have a different setup but our experience might be of some use.  Removing our rear sway bar was a pain.  It was very difficult to break everything free from their connections.  We have not reassembled our front bar yet but we have a different setup.

For the back, we slipped the bar over the axel and let it rest there.  We attached the sway bar bushings with just 3 or so threads on each u-bolt end.  Then, we attached the endlinks the same way, about 3 or so threads.  We attached the passenger endlink first and it was a little bit of a stretch.  The driver's side was a bit more of a stretch.  Neither end looked like it was going to tighten down correctly.  Once we finished securing the u-bolts we tightened the endlinks and they went together fine.

I'm not sure how much things changed but here are the instructions and diagrams from the 1982 service manual.

[CDLong]

85lebaront2 wrote

I don't know if these will help as Darth is a 2WD F350 crew cab dual rear wheel truck:
Sway bar mounting brackets:

End link attachment:


Is it possible you have a 2WD sway bar and the 4WD is longer?

Thanks, looks like I have the connectors on the correct sides.

[CDLong]

dirtymac wrote

We have a different setup but our experience might be of some use.  Removing our rear sway bar was a pain.  It was very difficult to break everything free from their connections.  We have not reassembled our front bar yet but we have a different setup.

For the back, we slipped the bar over the axel and let it rest there.  We attached the sway bar bushings with just 3 or so threads on each u-bolt end.  Then, we attached the endlinks the same way, about 3 or so threads.  We attached the passenger endlink first and it was a little bit of a stretch.  The driver's side was a bit more of a stretch.  Neither end looked like it was going to tighten down correctly.  Once we finished securing the u-bolts we tightened the endlinks and they went together fine.

I'm not sure how much things changed but here are the instructions and diagrams from the 1982 service manual.

Thanks, that the diagram I'm using.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Well, you kinda got to have preload , or the bar inst supporting anything, and load isn't being fed from one side of the axle to the other.

The whole point is to have the vehicle track flatter, with less roll (while still being compliant enough to hold the road!)

[CDLong]

ArdWrknTrk wrote

Well, you kinda got to have preload , or the bar inst supporting anything, and load isn't being fed from one side of the axle to the other.

The whole point is to have the vehicle track flatter, with less roll (while still being compliant enough to hold the road!)

Thanks Jim, I'll get it installed today. Think I'm onna have issues gettin' the crossmember in, but we'll see.

[Pete Whitstone]

It sure looks to me that your sway bar is upside down as compared to the pics that 85Lebaront2 posted. Look at how his curves up after the attachment point, and how yours curve down, almost touching the steering link.

I could well be wrong, but that's what it seems like to me.

[CDLong]

Pete Whitstone wrote

It sure looks to me that your sway bar is upside down as compared to the pics that 85Lebaront2 posted. Look at how his curves up after the attachment point, and how yours curve down, almost touching the steering link.

I could well be wrong, but that's what it seems like to me.

Geat catch, thanks Pete. You were right on the money. Flipped it and no issues gettin' the bolts in the connecting links. I tried to install it the way it came off, so God only know what the 4 POs have done to the ole girl. Now to get the crossmember in and sway bar bolted up.

[Pete Whitstone]

CDLong wrote

Pete Whitstone wrote

It sure looks to me that your sway bar is upside down as compared to the pics that 85Lebaront2 posted. Look at how his curves up after the attachment point, and how yours curve down, almost touching the steering link.

I could well be wrong, but that's what it seems like to me.

Geat catch, thanks Pete. You were right on the money. Flipped it and no issues gettin' the bolts in the connecting links. I tried to install it the way it came off, so God only know what the 4 POs have done to the ole girl. Now to get the crossmember in and sway bar bolted up.

Excellent! Glad it was something that simple.

[CDLong]

You and me both Pete!

[dirtymac]

Good catch indeed!  I was curious why it looked so close to the adjustment sleeve.  I thought it was either the angle of the picture or that he had not attached it to the cross-member yet.  

[CDLong]

dirtymac wrote

Good catch indeed!  I was curious why it looked so close to the adjustment sleeve.  I thought it was either the angle of the picture or that he had not attached it to the cross-member yet.

Got everything torqued down, test drive today.

[dirtymac]

Good Luck!  The new bushings helped immensely in the rear of our truck.  I'm hopeful the front will help as well but we still haven't put those back on yet.

[CDLong]

dirtymac wrote

Good Luck!  The new bushings helped immensely in the rear of our truck.  I'm hopeful the front will help as well but we still haven't put those back on yet.

Thanks, I'll know later today. Guess I'll look at the rear sway bar too.