2000 f350 psd developed pop/rattle in right front suspension at 75k. While trying to find cause found one upper and one lower ball joint shot and flopping. So paid to have all four replaced. Noise is still there. Thinking possible sway bar link. Wondered if there is a better source for replacement links. Possibly something heavier duty than orig. Some of my local parts stores sell the links within a couple dollars of OEM and one store sells a rebuild kit. Would appreciate and help.

 

I replaced mine with the Energy Suspension Kit. I just pressed out the old bushings and the Energy suspension ones are split. Whole job took about an hour. I have heard of people pounding them out but a press is alot easier.

 

I also had a nosie problem on my 2000 4x4.
The bushings in the sway bar links were bad. So I took them off and still had the same problem.
I found a bad leaf spring bushing.

 

how bad were the leaf spring bushings to replace?

 

Depends. You'll need some jackstands and at least 1 floor jack because once you pull the bolt out you will need to lift the truck to gain access to the bushing.

The rear one shouldn't be too difficult except for getting the holes to line up (a C-clamp works well for that). The front one is going to be a pain. It is hard to see up behind the bumper to line it up, plus there's some interference removal to get the bolt out in the first place (bumper support and radiator support need be removed as well as the front bar that runs behind the lower valance of the bumper). Some people take the front bumper off too.

I don't know how hard it would be to press out the bushing while the spring pack is still mounted on one end and to the axle. I will tell you that it is a PITA to get the axle back on the spring pack if you unbolt it (and you'll need more u-bolts too) unless you disconnect the track bar...but that's a PITA to get back on too!

 

I removed the leaf pack and took it to Atlas Spring. They used a hydralic press to install new bushing.

 

I have a 2004 F250 Lariat Crew Cab FX4 6-3/4' bed.

What is the procedure to remove the Driver's side Rear Sway Bar Link upper bolt?

The upper end attaches to the frame. The nut is on the inside of the frame with about 1/3" to 2/3" clearance between the frame and the fuel tank. Of course, the frame's "C" shape faces towards the inside.

 

Sorry. Can't help you there. I've not had the pleasure yet. Hopefully someone else can chime in.

As a late follow up, I did find some Moog sway bar links with grease zirks which helped but noise started coming back lightly. During a wheel alignment on my wife's Excursion, I was talking to the shop guys and the told me to get a big fender washer and wedge it between the sway bar bushing and the body mount, saying the bushings get play in them. I questioned why not just replace the bushings and was told that they've gotten several new that still need the wash to make them tight enough. I did this fender wash install which is easy but it sadly still did not eliminate my light noise. Later at the same alignment shop with my truck they looked at things and put a wrench on everything while aligning the truck and said they found one of my new Moog links loose and tightened it. I'm thinking, yea right! I'm usually the one over tightening and stripping or snapping something off. But sure enough! Noise is gone!

 

Glad to hear u got it fixed.....Just seen thread sorry
I replaced the SwayBar Links on my dad's 04' (leaf spring front like yours) with Moog versions like 5 years ago & they are still good, even though he lives down a horrible dirt road.
Moog makes good stuff

 

 

 

Please note that while every effort was made to ensure the accuracy of the data I have gathered, organized, and posted below, the data is confined to only cover model years 1999 -2004. In many instances, I have noted differences between early 1999 models versus 2000-4 model years, since the 1999 model year has some similarities, and yet also has slight distinctions.

The list is in two parts:

A. OPTIONS TO REPLACE EYELET BUSHINGS ONLY

B. OPTIONS TO REPLACE ENTIRE END LINKS

No comment is even being attempted to be made regarding "which option is best". I leave that entirely up to the reader to research and determine for themselves. I just think it is helpful enough to have, all the brands, part numbers, kit contents, and price ranges in one master list to make the research for the future FTE member easier. Without further ado...

Part A:

OPTIONS TO REPLACE BUSHINGS ONLY:

Manufacturer: SACHS, (OEM supplier and Division of ZF, manufacturer of major automotive chassis components like transmissions)
Part Number: W0133-1903311
Quantity Required: Four (4)
Estimated Price Range: $27.00 to $39.00 each (x4)
Product Notes: Appear identical to Ford's. Sachs could be Ford's OEM.
Vehicle Applications: 2000-04 Ford Super Duty 4WD F-250 F-350 F450 F-550 + Excursion
Application Restrictions: May or may not fit Early 99 to 99.5, depending on whether Front Stabilizer retrofit is/was performed per earlier era Ford TSB, incorporating a raised sway bar mounting position, axle weldment, and revised end links.
Product Description: An articulating metal bushing encapsulated with grease captured by rubber membranes retained by purple colored wound wire clips.

