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Explorer front sway bar--won't work

Boss Hugg

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Jun 8, 2010
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Has no one tried to put an explorer front swaybar on an eb? I’ve found nothing here concerning it, and it just seems like it would fit. So before I go pull one for nothing...???

EDIT: NO. I pulled one yesterday and it's about 3 inches too wide at the outside. But see below...
 
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bronconut73

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Aug 7, 2012
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9,916
You'll need custom length sway bar links, "if" the Explorer sway bar has the right dimensions. The custom length sway bar links prolly ain't too bad. My AutoZone has two or three different lengths. Custom ones wouldn't even be that bad.
The stock one mounted to the radius arms some how....
I believe the aftermarket ones mount more conventionally at the front.
 

yfz450sew

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Mar 25, 2008
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I was wondering if anyone has attempted to (dare I say it) adapt a Rubicon sway bar to a Bronco and make the disconnect work?
 

.94 OR

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The J**P electric disconnect is something like $1700!!

I opted for a Hellwig and I put in my own links to my lower front shock mounts instead of the supplied brackets.
 
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Boss Hugg

Boss Hugg

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haha. "For the money..." Did you SEE the price?? I've got three explorers in my yard, but haven't taken the chance to pull a swaybar off one and try it... Was hoping someone else had.
 

.94 OR

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haha. "For the money..." Did you SEE the price?? I've got three explorers in my yard, but haven't taken the chance to pull a swaybar off one and try it... Was hoping someone else had.

Just not sure the rest of us have 3 Explorers in the front yard to go check. Wait, you do?
 
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Boss Hugg

Boss Hugg

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OK, in my very best Jeff Foxworthy voice . . . . If you have 3 Ford Explorers in your yard, you might be a . . . . . .



Go ahead and say it! I’ll probably own it. Unless there’s a new Jeff Foxworthy joke I don’t know about...????

One belongs to neighbor that wanted me to sell it. No luck...even for parts. Another was given to me by same neighbor for the perfect interior for the one I’m driving. The third is one my dad bought for the power train for one of his broncos.

I need to get some projects out of the way so I can clean up the junk in my (4 acre) yard. Yes I’m a redneck. Don’t think I’d survive unless I was.


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JWMcCrary

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Go ahead and say it! I’ll probably own it. Unless there’s a new Jeff Foxworthy joke I don’t know about...????

One belongs to neighbor that wanted me to sell it. No luck...even for parts. Another was given to me by same neighbor for the perfect interior for the one I’m driving. The third is one my dad bought for the power train for one of his broncos.

I need to get some projects out of the way so I can clean up the junk in my (4 acre) yard. Yes I’m a redneck. Don’t think I’d survive unless I was.

Ha ha ha, right there with you Adam, I are one too !
 

KyleQ

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Apr 24, 2008
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haha. "For the money..." Did you SEE the price??

Did you see the prices of the other sway bars? I was just pointing out for the money spent, the Currie kit seems to offer the best value.

I've got an Explorer rotting away in my yard too, looking at the sway bar might make sense, but not everyone has that option.
 
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Boss Hugg

Boss Hugg

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Did you see the prices of the other sway bars? I was just pointing out for the money spent, the Currie kit seems to offer the best value.



I've got an Explorer rotting away in my yard too, looking at the sway bar might make sense, but not everyone has that option.



I’ve looked at four or five options that are supposedly specific to the bronco. To be honest I feel like people are jacking the price up so that/because they can say that it fits an early bronco. It gets really old. Need a door latch? Hey, it’s specific to an eb, right? No, it’s not. So I look up the price for one on something else that shares that part. Guess what? It’s jacked up too!

Do you get me?

I’m just a guy that likes to fabricate when he has time. If I can adapt a part that’s nearly free, I’m gonna try it. In this case I haven’t made time for it.

