Sway bar / end link bind

[Bbarfoot14]

as a preface, I have changed my suspension 4 or 5 different times now so I’m very versed in suspension for this car and my last cars. My problem is one side the endlink is not lining up without jacking the hub up and into proximity. In my experience ideally you want those going in without tension or stuggle. I figured the only culpret can be the location of the sway bar. Again, in my experience a sway can swing or pivot when unbolted from the end link with ease... this ensures proper suspension handling and weight transfer according to multiple sway bar companies. Unfortunately mine wouldn’t budge at all!! I have the PP which i know has bigger bars but do I need to unbolt those brackets and regrease the rubber casing?? At that point I would just switch to aftermarket but curious if anyone else has experienced this. I know from experience that last time I did my suspension it was like this and I could feel it when driving. It’s almost a binding or loaded up feeling which sucks.

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[NightmareMoon]

Well the PP front swaybar brackets are bound to the bar. You get a little springrate front the bar brackets so thats why the bar doesn't want to move freely. You can work around it if you need to mess with endlinks by jacking up the other wheel or by getting adjustable endlinks. Keep in mind the preload when the car is settled on the ground may be different that the preload in the air.

 

[wildcatgoal]

Nothing to worry about.

 

[Bbarfoot14]

Well the PP front swaybar brackets are bound to the bar. You get a little springrate front the bar brackets so thats why the bar doesn't want to move freely. You can work around it if you need to mess with endlinks by jacking up the other wheel or by getting adjustable endlinks. Keep in mind the preload when the car is settled on the ground may be different that the preload in the air.

That’s what I do to get it in, generally though it’s concerning. Do the aftermarket bars provide movement in those brackets (steeda, eibach, etc) or are they bound to the bar as well?

 

[Norm Peterson]

That’s what I do to get it in, generally though it’s concerning. Do the aftermarket bars provide movement in those brackets (steeda, eibach, etc) or are they bound to the bar as well?

At least the BMR and Steeda bars do not bind the bushings to the bars (their pictures show the bushings being distinctly separate from the bars). But it's probably still worth calling the various aftermarket vendors to verify this.

https://www.steeda.com/2015-2017-mustang-sway-bars

https://www.bmrsuspension.com/?page=products&vehicleid=24&maincatid=113&catid=348


As a side note, I haven't figured out why Ford would have chosen to use the sta-bars to provide any ride rate increase, given that the PP springs are already a little stiffer than base.


Norm

 

[NightmareMoon]

I read something about the PP bar giving better on-center feel, or less dive, but IDK. My car dove like a submarine under braking but stopped really well.

The BMR bar I have now definitely can be positioned by hand, with some effort. Nearly all the aftermarket bars are the same. The PP bar is a pain to remove because the brakets come out with it, almost impossible on jack stands because of the angle, you really want a lift for that job.

The stock front endlinks suck and bend easily, I wouldnt feel bad about replacing those with some adjustable ones.

 

[Bbarfoot14]

I read something about the PP bar giving better on-center feel, or less dive, but IDK. My car dove like a submarine under braking but stopped really well.

The BMR bar I have now definitely can be positioned by hand, with some effort. Nearly all the aftermarket bars are the same. The PP bar is a pain to remove because the brakets come out with it, almost impossible on jack stands because of the angle, you really want a lift for that job.

The stock front endlinks suck and bend easily, I wouldnt feel bad about replacing those with some adjustable ones.

With adjustable endlinks like the ones @SteedaTech offer, the one side would be shorter in overall length based on how I’m having to jack one side up. Would that be an issue uneven end link heights??

 

[NightmareMoon]

With adjustable endlinks like the ones @SteedaTech offer, the one side would be shorter in overall length based on how I’m having to jack one side up. Would that be an issue uneven end link heights??

Yeah sorry, you normally only want to adjust the endlink length to remove preload on the bar when it’s on the ground level, or to correct the endlink angle to the bar on a lowered suspension, or to solve for weak bent stock endlinks. Generally they should be pretty close to the same length, you don’t want a big difference in endlink lengths, that would be bad.

If they’re slightly uneven with both sides at full droop when you’re trying to hook things up, it’s far easier to just jack up one wheel than mess with adjusting the endlink lengths. If you think things are so uneven that it’s causing handling issues that’s another story,

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