Brand Name: AC/DELCO (Not the manufacturer. These are rebranded parts from another supplier, likely associated with Raybestos, below)
Part Number: 45G0335
Quantity Required: One (1)
Estimated Price Range: $17.76 to $34.82
Vehicle Applications: 2000-04 Ford Super Duty 4WD F-250 F-350 F450 F-550 + Excursion
Application Restrictions: May or may not fit Early 99 to 99.5, depending on whether Front Stabilizer retrofit is/was performed per earlier era Ford TSB, incorporating a raised sway bar mounting position, axle weldment, and revised end links. If unmodified, then see AC/DELCO 45G0334 below instead.
Product Description: Includes 8 Urethane half flange bushings, 4 shoulder bolts, 4 flange nuts, and 4 washers. (No metal sleeve bushings are included, as the kit uses shoulder bolts in all four positions instead, unlike the 1999 only kit described immediately below)

Brand Name: AC/DELCO (Not the manufacturer. These are rebranded parts from another supplier, likely associated with Raybestos, below)
Part Number: 45G0334
Quantity Required: One (1)
Estimated Prices: $12.66 to $27.41 (Only $12.66 for everything!)
Vehicle Applications: Early 1999 to 1999.5 Ford Super Duty 4WD F-250 F-350 F450 F-550
Application Restrictions: Will NOT fit 2000-04 Ford Super Duty 4WD F-250 F-350 F450 F-550 + Excursion. See AC/DELCO 45G0335 above instead.
Product Description: Includes 8 Urethane half flange bushings, 2 shoulder bolts, 2 flange nuts, 2 washers, 2 metal sleeve bushings for re-utilizing 2 existing bolts, and tops it all off with getting that (music plays) "Great GM fee-e-e-ling..." from fixing the Ford (music continues)"...with Genuine GM Parts!" (ajingle from 30 years ago.)

Manufacturer: RAYBESTOS
Part Number: 5451335
Quantity Required: One (1)
Estimated Price Range: $25.12 to $29.03
Vehicle Applications: 2000-04 Ford Super Duty 4WD F-250 F-350 F450 F-550 + Excursion
Application Restrictions: May not fit Early 99 to 99.5, depending on whether Front Stabilizer retrofit is/was performed per earlier era Ford TSB,
incorporating a raised sway bar mounting position, axle weldment, and revised end links. If unmodified, then see AC/DELCO 45G0334 below instead.
Product Description: Includes 8 Urethane half flange bushings, 4 shoulder bolts, 4 flange nuts, and 4 washers. (No metal sleeve bushings are included, as the kit uses shoulder bolts in all four positions instead, unlike the 1999 only kit described immediately below)

Manufacturer: RAYBESTOS
Part Number: 5451335
Quantity Required: One (1)
Estimated Price Range: $25.12 to $29.03
Vehicle Applications: 2000-04 Ford Super Duty 4WD F-250 F-350 F450 F-550 + Excursion
Application Restrictions: May not fit Early 99 to 99.5, depending on whether Front Stabilizer retrofit is/was performed per earlier era Ford TSB,
incorporating a raised sway bar mounting position, axle weldment, and revised end links. If unmodified, then see AC/DELCO 45G0334 below instead.
Product Description: Includes 8 Urethane bushings, 4 shoulder bolts, 4 flange nuts, and 4 washers.

Manufacturer: PROTHANE MOTION CONTROL (a division of Dee Engineering, Inc.)
Part Number: 6-1166
Quantity Required: One (1)
Estimated Price Range: $35.00 to $45.00
Vehicle Applications: 1999-2004 Ford Super Duty 4WD F-250 F-350 F450 F-550
Application Restrictions: 32mm sway bar axle mount bushings will not fit Excursion, but end link bushings (the subject of this list) will fit. May not fit some early 1999 applications. Prothane does not provide more specific fit up information beyond "1999-2004"
Product Description: Includes 8 Urethane half flange bushings, 4 metal sleeve bushings for through bolts, 4 washers, and 2 U shaped bar bushings. No bolts, no nuts, no brackets are included. The 6-1166 kit appears to be still available in black or red.

