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

[azerik]

Except the instructions say otherwise. That's what throws me. And the fact that Steeda still sends them out without greased endlinks and red loctite.

The angle of mine

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[mkhuffman]

Except the instructions say otherwise. That's what throws me. And the fact that Steeda still sends them out without greased endlinks and red loctite.

The angle of mine

Well, if you look at picture 5, the end links are pointed in opposite directions. So that is how I installed them. I don't have the original installation instructions for the bars I received (I threw them away), but I don't remember picture 6. My installation is using the configuration shown in picture 5. Maybe the "new" end link configuration is supposed to help prevent the interference we noticed?

It is concerning that you have noises coming from the suspension due to this mod. The only noise I had was before I lubricated the end links. Other than that, I have heard nothing. Also, it should be noted I used the lube on the bar bushings that @markboris recommended. So maybe the lube you used is not as good as what I used, or maybe you didn't lube enough. It is hard to diagnose via the forum, obviously.

The bottom line? After I cut the ends off the front bars, and lubed the end links, I have had zero issues. And I will never go back to stock. I trashed my stock bars about a month ago.

 

[tannerk89]

@azerik I would double check to make sure all torques were correct, and loctite to keep them that way. An end link that loosened up after 20k miles or so gave me similar noises to your description. It’s a pain to Jack everything up and recheck it all, but it’s worth it if you fix the mystery.

I believe you have the ball joints installed in the correct orientation per Steeda’s instructions , both going the same direction. But I honestly don’t know if it matters.

 

[markboris]

I'll throw my two cents in here.

When I first installed these back when they came out, I didn't read the instructions at all and installed the end links in opposite directions as they came from the factory because that is how I took it apart. I ran with them this way for at least a month or so with no issues until I think it was Tanner or another member noticed there was some contact of the end of the bar with other suspension components. I then removed the last hole (grounded off 1"), pumped 3 shots of grease in the end links and reversed the lower end link to point towards the tire as Steeda's instructions had suggested (because I found out that's what others were doing). Like Mike, I've not had any issues. That was 7 months ago and I've put more than 8K miles on the car since then.

 

[azerik]

I probably wont be able to get under it again until Sunday. My plan was to move to the softest hole in attempt to try to lighten the harshness of the front (which isn't really needed for the ride but more an experiment in the ride). I'm thinking though if the bar contacts the tie rods the endlinks on the softest setting surely would. I have now felt 4 times when going full lock there's a spot, almost at full lock where it feels like it's pulling over a hump to get to full lock. Like a compound archery bow. I think it's when full left lock. Turn, turn, resistance (feels like binding), no weight, lock. Sadly that's probably pointing to the steering or steering wheel. Either way I'm sure the dealer would discount it and blame the bar(s). My crappy plan is pull the front bar out and put the factory back in. Leave the rear and hope for the best as the rear is more work than I want to deal with for something in the front being wonky. I've got a bit over 2 weeks before the appt.

I know the top boot on the driver link squirted out grease. This is probably the one that I put 5 pumps in. It maybe also the one that's making noise. While in there I'm going to bend that pump bracket as the plug for the pump is close with the wheels off the ground. This isn't so much a fix for anything vs just knowing it's out of the way, more.

Due to the harshness of sharp bumps I've pulled parts of the frunk out that I could tap and see they'd rattle. This helped some. However the frunk it's self also seems to possibly be part of the low toned clunk. I havn't looked into what it takes to pull but I think I can put a large swath of dynamat on the bottom of it from under the car whilst dealing with the pump. For now I loaded it with the charger and a towel to weight it. Also helped some.

My thought with the endlink clunk was how far the link moves on the top with the angle it's at. Seeing as it's a sharp clunk. It also changes pitch based on if I'm turning or going straight. Eyeballing my bar (which appears shorter width wise) it'd make less of an angle in the endlink if I put the bottom the other direction. People that have experienced Heim joints have an idea of what I'm thinking with this. Where the bolt contacts the outter body and clanks.

 

[HuntingPudel]

I am still running my end links with the bottom end in “backward” (factory orientation). No noise since greasing the bushings and the end links. The last hole is cut off of the bar due to interference with the tie rod ends.

@azerik do I see washers between the end link and the bar end? I installed without washers in there.

 

[azerik]

No washers. None were given.

