As the title says the sway bar on my '98 E-150 is walking off the bushing in the I-beam. this only happens on the right side. The right bushing is new as the last time the sway bar walked out it chewed up the bushing from rubbing it while flopping around. The suspension is practically new. All four ball joints are new, the steering linakges are good, the radius arm mount bushings are new, sway bar to frame bushings are new, shocks are good, springs are good, wheels and tires are new and are rotated every other oil change as per Ford interval. The only thing I haven't mentioned is the I-beam pivot bushing, could this cause a sloppiness that would allow this?

 

Not sure what your terminology really means but if the axle pivot bushings are worn that could indeed affect other parts of the suspension.

I eliminated the stock front sway bar in favor of a Hellwig part which is a better arrangement than the OEM attachment scheme. I've also replaced radius arm and axle pivot bushings with Energy Suspension urethane parts.

If you'll be keeping your stock front bar after resolving your current issue look into replacing the soft OEM bushings with urethane parts----huge improvment over stock, much longer lasting.

HTH

 

What is it that you would like cleared up? I will take a picture of the left side and the right side to show what I mean.

 

Left side.





Right side.

 

on the sway bar frame mount bushing bracket the bolt holes are slots , may be you need to loosen the bracket and slide the mount in the direction of the i beams

 

I beg to differ. On mine they are not adjustable.

 

Those bushings look original. I just removed the originals on mine, its a real pain but you can do it if you did ball joints.

This is the upgrade part:

https://www.rockauto.com/catalog/mor...id=508&jpid=20

What I think richter is trying to say is that the U shaped metal brackets that go around the frame mounted bushings have slotted holes, so you could loosen all for bolts and push the sway bar towards the engine as you re tighten them.

 

The bushings were replaced 4 years ago with MOOG parts, the right bushing is also a different MOOG part. They are still relatively new parts.

The bushing in the link is the part that is installed on the right I-beam.

 

by your pics, it looks like your swap bar end is not as far into the bushing on the R side as on the left.


try and loosen the frame bolts on the right side and push the sway bar back farther. if you can't move the frame bracket, you are out of luck. bushigns in the frame brackets can wear to and allow some fore/aft movement also.


I have an 2003 E350 with a LOT of miles on it, my sway bar doesn't fit perfectly tight in the I beam bushings but have never had one come out or even make noise, my frame bushings are even worn enough to allow some fore/aft movement.


your I beam pivot bushings could allow enough movement to make the bar come out if they were completely beat out but your radius arm bushings would have to be worn out too.


get it up on some stands and check it over, or take it to a spring/suspension shop and open up your wallet.

 

The I-Beam bushings are of different manufacture, installing a new pair from the same manufacturer would allow the sway bar to fit both sides equally. I prefer Energy Suspension parts for this.

Energy Suspension also makes replacement bushings for the frame-mounted U brackets--these would also make a more consistent mounting and fit of the sway bar to the frame and I-Beams.

 

I am a Ford Factory trained tech so I don't want to do something at a shop if I don't have to. I took it to a highly recommended shop, they did the ball joints, since I don't yet have a press, and I ended up doing Wheel bearings a week later.

 

I agree that the bushings should be from the same make, and model as well.

 

I'm looking at the pic of the right side and the jack point "pin" is bent downward and the I Beam looks twisted on the top...........

 

I see what you mean about the pin. I am having a thought time seeing the bend in the I-beam. Do you think it was improperly raised?

 

Not sure why you'd think that getting the sway bar brackets bolted back again is a problem. I've had mine off a couple times. All you need is a jack to hold the bar up in place to the frame to get the bolts started. And don't over tighten the bolts, the threads in the frame don't hold up well to that. Mine stripped out and I went to a 1/2" bolt with a locking type washered nut inside the frame to fix it. That's really something Ford should have done here to start with. The axle bushings can be pressed in with nothing but a big bolt to fit the bushing and flat washers and a nut to provide clamping force to get the bushings in place..