Distributer: Diversified Suspension Technologies (DST)
Resellers: Energy Suspenion Products .com and Prothane Suspension Products .com
Manufacturer: PROTHANE MOTION CONTROL
Part Number: 881166
Quantity Required: One (1)
Estimated Price Range: $29.00 to $33.00
Vehicle Applications: 1999-2004 Ford Super Duty 4WD F-250 F-350 F450 F-550 + Excursion
Application Restrictions: May not fit early 1999. Fits sway bar end links with 1.5" nominal bore diameter (which is most 2000-04 F250-550 & Excursion)
Product Description: End link bushings only. Offered in black only. Includes 8 pieces of urethane half flange bushings, 4 rolled sleeves, & 4
washers. Does not include any bolts or nuts.

Manufacturer: ENERGY SUSPENSION
Part Number: 4.5186
Quantity Required: One (1)
Estimated Price Range: $34.00 to $44.00
Vehicle Applications: 2000-2004 Ford Super Duty 4WD F-250 F-350 F450 F-550
Application Restrictions: 32mm sway bar axle mount bushings will not fit Excursion, but end link bushings (the subject of this list) will fit. May not fit some early 1999 applications. See other ENERGY kits listed below for Excursion specific and early 1999 applications
Product Description: Includes 8 Urethane half flange bushings, 4 metal sleeve bushings for through bolts, 4 washers, and 2 U shaped bar bushings. No bolts, no nuts, no brackets are included. Available in two colors. Append part number with "G" for Graphite (black) or "R" for Red.

Manufacturer: ENERGY SUSPENSION
Part Number: 4.5180
Quantity Required: One (1)
Estimated Price Range: $34.00 to $44.00
Vehicle Applications: 2000-2005 Ford 4WD Excursion only
Application Restrictions: 36mm sway bar axle mount bushings will not fit F250/350/450/550s, but end link bushings (the subject of this list) will fit except for early 1999 model years. See other ENERGY kits listed below for truck specific and early 1999 applications.
Product Description: Includes 8 Urethane half flange bushings, 4 metal sleeve bushings for through bolts, 4 washers, and 2 U shaped bar bushings. No bolts, no nuts, no brackets are included. Available in two colors. Append part number with "G" for Graphite (black) or "R" for Red.

Manufacturer: ENERGY SUSPENSION
Part Number: 4.5192
Quantity Required: One (1)
Estimated Price Range: $34.00 to $44.00
Vehicle Applications: Early 1999 Ford Super Duty 4WD F-250 F-350 F450 F-550 (love the turbo whine of an early '99)
Application Restrictions: Will only fit early 1999 to mid 1999, and that is only if the original sway bar and end links have not been upgraded to a later style, per a now inactive Ford TSB that was issued in 2001 with an available update for early trucks still under warranty at that time.
Product Description: Includes 8 Urethane half flange bushings, 4 metal sleeve bushings for through bolts, 4 washers, and 2 U shaped bar bushings. No bolts, no nuts, no brackets are included. Available in two colors. Append part number with "G" for Graphite (black) or "R" for Red.

BUSHING REPLACEMENT KITS NOT LISTED ABOVE:

Deeza #FOL740 (For Rear Axle Only)
Moog #K80086 (For Rear Axle Only)
MevoTech #MK80086 (For Rear Axle Only)

SPECIAL NOTE

The "881166" part number for sway bar end links available from "Energy Suspension Products .com" is not really an Energy product. Here is the story:

First, the cast of characters:

1. Energy Suspension ... the Manufacturer.

2. Energy Suspension Parts . com .... an independent reseller of urethane suspension parts that are not only products made by Energy Suspension, but are also products made by Prothane.

3. Prothane Suspension ... the Manufacturer.

4. Prothane Suspension Parts . com ... an independent reseller of urethane suspension parts that are not only products made by Prothane Suspension, but are also products made by Energy.


1. Some general notes about Energy Suspension the manufacture:

Energy is not affiliated with Prothane. Their parts do not all come off the same boat from China. They are separate manufacturers.

Energy makes kits for 1999, 2000-2004, and 2000-2005 Excursions. Energy does not offer end link bushings in isolation outside of a kit. The black only 881166 kit is not an Energy part number, nor is it an Energy product. All true Energy products are available in black or red.

