Steeda Front Sway Bar! It is awesome. Transforms the car into what it should be.

[markboris]

Dude, you have me so excited about this. I am going to order the front and give it a shot.

How do you reach the bolts if you don't take the cover off? Through the wheel wells?

What do you think about the different stiffness settings and how it effects the way the car drives? It seems obvious that the car will lean less in turns the stiffer the setting, but how else is ride impacted? I am just interested in your experience as I am definitely a newbie when it comes to suspension modifications.

Mike, you should be excited. I feel like I have a completely different car. I was happy with the rear bar but I am very happy with both. Also, the ride seems to feel smoother but again, waiting for others to verify that.

Taking the under cover off does not expose any bolts. The bolts that hold the clamp down over the bushings are accessed on top. They are easy to see in one of my photos on my front bar review. It is tight quarters in there with a hose just above one of the bolts on the left side and some type of device above one of the bolts on the right side. I used a 13mm socket on a 3/8 inch long handle ratchet. It was just short enough in height to get in there and break free the bolts then I used a 13mm racket closed end wrench to unscrew the bolts. Again, not difficult, just time consuming.

As far as the stiffness settings, I go all the way maximum. I don't test any other settings. I have wide tires so it can take going to max setting. I DO NOT track or autocross this car. Not interested in taking it to the maximum limit of the suspension. Just going 2 miles from my home to Safeway or any store downtown requires me to drive a windy road. Then there is HWY 120 from my house to Yosemtie which takes an hour and that is a great mountain road to drive which I do at least once a month. Basically I like my DD to handle decent and that has been achieved with both of these bars. I do strongly recommend replacing both.

As far as the ride with the bars on max setting, I still feel it is smoother because the bar has more freedom to move up and down opposed to the OEM bar which you seriously cannot even budge. When you take off the end links on the OEM bar, you cannot move it at all opposed to the Steeda bar when mounted you can easily move it up and down as you should be able to. Not sure what type of design this is Ford is using. Maybe someone else has seen this this type of sway bar set up before.

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[kennethjk]

Mike, you should be excited. I feel like I have a completely different car. I was happy with the rear bar but I am very happy with both. Also, the ride seems to feel smoother but again, waiting for others to verify that.

Taking the under cover off does not expose any bolts. The bolts that hold the clamp down over the bushings are accessed on top. They are easy to see in one of my photos on my front bar review. It is tight quarters in there with a hose just above one of the bolts on the left side and some type of device above one of the bolts on the right side. I used a 13mm socket on a 3/8 inch long handle ratchet. It was just short enough in height to get in there and break free the bolts then I used a 13mm racket closed end wrench to unscrew the bolts. Again, not difficult, just time consuming.

As far as the stiffness settings, I go all the way maximum. I don't test any other settings. I have wide tires so it can take going to max setting. I DO NOT track or autocross this car. Not interested in taking it to the maximum limit of the suspension. Just going 2 miles from my home to Safeway or any store downtown requires me to drive a windy road. Then there is HWY 120 from my house to Yosemtie which takes an hour and that is a great mountain road to drive which I do at least once a month. Basically I like my DD to handle decent and that has been achieved with both of these bars. I do strongly recommend replacing both.

As far as the ride with the bars on max setting, I still feel it is smoother because the bar has more freedom to move up and down opposed to the OEM bar which you seriously cannot even budge. When you take off the end links on the OEM bar, you cannot move it at all opposed to the Steeda bar when mounted you can easily move it up and down as you should be able to. Not sure what type of design this is Ford is using. Maybe someone else has seen this this type of sway bar set up before.

Very helpful. I put the rear one on my premium and I do like the results. Although a sway bar shouldn’t help the up and down motion I do feel it’s a bit better. I still have original tires on the car.

do you think the front will also help on the premium model. Long term will I probably look to install Coilovers and change tires to beefier 19” tires.
thanks for all your input

 

[markboris]

Very helpful. I put the rear one on my premium and I do like the results. Although a sway bar shouldn’t help the up and down motion I do feel it’s a bit better. I still have original tires on the car.

do you think the front will also help on the premium model. Long term will I probably look to install Coilovers and change tires to beefier 19” tires.
thanks for all your input

Hi Ken, I for sure feel the front bar will help both in handling and possibly the ride no matter what trim you have. Get that bar installed and let us know what you think. I’m anxious to see what others think of the ride once it’s installed. The front bar made more of a difference (in a good way) than the rear bar did.

