'79 Sway bars and Assembly links anyone?
 

I'm looking for the link ends (the little bars at the end of a sway bar) for a '79 F-150. Some of the 80's trucks may be the same.

My local parts store can't get them for a '79, but said '80 MAY :-huh be the same but wanted $45 each, OUCH! I'm in MN so most of the stuff I see up here in the junk yards is rusted. (the problem with the ones I have).

Also a BACK sway bar set up for the same (79).

Anyone got these or have a source??

Thanks
Cub.

Ford F 150 only had sway bars on the 4X4's after '80 . The Bronco had them prior to '80 which is where the ones on my '78 came from .

With a 4" lift I had to use the links from a newer F250 to get the reach . I'm pretty sure the offset remaind the same just the length was different so you should be able to match up the length with a later model .

;)

When I ordered my 79 F150 4x4 (SB flareside), I got it with sway bars and skid pans. I'm positive it was an option, and on the build sheet there will be a letter code in B17 called a "stabilizer bar" option. It was also part of the "handling package" for 79.

Cheers!

John

Lifted
I'm not sure what your point is :-huh.

I know they came with sway bars, the donor I have has sway bars. I just can't find replacement parts.

My links rusted out also. On the rear of my 78 I was thinking of fabricating an upper mount point and using the aftermarket type links that are available at many parts stores.

Check out the vans they have the same type sway bars the bars will not work [to wide] but they mount the same way im thinking the links might be longer but still might work check it out. As for a rear bar look under any 78 up thru 96 Bronco. Oh buy the way im guessing your working on a 2wd.

Sorry Cub, I was not very helpful in finding the links you needed. I just noticed someone else thinking that it was only 80's plus and I tried to fill in the gaps is all.

Since everyone is just guessing, do you have a 2wd or 4wd you are needing parts for?

Maybe then we can help you find exactly what you're looking for!

Cheers

John

Yes, I should have stated what I'm working on, sorry.

It is actually a '65 F100 2 wheel drive. I am swapping spindles (disc brakes) and the sway bar. I do not have the rear sway yet. All other parts came off the front clip of a '79 F150.

I know the Mid '70s F250 sway bar set-up are the same, so I would thing the link ends would be the same. The problem: parts stores to spendy, junk yards too rusty.

Plus, I should have all the other parts ready to go in about a week, so I need to track these guy's down so I can get the swap started and done before the cold sets in.

Thanks for the help
Cub

If you have a torch & welder you can make, or modify another set easily.

I checked in a couple of parts catalogs I have and they do show differant part #'s for late 70's applications to the '80 to '86 model years. They list them for about 45.00 ea. also. Keep on looking at junkyards or try to modify something close. Good Luck!

check out the NDP (national parts depot) they had parts for all front and back sway bars. I restoring a 77-shortbox and found them in autowreckers

Auto Krafters has them too. I saw them when ordering my swaybar bushings.

Marty

Sway Bars :
 

When I purchased my '78 4X4 new in Can .there was a sway bar option for rear only which I did not buy off the lot . The stabilizer bar on mine could not be optional as with coil spring front end on the F 150 it is all that ties the front drive to the frame .

Without it I could not steer the truck when moving it with the stabilizer off for new bushings as the whole front end would move from side to side on the springs and radius arms .

Sway bar option both front and rear was available on the Bronco only till 1980
this is the reason mine came off a '78 Bronco which also came with mounts for dual shocks . If the sway bars on the front were available before 1980 my Dealer knew nothing about it . :-huh

Don't know if you have found your end links yet or not. I was in the same boat up until recently with my 79 F150 4x4. I had to get new end links but like you said, the auto parts store did not have that exact part. There are two thing you can do:

Choice #1
I did notice that the SB end links for the 10.25 rear axle on my 2wd 86 F250 were virtually the same except that they were about 7/8 of an inch longer but they do work. I got a set from O'reillys and they were about $70 for both of them and that included all new bushings/nuts/washers.

Coice #2
LMC truck does stock the correct sway bar end links but they will cost you about the same.

My 78 F-250 4x4 has a front an rear sway bar,Im running into the same problem.I found the front end link an bushings.The rear links rusted away and can't find them anywhere either.As far as I can tell they are not aftermarket sway bars.I'm waiting on my build sheet to know for sure.So if you find them let me know.