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Rear sway bar popped off

  • Thread starter Thread starter Creomod
  • Start date Start date Jan 15, 2025

Creomod

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#1
  • Jan 15, 2025
  • #1
1989 foxbody coupe driving and I hear noise pulled over and saw this. Elbach sway bar popped off the drivers side control arm. Both bolts were gone.

I installed bolts and when I was going up an incline into gas station i heard a really loud pop and I felt it somewhere under me.Got under car sway bar ok. Had this ever happened to anyone? What could cause rear sway bar bolts to break off one side? I don’t want a control arm to fall out any ideas on what could cause this
 

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Noobz347

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#2
  • Jan 15, 2025
  • #2
They either backed off or sheared. Were they the bolts supplied with the sway bar?
 

Creomod

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#3
  • Jan 15, 2025
  • #3
Noobz347 said:
They either backed off or sheared. Were they the bolts supplied with the sway bar?
Click to expand...
Supplied bolts came with sway bar. But what do you think would cause them to pop off. Plus I heard another loud pop after I replaced the bolts.im looking at the frame,springs,bushings,tourqe box’s ,shocks the perch for the shocks
 

Creomod

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#4
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Supplied ones came with the sway. Any ideas on what would cause this? I’m looking everywhere and I don’t see anything. Does this look normal to tou. Pinion shaft I see something that looks like grey plastic
 

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Creomod

5 Year Member
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#5
  • Jan 15, 2025
  • #5
the grey plastic part thats on the piñon flange to me seems like it’s walked. I know that plastic part dosent sit flush. I don’t know I just know I heard & felt a loud pop & don’t want something to break off while I’m hauling ass on hiway
 

Noobz347

Stangnet Facilities Maint Tech... Er... Janitor
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#6
  • Jan 15, 2025
  • #6
Guesses:

Wrong bolts (lots of folks use hardware store bolts not knowing that they're Grade 5).
No locking feature on the bolts or nuts (Nylocks, for instance).
Something in the suspension is moving around. Maybe a bad bushing, hem joint, whatever is in there.
 
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Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell
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#7
  • Jan 16, 2025
  • #7
My guess is also incorrect grade hardware.
 
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limp

wrap a little cheese around it and its a done
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#8
  • Jan 16, 2025
  • #8
Mustang5L5 said:
My guess is also incorrect grade hardware.
Click to expand...
or possibly a bad batch of bolts..... Go buy some grade 8 and install them.....
 
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