And I know there are several people here that do the same, so I had to ask. I’m betting no one has tried it because there really arent a LOT of people trying to run a sway bar, OR lots of folks here just spend the money to bolt a part on and go have fun driving.

BTW, this is also what’s wrong with circle track racing at the local level. It used to be that everyone built what they wanted to run. Now everyone buys it and bolts it on. So the pride of winning is actually a pride on spending.


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blubuckaroo

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I’ve looked at four or five options that are supposedly specific to the bronco. To be honest I feel like people are jacking the price up so that/because they can say that it fits an early bronco. It gets really old. Need a door latch? Hey, it’s specific to an eb, right? No, it’s not. So I look up the price for one on something else that shares that part. Guess what? It’s jacked up too!

Do you get me?

I’m just a guy that likes to fabricate when he has time. If I can adapt a part that’s nearly free, I’m gonna try it. In this case I haven’t made time for it.

And I know there are several people here that do the same, so I had to ask. I’m betting no one has tried it because there really arent a LOT of people trying to run a sway bar, OR lots of folks here just spend the money to bolt a part on and go have fun driving.

BTW, this is also what’s wrong with circle track racing at the local level. It used to be that everyone built what they wanted to run. Now everyone buys it and bolts it on. So the pride of winning is actually a pride on spending.


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I totally agree. The availability of prepared parts has removed some of the cool factor for these cars.
However, there are still some members here willing to use some ingenuity and craftsmanship of their own. I enjoy creativity when someone can make good mod using factory parts available.
Good luck with your anti-sway bars. Keep us posted.
 
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Boss Hugg

Boss Hugg

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I totally agree. The availability of prepared parts has removed some of the cool factor for these cars.

However, there are still some members here willing to use some ingenuity and craftsmanship of their own. I enjoy creativity when someone can make good mod using factory parts available.

Good luck with your anti-sway bars. Keep us posted.



I will. When I get around to it, there’ll be pics in a new thread with a link here. Or if it doesn’t work, I’ll post here and it’ll be documented that “Be it known this day, Adam Huggins tried and failed. Again.” LOL. Hmm... what do I have planned this weekend?


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sykanr0ng

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Aug 11, 2014
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Pride of spending.

I have noticed that in a number of different sports, in some it seems that they could eliminate all the noise by just lining everyone up and measuring their wallets with a pair of calipers.
 
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Boss Hugg

Boss Hugg

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Pride of spending.

I have noticed that in a number of different sports, in some it seems that they could eliminate all the noise by just lining everyone up and measuring their wallets with a pair of calipers.

A lot safer that way. But less entertaining to the people who are paying for tickets...
 

jonpblewis@yaho

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I don't know about the Explorer front sway bar but a long time ago I was at the pick & pull yard. It was half price day.:eek: Anyways I grabbed the sway bars off a big Bronco ( I think,?:? yea pretty sure ) I just had a feeling I could make them work. So long story short. The rear fit perfect on the front. Bolted up under the frame horns and connected it to tabs on the front of the C-cups. The front also worked on the rear but took some fabrication to get it in. I'll see if I can take a pic of it and post it here.
 
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Boss Hugg

Boss Hugg

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I don't know about the Explorer front sway bar but a long time ago I was at the pick & pull yard. It was half price day.:eek: Anyways I grabbed the sway bars off a big Bronco ( I think,?:? yea pretty sure ) I just had a feeling I could make them work. So long story short. The rear fit perfect on the front. Bolted up under the frame horns and connected it to tabs on the front of the C-cups. The front also worked on the rear but took some fabrication to get it in. I'll see if I can take a pic of it and post it here.



When you say big bronco, are you talking 78-79 or a later year?

Most rear bars are somewhat small so it’d work with our c bushing setup and not be too much. But depending on which front suspension we’re talking about, the front bar may have been big or small.

I’m thinking that after you put a small bar in addition to the bushing front design, you probably could use a big bar on the rear, but I’d have play with it to see how it felt.


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