Energy does not offer a standard kit for these applications that includes a "greaseable" sway bar bushing. Energy does make greaseable uBrackets, but they are not included in any application kit. The tech sales rep at Energy (manufacturer) suggested drilling and tapping the stock U bracket for the axle mounted sway bar mounting, and drilling a 1/8" diameter hole through the Energy bar bushing in line with the drilled and tapped u bracket hole just drilled, and threading in one's own zerk fitting as an alternative to special ordering a greaseable u bracket from Energy. (This paragraph has nothing to do with end links, it's just an FYI).

Energy makes 3 kits for the front sway bar for the listed applications this research applys to. These kits include both the sway bar end link bushings as well as the axle mounted sway bar support bushings, and are as follows:

2000-2005 4WD Excursion, 36mm bar, Part # 4.5180
2000-2004 4WD F250-550, 32mm bar, Part # 4.5186
1999-99.5 4WD F250-550, 32mm bar, Part # 4.5192

Append any Energy part number with "G" for Graphite (black) or "R" for Red.

Energy typically offers three different durometers (hardness of the urethane) in their products, but for the kits Energy has for the applications listed here, Energy only offers one durometer, their most durable/hardest, with a durometer of 88 "tough".


2. Some general notes about Prothane Suspension the manufacturer:

Prothane is not affiliated with Energy. Their parts do not all come off the same boat from China. They are separate manufacturers.

Prothane only makes one kit for all for 1999, 2000-2004, and 2000-2005 Excursions, called the 6-1166. Prothane does not offer an end link only kit that has been sold as part number 881166. That part number is not a valid Prothane part number. Prothane, however, does indeed make the actual bushings in that "invalid" part number. The part number is actually the result of a large reseller (below) breaking up that one and only one kit that Prothane makes for the 1999-2004 Super Duty, which is part number 6-1166.

Unlike Energy who offers three different kits, Prothane only makes one kit for all applications, and that kit includes the axle mounted sway bar bushings for a 32mm diameter bar. Prothane does not offer a 36mm diameter bar kit. For that, one must turn to Energy.

The durometer of the Prothane end link bushings is slightly less than Energy's, with a durometer of 85A for the Prothane, versus Energy's 88.


3 & 4. Some general notes about the resellers called Energy Suspension Parts dot com and Prothane Suspension Parts dot com:

Neither reseller is affiliated with either Energy Suspension or Prothane Suspension, but both resellers are affliated with each other. In fact, the parent company of both resellers is Diversified Suspension Technologies (DST) which itself has no direct affliation with either Energy or Prothane, but is a major distributor of both manufacturer's products.

Anyhow, it is the two DST resellers that breaks up Prothane's 6-1166 kit, removes the sway bar bushings, and resells just the end link bushings as Part number 881166. They further market this part number under both the Energy Suspension Parts .com and the Prothane Suspension Parts .com websites.

The point of this clarification is, if you truly want "Energy" suspension end link bushings with a hardness durometer of 88, then don't order 881166.
Instead, look for and order the applicable and true Energy Suspension part numbers I have enumerated above, in black or in red, and know that you can order any part number from either reseller.

If you have an Excursion, and want true "Energy" you will have to live with receiving a couple of axle mounted sway bar support bushings that are two small at 32mm for your 36mm sway bar.

On the other hand, if you don't mind the Prothane brand name, and don't mind or would actually prefer 3 less points in hardness with a durometer of 88, then either order the full Prothane kit listed below that will include 32mm sway bar support bushings, or for end link bushings only, order the break out kit that DST markets as 881166. Just be aware that these are not Energy bushings, they are Prothane's.

Personally, I doubt that I would be able to feel a difference between the two brands, despite durometer differences, at least when new. Only time can tell if there is a long term durability difference. And one would need to have both kits in hand to determine any metal hardware differences like the sleeve wall thickness, or washer plating and thickness.

Clear as mud? Hope so. I was really confused about this, so I tore into it, calling both manufacturers, to get answers straight from the horses's mouthgs. Once I got it all straight, it seemed like a useful bit of info to share here on FTE.


Part B:

OPTIONS TO REPLACE ENTIRE END LINKS AS AN ASSEMBLY WITH BUSHINGS PREISNSTALLED:

Completely pre-assembled full replacement front sway bar end links for 1999 - 2004 4WD F-250/350/450/550/Excursions.

