I am having trouble re-installing my sway bar. Specifically the new end links. I just can’t get enough leverage to get the last end cap and nut on.
I did manage to get it started on one side, but was unable to do the same for the passenger side. I’m on the garage floor on my back, so that doesn’t
help. Should the sway bar bushings be loose, or snugged up to the frame, before installing end links. End link bolts, top down, or bottom up, not that I think it should matter.
Any tips or tricks? Should be a simple job, but I’m struggling with it.
Good news/Bad news! Good news is I got it done, only took me 4 hrs+/- bs-ing w/the neighbor, filled hummingbird feeder, watered the orange tree,etc.
Bad news is it took me 4 flippin hrs. lol
Oh well I prevailed, yay! On to the next project.
Are you sure you have your sway bar installed the right way and not upside down / reversed? My understanding is that they should fit on there pretty easily without having to force / strong arm anything. Mine just slipped into place easily.
Upside down… I would say no. What I did notice was that the sway bar end, was not squared/perpendicular to the bolt. This caused the rubber bushings to not seat flush in the sway bar end. Maybe the sway bar is somehow bent? It did not look bent, but I’m no expert.
I watched several youtube videos, to see if I was doing something wrong, however my sway bar looks to me, like it is mounted correctly.
If it’s an aftermarket sway bar, the non perpendicular nature is normal and the length of the sleeve should be shortened to keep the bushings from being bound up.
Since you indicate that you have a set of “new end links” are these the Cougar specific end links, or are they for the Mustang ? If I recall correctly the Mustang end links ( the main long bolt ) was 9 1/2 " in length, with a 5 1/8 " spacer. The Cougar used a longer bolt which was 11 1/2 " with a spacer of 7 1/8". Is this what was causing you such trouble to get the last bushing, washer and nut installed ? Just a thought…
I think he is working on front S/B and you are thinking rear.
Kits don’t provide a long enough bolt. Go get longer ones at hardware store.