Sway Bars

[JumboFriendly]

I have a front and rear Addco sway bar on the way. What should I know about installation and results that I should expect?

Also, it's been suggested to me to get new end links while I was at it. Could someone explain that a little further, as well, please?

[85crownHPP]

end links are what holds the bar in place up front. new links w new bushings will hold it firmer, stiffer, better.

The addeco rear bar mounts differnt that stock evidently so I cant help ya there

[1987cp]

My main experience with endlinks has been replacing old ones that are rusted out and break when you try to remove them. They're basically just bolts with little sleeves in the middle separating two washer-bushing-component-bushing-washer sequences where "component" is the swaybar on one end and the lower control arm on the other. A lot of people like to use polyurethene bushings to lessen deflection; plain poly bushings are now often available at your local AutoZone or PartsAmerica outlet, and Performance Suspension Technologies has a graphite-impregnated polyurethene bushing called Polygraphite that they claim never needs to be lubricated.

The best bushing for maximum performance is a spherical bushing called a Heim joint. Some cars like my buddy's '98 Eclipse GS-T actually used them from the factory. Our stock rubber bushings are theoretically far inferior but aid in providing a nice, cushy ride.

[Archangel]

Our stock rubber bushings are theoretically far inferior but aid in providing a nice, cushy ride.

True, however a good set of poly bushings (like ENS) when tightened properly will actually hold yer control arms up and act against the spring when jacking up one side of the car. Poly is good, every single rubber component in my Townie's front end (down to the bj boots) has been replaced with poly.

[Pimp Hard Or Bust]

swaybars with bushings on them.





you can see the endlink here.

[1987cp]

True, however a good set of poly bushings (like ENS) when tightened properly will actually hold yer control arms up and act against the spring when jacking up one side of the car. Poly is good, every single rubber component in my Townie's front end (down to the bj boots) has been replaced with poly.

Yep. One guess what I've got on the front of the Mercury! I haven't gotten ambitious enough to yank the contorl arm bushings, though.

I've thought about experimenting with Heim joints, but so far I'm not quite up to randomly drilling holes in my control arms.

[gadget73]

Is this for the 84 or the 03? The endlink setups will be totally different. Not even sure what an 03 has up front, but the 84 looks like the pics above.

[HwyCruiser]

I don't know how much different the 03' Marauder and GM are for the front swaybar, but see if this helps any...

http://www.mercurymarauder.net/reviews/showproduct.php/product/51/sort/2/cat/20/page/1

[JumboFriendly]

This is for the '03, forgot to mention that.

Thanks for that link, HwyCruiser.

[mrltd]

True, however a good set of poly bushings (like ENS) when tightened properly will actually hold yer control arms up and act against the spring when jacking up one side of the car. Poly is good, every single rubber component in my Townie's front end (down to the bj boots) has been replaced with poly.

ES is a waste of money when 80% of the stock replacements you can get at Advance and Autozone are poly... Less than half the price of ES and the exact same part.

And technically, the rubber does the exact same as you described, it just deflects more.

[Archangel]

ES is a waste of money when 80% of the stock replacements you can get at Advance and Autozone are poly... Less than half the price of ES and the exact same part.

The ENS kit was around $60 IIRC, and it came with everything including the spring insulators, sure I could have pieced a set myself but it's end up about the same, well maybe like $10 less - at least with the ENS kit I know what I'm getting, and also don't have to beat shells in/out of control arms.

[mrltd]

I was talking about the endlinks and swaybar bushings. That stuff is the same. Not much choice for the control arm stuff though. I'm running ES in mine also.

[JumboFriendly]

Sway bars both installed as of yesterday. It rained today, so the roads were still wet. I wasn't able to drive as spirited as I'd have liked, but I did manage a couple 70+ mph onramps, and could tell a slight difference. I'm happy with everything.

[p71towny]

Slight!!!??? After mine went on I bout shit myself.

[JumboFriendly]

I didn't really want to push it too much, since it was wet out. My car already handled great since I put those 18s and stickier tires on.