 

[kennethjk]

If you run into any issues with installation - feel free to call Jamie or our tech team at 1800 950 0774 - we look forward to hearing your feedback!

TJ

Hi

i didn’t see installation instruction on your website. Is it possible for me to see them

thanks

 

[Anton]

@tj@steeda , Steeda accept crypto?

I'll be getting the front sway bar either way. Already have the rear sway bar. Waiting to do installation until I get all the suspension parts in hand, KW on order.

@markboris, what stiffness setting would you recommend for the front/rear sway bars? I'm riding on 20"x8.5 w/ 255x45.

 

[markboris]

Hi

i didn’t see installation instruction on your website. Is it possible for me to see them

thanks

Steeda normally has instructions you can download but they probably haven’t gotten around to it yet. They will email them to you if you call.

I think I glanced at them but they are not technical and the photos are not the greatest (they never are). Basically these are the instructions. 1. Jack front of car up high enough to remove front wheels and support with jack stands. 2. Remove wheels. 3. Remove suspension height sensor and bracket. 4. Remove sway bar end links. 5. Remove the bolts holding down the U-clamps. 6. Remove the U-clamps off the bushings. 7. Pull out sway bar from the right side being careful not to snag anything. The instructions say to remove lower under shield but I didn’t. I believe it would aid in putting the new bar in to guide it from underneath from one end to the other. I didn’t have any issues doing this myself starting at the right side and guiding it to left side. Had to go back and forth between each side to move and angle it properly to get it through there but just takes a bit of time or you can have another person on the left side helping you guide it through.

 

[markboris]

@markboris, what stiffness setting would you recommend for the front/rear sway bars? I'm riding on 20"x8.5 w/ 255x45.

Steeda recommends the middle setting for both bars so I’d probably start there. If it’s too firm for your tires (if you really push the car) then go to the lighter setting.

 

[mkhuffman]

Rock and roll!

Thanks @markboris for giving me the confidence to try this at home. Going to do the rear and front this weekend, unless something interferes.

 

[GrumblesTheDog]

This seems like a good place to ask - as a relatively inexperienced wrencher, I saw that the WSM manual recommends tossing and completely replacing some of the bolts involved in the shocks and maybe the sway bar too. Do people actually do this? It ends up being a modest amount of extra cash to buy whatever bolts they needs to replace...but if I need to I need to. I don't think any are torque-to-yield, which I could understand.

 

[markboris]

This seems like a good place to ask - as a relatively inexperienced wrencher, I saw that the WSM manual recommends tossing and completely replacing some of the bolts involved in the shocks and maybe the sway bar too. Do people actually do this? It ends up being a modest amount of extra cash to buy whatever bolts they needs to replace...but if I need to I need to. I don't think any are torque-to-yield, which I could understand.

If you are talking about replacing either sway bar with the Steeda bar, they come with all new bolts/nuts so no need to buy anything extra.

 

[mkhuffman]

I did it!

Today I installed the rear and front bars. The rear actually took longer because this is the first time I have done any sort of suspension modification, I did it first and I went slowly. Very slowly. But it was easy.

Any handy person with the right tools can do it. I will post my thoughts on the install later, and I will post my assessment of the handling improvement (it is definitely better) after I have put a lot more miles on it. But initial assessment is very, very good.

I used the firmest setting per Mark's advice. And thanks again @markboris for your advice and encouragement!

Edit: add a car picture.

 

[kennethjk]

I did it!

Today I installed the rear and front bars. The rear actually took longer because this is the first time I have done any sort of suspension modification, I did it first and I went slowly. Very slowly. But it was easy.

Any handy person with the right tools can do it. I will post my thoughts on the install later, and I will post my assessment of the handling improvement (it is definitely better) after I have put a lot more miles on it. But initial assessment is very, very good.

I used the firmest setting per Mark's advice. And thanks again @markboris for your advice and encouragement!

Edit: add a car picture.

Did the second pack of grease come in handy doing the front and back sway bars, LOL

 

[mkhuffman]

Did the second pack of grease come in handy doing the front and back sway bars, LOL

Actually, I only used about a quarter of one container total, front and back, and I was excessive with the application.

 

[Z-one]

Actually, I only used about a quarter of one container total, front and back, and I was excessive with the application.

Remind me did you have bounce issues? Curious if this helps with that.

 

[HuntingPudel]

Huh. Zerk fittings on the end link ends. I guess those of who are getting these bars will have an excuse to go and get a lube job. ??

Seriously, looks like a 90 degree zerk would be a good idea for the upper. ??

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