Hello all!
I am in the process of replacing I-beam bushings and radius arm bushings. I thought while I was at it What would it take to add a sway bar? Is it worth it? Has anyone actually done this?

Also if I wanted to level this truck what would it take? What would be the best way?

Thanks Mike

 

Yes it is worth it if you primarily drive it on the street. It is a night and day difference. When I replaced the bushings on my sway mounts/links I dropped both bars and took it out for a spin and it almost felt unsafe to drive! But for off-roading it really hampers the suspension travel.

If you are going to add one to the front you need to add one to the rear or it will throw everything off - best bet is to find a parts truck so you can get everything. For the front you need the links and coil spring mounts plus the bar and the skid plate it mounts to. For the rear you need the bar, links, mounts and u-bolts that hold the mounts to the axle.

For "leveling" pick yourself up a set of moog cc824 or cc844 coil springs. Plan on having a shop align it afterwards and make sure they know how to align a TTB beforehand. It will probably run in the neighborhood of $150-200 because you will need new camber bushings installed.

If you need to do anything else like ball joints or tie rods do it before you get it aligned, because those types of repairs will require another alignment.

 

Thanks BLD!

Just a little ignorant here, but what do you mean by TTb?
Also what kind of trucks would I be looking at to find these parts on? Does anyone have any pictures of what and where the connections will be on a 2wd?

Thanks

 

TTB is twin traction beam which is just another term for the I-beams.

The front should be the same on all trucks with a sway bar. The links on the rear will differ between 2WD and 4WD. There are pics of the front in this thread:

https://www.f150forum.com/f88/95-2wd...cation-314793/

 

If I am going to a salvage yard, how do I weed out which trucks would have come factory with sway bars?

 

They should list them in their inventory if they have a stabilizer bar. Otherwise just pop your head under the front/rear end.

I think most XLT's had them - definitely if they have a factory tow package.

 

Front sway bars and no rear isn't that bad. Buddy of mine had a truck like that. Mine is an clut and I do have front and rear seat bars. I also have the tow package, do those im sure came along with it. I know when I went to load range e tires, new front and rear Polly sway bar pushing a, Polly pivot beam and radius arm bushings, rear air bags, and front f250 coils handling loaded went up to feeling like a 3/4 ton towing, but still rides half ton ish. But it handles great for an old truck!

 

Front anti sway bar




Rear anti sway bar.

The difference in handling, especially cornering is night and day. If you have the opportunity to put them on, it will make a major improvement.
Note that the rear one is pretty simple to install, but the front one requires removing your front springs and installing the lower spring seats that are made to bolt an anti sway bar to.


Right in the middle of this picture you'll see the spring seats that have the extension to attach the anti sway bar to.

 

Could I get all of the parts off of a salvaged bronco 89-96 or even an 4x4 f150 same year. Someone told me if it had a 5.8 most likely would have sway bar.

Just putting back together after replacing I beam bushings thought now would be good as any to change at least the spring cups.

 

I have all the parts from a junkyard to add front and rear sway bars to my 96 F 150 4X4 as well. However, on the donor truck it appears as though the rear brackets attached to the frame are riveted onto the frame. I looked on my frame, and I didn't even see any holes in the frame where these should attach to. I guess I'm going to have to fabricate a bracket and drill some holes to bolt the fabricated bracket onto the frame? The bracket I'm talking about is on the top right of page 14 and is labeled #3 (the attachment is from the 96 Ford Service Manual):