 

[azerik]

Lunch was nuts and loctite

I only heard the clunk once. (Usually my road is a symphony of rattles and clunks) Dismounted the whole thing. Moved the bar as far forward as I could, previously it was as far back as possible. I could swing the bar and not hit anything in either position. I still hear a suspension creek when weight transfers at a stop. Also moved to the lightest hole.

it appears loctite got between the nut faces and the strut mount. I didnt realize that mount area had a oily film on it. But no signs of the bolts moving. The bar bushings themselves were cocked a little, it was causing the bushing to be loose on one side and tight on the other.

Now that this is much better the brakes are pulsating like hell if I apply them and not 1pd. I swapped the front tires to see if the vibration moved to the other side. Haven’t jumped on the freeway yet.

 

[mkhuffman]

No washers. None were given.

Did you say if your half shafts have been replaced? If not, you probably have that issue also. Ford replaced mine.

 

[azerik]

No they havn't been. But when I mentioned those he said "put it back to stock"... Grrrrr
I've confirmed I only get the clunk on specific bumps now and it doesn't sound metal so it might be frunk pieces reverberating. My 'Death road' (warner west at the 101) was not the teeth jarring fun it's been for the last week. The lightest front setting, middle rear allowed the front to stay level while letting the rear kick out getting on the freeway. Tires I think would probably complete it. I'll be running over to the EA station down the road this weekend. As it is I'm much much happier than I was this morning. The front no longer pogo's over everything like previously. I only got a pop from the rear bar that probably needs 1 bolt (you all know the bolt) tightened

Steeda said that the old and 'new' bars have exactly the same specs weight wise.

I think my brake thing is probably needing to try to re-bed them. I wouldn't think these could end up glazed but who knows. Hopefully I don't knock out the HVJB or they can work on that too..

 

[mkhuffman]

No they havn't been. But when I mentioned those he said "put it back to stock"... Grrrrr
I've confirmed I only get the clunk on specific bumps now and it doesn't sound metal so it might be frunk pieces reverberating. My 'Death road' (warner west at the 101) was not the teeth jarring fun it's been for the last week. The lightest front setting, middle rear allowed the front to stay level while letting the rear kick out getting on the freeway. Tires I think would probably complete it. I'll be running over to the EA station down the road this weekend. As it is I'm much much happier than I was this morning. The front no longer pogo's over everything like previously. I only got a pop from the rear bar that probably needs 1 bolt (you all know the bolt) tightened

Steeda said that the old and 'new' bars have exactly the same specs weight wise.

I think my brake thing is probably needing to try to re-bed them. I wouldn't think these could end up glazed but who knows. Hopefully I don't knock out the HVJB or they can work on that too..

That is very frustrating. Have you tried another dealer? They will get paid for the repair regardless. If the cause is the new sway bar, you pay. If the cause is the half shafts, Ford pays. I really don't understand why they won't work on it.

 

[azerik]

I think I'm at a point where I can take it in for the recall and sync work. Ignore the other things as I havn't seen anyone break a half shaft and end up stranded. I don't pound on the car so I don't figure the half shafts will be an issue. The brake TSB is though. I don't see how they could blame bars for the brakes. rather than ripping it out and taking it in stock I've got room to keep the stock bars around. If they give me crap I'll take it back in with them on it.

 

[azerik]

Welp clunks are all back. I've torqued the endlinks all around to 100lbs. No change. I'm starting to think I'm chasing broken front axels with occasional clunk from the rear. Manhole covers seem to be the worst. We have thousands of expansion joints that've been banaided with sealer. Yesterday it warmed up to about 70 and in the afternoon there was a lot less noise. Which leads me towards the axels based on other reading. I did put the tires back up to 40f/42r which helped the low freq. womp when going over these same bumps. The higher freq womp doesn't reverb through the entire car quite as well as the low freq. Chasing my tail sadly. I'm not thinking the bars cause it but rather they help make it more obvious.

 

[mkhuffman]

Welp clunks are all back. I've torqued the endlinks all around to 100lbs. No change. I'm starting to think I'm chasing broken front axels with occasional clunk from the rear. Manhole covers seem to be the worst. We have thousands of expansion joints that've been banaided with sealer. Yesterday it warmed up to about 70 and in the afternoon there was a lot less noise. Which leads me towards the axels based on other reading. I did put the tires back up to 40f/42r which helped the low freq. womp when going over these same bumps. The higher freq womp doesn't reverb through the entire car quite as well as the low freq. Chasing my tail sadly. I'm not thinking the bars cause it but rather they help make it more obvious.

I noticed my half shafts made more noise when cold. Mark noticed the same thing.

 

[21st Century Pony]

Try a good quality specialty suspension shop for a diagnosis.

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