Installed the Energy Suspensions sway bar kit today. Not too bad of a job but I will say this, you definitely need a press to get the old bushings out. Those things are in there and in there good. The two kids at the Car Quest machine shop that pressed them out of there were impressed on how much effort it took them to punch them out.
A couple of pointers:
1. Pay attention on the orientation of the links, they are handed.
2. Lots of stuff manages to fall into your hair and eyes while crawling underneath the truck.
3. The sway bar itself is really heavy and it only goes in one way.
4. These instructions are a lifesaver - especially when you don't know which new bushing goes where. No instructions in the kit and there are two different replacement bushings and you need to put them in the right end.2004 F250 Sway Bar Bushing Replacement

AND most importantly... the truck has no more bumps coming from the floorboard!!!! The truck feels like a sports car.

i didn't snap any progress pics because it was too dark last night and I had to hurry. I'll try to snap a few finished photos but the link above does a great job of illustrating the job.

 

Great post Chris, I've got bumps comming threw the floorboard. I'll add this to the to-do list.

 

My passenger side was were my bumps were coming from. It was hard to spot any physical damage on the link or the bar mounts but the new bushings made the whole truck feel so much better. This was one of those repairs that I should have done a long time ago.

 

soo,, that magic question, how much?

 

Did mine about a year ago and I agree with how hard the originals are in there. Took a 20k press and they were still a bugger. Were your the ones with a bulb in the middle?

 

Good deal Chris, this is a important worthwhile mod, noticed better handling a no thumping anymore, mine were shot. And yes, pressing them out is a bugger, paid to have mine pressed out, happy thump free motoring..

 

$32.00 for the kit off of Amazon with shipping. Here's the link: http://www.amazon.com/Energy-Suspens...gy_auto_text_b
$20 for the press job.
$1 worth of bandaids for a couple beat-up fingers...

but getting rid of the bumps...


Priceless...

 

Yes, I have no idea what's holding the OEM bushings in there. I tried a few things with my bench vise, propane torch and I knew that I was not going to get them out of there. The shop used a 20 ton press and you can hear them pop out. Scared the one kid half to death...

 

Nice right up there - saved it for future reference.
Say, I have a slight "clunk" when coming to a stop and it sounds like it is from the driver's side.
I haven't checked the sway bar bushings yet.
After reading this post I think this may be the problem.
I know for sure it is not my hub bearing.

 

Was the part # 4.5186? The reason i asked is because i order them online and that was the part # i hope was right.

 

Yep. Same as mine. Only it was me that loaded up his britches when that sucker finally popped!

 

Different axles have different links.
I have solid axle and my links come as a whole part. $28 discount price at dealer per piece.
No pressing and no bandaids.

 

Yes, that's the part number you want. When you finally get the old ones out, the new ones are two piece and can be pressed in with a bench vice. I used wheel bearing grease to help them press them in. Like I said, there are two different replacement bushings, one for the wider end link and one size for the upper narrow link. Use the bushings stamped 2592 on the “wide” end and those stamped 2593 on the “narrow” end. It makes a difference. plus there is a metal sleeve that goes installs as well but can be done with a bench vise. This is one of those jobs that you need to pay attention on how stuff comes out just to be sure everything goes back or else you spend a lot of time unbolting things... don't ask me how I know this!

 

I could not get those bushings out at home i think ford has them that way so you will buy the links already assembled. I will take them into work and use our big press. Thanks for the reply.

 

Unless you have a 20 ton press, you will not get them out - I'm convinced of this. I had both links out of the truck in 20 minutes but as soon I started hammering and swearing at the first bushing for an hour trying to remove it, I knew I was licked. $20 bucks and 30 minutes of drive time to and from a local Car Quest machine shop and bingo... I was in business. you will laugh once you pop them loose and see what kind of force is needed to get those bushings out of there.