issue with front swaybar...end links?

[hotcobra03]

sway bar

all sway bars are shaped strange,,,all they do is hold up car during turning,,and less road feel...it is an extra /bolt-on item...yes they can break and go ahead try to bend it..1.25/1.50 inch thick solid steel ,,if it was bent it can be restraighten ,,..like a steering stableizer on a truck,,thier is no set spot or adjustments,other than being where it hits nothing and wheels dont hit when turned,,

 

[Mike97gt]

I hope they are OK. Sadly, not having all my tools nearby keeps me from being comfortable with an answer in either case.

I just don't see how the bar could be tweaked forward like that and not do something--the links on each side would have to be bent back (curved) somehow. Not having my jack and stands really stinks.

your sway bar and links are bent. i am reading this on a cellphone tim so the pics are on a 3 inch screen but that link looks to be touching the spring. from what i can see on this little screen and your description you will need to check the mounting brackets to see if those are bent. then check the bar and either way replace ther end links

 

[snowb07]

you can remove the sway bar links and the brackets without lifting the car. just get your hand our there and loosen the bottom nuts

 

[timeless2]

you can remove the sway bar links and the brackets without lifting the car. just get your hand our there and loosen the bottom nuts

I might do this after I get back from vacation. This would at least tell me directly if the links are bent and how badly & would also give me an idea of how much stress is on the bar itself.

Thanks for the tip.

 

[mogs01gt]

I think the bar just moved on the bushings. I highly doubt its bent. Also, DAMN that car is dirty. Was it drove through sand or what?

 

[timeless2]

I think the bar just moved on the bushings. I highly doubt its bent. Also, DAMN that car is dirty. Was it drove through sand or what?

I hope it's not bent, but the only way to tell would be to loosen up the stress on those end links. My fear there is that if it is bent, I'm going to have a hard time getting the bar to mate up with the end links again until it's (and probably they) get replaced.


The prior owner was a slob (it took over 2 hours to vacuum the interior) and apparently took the car down plenty of gravel roads and didn't care if the main roads were laden with salt & sand.
Come warmer weather, I'll have it up on blocks, scrubbing the underside with a soapy brush to get it back to beauty.

 

[bigcat]

if it is bent, there will be pressure on the links, so be careful.

you may not be able to get it back on, but thats not important. you can run no sway bar, just take it easy in turns, especially @ interstate speeds. not a big deal since you are not driving it anytime soon anyway. the risk is if there is pressure on there, it could release all at once, and injure you or the car. you will know when you start loosening the nuts. if they are most of the way loose, and still pressure on them, thats when the danger will be evident to you.

 

[hotmustang331]

You know, I checked my cobra...and my sway bar is darn near in the same position. My car handles EXCELLENT....a buddy of mine has ridden in several 03/04s and says mine handles noticeably better than everyone elses.