FORD MOTOR COMPANY:
1C3Z-5K483-BB - Driver Side Front Left
1C3Z-5K483-BA - Passenger Side Front Right
Revision Note: New design effective date June 21 2001.
Pre-Assembled Link Notes: Includes new upper eyelet bolts prepressed into OEM Sachs style bushings with new dished washer heatshield for the upper passenger side.
Application Notes: Not intended for use in early 1999 models as originally equipped, depending on whether Front Stabilizer retrofit is/was performed per earlier era Ford TSB, incorporating a raised sway bar mounting position, axle weldment, and revised end links. If unmodified, see next Ford link below.

FORD MOTOR COMPANY:
F81Z-5K483-BB - Driver Side Front Left
F81Z-5K483-BA - Passenger Side Front Right
Application Note: For 1999 Model year only, unless TSB was applied.


MOTORCRAFT:
MEF-205 - Driver Side Front Left
MEF-206 - Passenger Side Front Right


MOOG:
K80274 - Driver Side Front Left
K80273 - Passenger Side Front Right
Cautionary Note: I would not assume that the parts sold on that eBay link are actually MOOG, even though the numbers "match". This is due to some eBay sellers listing knock off parts by the numbers of better respected brands.


RAYBESTOS:
5451422 - Driver Side Front Left
5451423 - Passenger Side Front Right


ACDELCO
45G0422 - Driver Side Front Left
45G0423 - Passenger Side Front Right
Branding Note: These ACDelco are simply rebranded/repackaged, and not produced by ACDelco. They are in fact the same endlinks as the Raybestos immediately above.


MEVOTECH
MS40805 - Driver Side Front Left
MS40806 - Passenger Side Front Right

Application Note: Unable to confirm with reliable certainty the difference between the MEVOTECH MS40805/6 front swaybar end links that are 14" length with bend, versus the MEVOTECH MS40812/3 front swaybar endlinks listed immediately below that are also 14" length with bend. The MS40806 appears to include the bushing heatshield, whereas the MS40813 does not. Photographs online from merchants cannot be trusted, due to images being "similar to", but not precisely accurate for, the part numbers described. Pricing for the Mevotechs varies very widely, from as little as $13 to as high as $40, so not even cost is a clue of how the part numbers differ. The Mevotech website, a Canadian company, did not produce results when these part numbers were searched for there.

MEVOTECH
MS40812 - Driver Side Front Left
MS40813 - Passenger Side Front Right
Application Note: (see note immediately above)


DORMAN
905-302 - Driver Side Front Left
905-301 - Passenger Side Front Right
Note: MADE IN CHINA https://www.google.com/#q=dorman+905...n+china+amazon

 

Y2,

A HUGE WOW!! Nicely done. Thanks for all the info. I would imagine that the updated OEM would have a little more give than the Moog which may translate into a slightly nicer ride? The Moog have a life time warranty, can be greased, and are probably heavier duty. Can't remember Moog $s. I'm sure they weren't cheep. This is an older thread and it's been a while. I also wonder how they stack up price wise.

 

I specifically didn't post prices, because prices can change, and more importantly, I didn't want the information to get trapped or truncated in the politics and profits of vendor / sponsor commercialization that distorts and distracts from the community spirit of people just trying to help similarly situated people.

However, the real research is in acquiring the correct part numbers, which are all there. Part numbers make it so much easier to find who has the best price, and to verify that what you are buying is indeed the same part (as opposed to just the description "sway bar end link" alone).

As for which design of sway bar end link is "better", it seems to me that the cross axis ball joint, which allows free articulation of the sway bar endlinks within a limited spherical range, and also provides a positive stop to terminate the articulation with solid stability at the limit of the allowed range, is a more sophisticated implementation. It seems doubtful that Ford would spend the money on a Sachs ZF joint if a cheaper solution, like a rubber or urethane donut, met all the requirements that Ford's chassis engineers demanded.

 

The only time I've had that one off is when I had the tank dropped for the "hutch" and "harpoon" mods. Without some kind of special tools and a few spare knuckles there's no way I could do it with my sausage fingers. When I drop my rear bar for off-roading I just disconnect the bar from the axle and the bottom of the end links and leave the links attached to the frame. Too much of a pain to try and take the links off the frame. The left one is near impossible (as you said) and the right one is so covered in dirt and dried mud that I would just end up with a faceful of grime so I don't even bother.