Suspension Add Me To The Broken Rear Sway Bar Club...

sixt9coug · Apr 12, 2012

Well, I got under my car today to replace a rear shock that I damaged irreparably last weekend, and to install a Mach1 style front spoiler.

All of that went smoothly, but when I was under the back of the car, I noticed that when I was jacking it up the sway bar was moving somewhat independently on one side. Well sure enough, it broke on the driver side near the rear bolt.

Looking it up, it seems it's very, very, very common.

Now, I need to replace it. I'm looking for suggestions to see what you guys recommend. Aftermarket? OEM new? OEM junkyard? If I go the junkyard route, what years and models are the ones to get? V6? GT? Years?

If I go aftermarket, who makes the best one for a very mildly modified car (will have it lowered in a few weeks, but pretty stock otherwise)?

I know it's not a big deal to drive with no sway bar, but the noise it's making now is annoying and I didn't take it off yet. I however have another vehicle to drive so the car will probably sit until I get a replacement. So given that, I'd still like to take care of this pretty soon. Ideas?

ProKiller · Apr 13, 2012

stock replacement will be fine and i think you can use any GT from 94-04. but if you have the cash, the eibach set is pretty good. you'll notice the difference.

VibrantRedGT · Apr 13, 2012

I think the 94-95 Cobra one is better.

sixt9coug · Apr 13, 2012

Awesome. The Ford dealer said that the new stock GT bar is $138 and the new Cobra bar is $132.62. I didn't expect the Cobra bar to be less but hmm.

Now I gotta see if I can get a discount on it somehow lol. If my old body shop can order it I know I can get another 30% off or so. It seems like most used ones are about $40-$50 for the stock GT ones. Would unbroken used be worth the effort?

VibrantRedGT · Apr 13, 2012

This
http://www.latemodelrestoration.com/item/LRS-5772A/94-98-Mustang-Cobra-Rear-Sway-Bar-Factory-Ford

Go here and PM Jarrod to see if you can a discount plus free shipping.
http://www.stangnet.com/mustang-forums/forums/late-model-restoration/

revhead347 · Apr 13, 2012

Just take your stock one to someone and have it welded. I'd do it for you if you lived closer. Cost you like $20.

Kurt

sixt9coug · Apr 14, 2012

I'm gonna hit the junkyards tomorrow. They said the sway bars there are $23+tax. Hopefully they have something

Zero Signal · Apr 14, 2012

It would be wise to replace your control arm bushings before you lose the replacement too. I've been rolling around with no rear sway bar since 2004 after breaking two of them in quick succession. Old crusty control arm bushings will cause a ton of lateral play in the rear axle which bends the sway bar arms about their weak axis right at the rear-most bolt, causing it to fracture. At least that's my theory and I'm sticking to it

Thanks for the CRAP 4-link, Ford

Killa · Apr 14, 2012

my car dont have rear swaybar when i bought it, i guest it broke and owner never replace it, can you take a picture how rear sway bar mount up, im on plan for the replacement too.

sixt9coug · Apr 14, 2012

I had a loose shock that was bouncing around a lot. I jacked up the upper threads of the shock installing it so it wouldn't tighten down. I think the (limited) driving I did with it like that caused enough vibration to break the sway bar.

So my fault. If the replacement breaks too....

(puts on sunglasses)

That might sway my opinion

http://mirrors.rit.edu/instantCSI/

sixt9coug · Apr 15, 2012

I found one through Craigslist and I picked it up today. It is now installed, and my car is quiet once again!
Also, I noticed that it broke right across the driver side rear bolt hole. The break was pretty clean, but it was rusted on one side, and clean metal on the other. I guess there was a break there for a while, but the bouncy shock was just enough to finally kill it off.

Either way, here's a comparison.

Killa · Apr 15, 2012

can you take picture where it support to mount ? i have no idea

sixt9coug · Apr 15, 2012

I didn't take any pics of that. If it helps, it actually mounts in the lower control arms.

Found this pic online... does this help at all?

Killa · Apr 15, 2012

oh so it mount to low control arm ? I thought it mount other place, dam that wat for own camaro for so long. camaro is mount on different place. and i think my 98 gt mount on different spot.

let me run to my car really quick, it dark as hell out side. brb

Killa · Apr 15, 2012

just craw under my car, i dont see any missing holt under low control arm ?

sixt9coug · Apr 15, 2012

here's another pic from online. It bolts from the inside of the control arm and the bolts come through the outer side of the control arm, and thread into these U-nuts that are located on the sway bar itself. There should be two holes in the control arm for the bolts to pass through.

Killa · Apr 15, 2012

link broken

sixt9coug · Apr 15, 2012

It works for me still, but here's the url

http://www.miracerros.com/mustang/sway_5.jpg

Killa · Apr 22, 2012

pix still not work . anyway while doing tranmission mount, i have chance to really look at the rear low control arm. I finally found 2 holt that rear sway bar bolt too, on left side i only see 1 bolt and other bolt missing, and on driving side, still have a 2 bolt with a broken rear sway bar peice lol. so you say find any 94-98 mustang sway bar will bolt right in right ? any different from a v6 or v8 rear sway bar ?

sixt9coug · Apr 23, 2012

I believe even some of the Fox bars will bolt up even though they look different so don't rule those out. I think most of those are only 21mm in diameter.

However, yes, any 94-04 bar will fit V6 or V8. The main difference is that our GT rear sway bars may be a different diameter than other years and engine options. I believe the stock bar is 24mm, but some other GT's are 23mm, and the V6 bars are 21mm if it has one. Some V6 cars didn't have rear sway bars at all.Most guys here seem to think the minor differences in thickness really doesn't have an impact with how the car really handles so any one of them should be fine, and definitely an improvement over a broken one!

My replacement bar is out of a 2002 GT. It bolted right up, but make sure you get the bolts from the replacement bar too. The attachment clips were different than my stock bar so I just transferred them over as well (either that or the guy I got it from gave me the wrong bolts by accident)

Suspension Add Me To The Broken Rear Sway Bar Club...

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