Swaybar?

[jd350az]

Sway bar bushings are old and rotting so I was thinking of replacing them but also reading how larger sway bars help. Are there upgrades available off the shelf or do I have to get lucky and find an old box wagon in a pick and pull?(I havent found any boxes in any junk yards yet unfortunately)

[Kodachrome Wolf]

The sway bar I have for a Box just bolts to the rear control arms. There's little spacers that go between the control arm, but that's it. I've not encountered a sway bar on any wagons in the junkyard, only the sole 1990 P72 I came across a while ago.

The '92+ cars use the swaybar end link setup on the rear. Grabbing a rear bar off of a HPP helps since those had thicker bars than the regular cars.

What year vehicle are you working on?

[jd350az]

1986 LTD Crown Vic

[sly]

Addco makes upgraded bars for these boats, but the rear bar is a little janky either way you go. The setup with a factory rear bar is less janky though. Stock bars are generally better for ease of use though. Finding a wagon or police/fleet car that hasn't already been stripped of their bars is probably the best bet. for the rear though, just take the lower control arms with the bar. Then there's no issue trying to get things to work with your current control arms.

[Tiggie]

Check your current front bar. If it's 1 1/8in then it's already PI spec, and some sedans lucked out. A wagon is bigger slightly but hollow so the difference is marginal.

No wagon every got a factory rear bar as the handling suspension option wasn't available (who wants a station wagon that carves corners says Ford?). The PI rear bars are like needles in hay stacks these days. Found several of the smaller handling option bars lately. Any rear bar is better than none, and they make a noticeable difference with good shocks and tires.

[jd350az]

Well the swaybar bushing ripped the edge off and slid off to the side so I guess that's it's way of telling me to replace it lol.

[phayzer5]

IIRC, the front bar on the newer panthers mounts to the spindle with some silly looking end link, so if you had a 98+ big brake upgrade you cou'd do that (not sure if the spot is there on earlier spindles). I don't know if the bars are the same, but the older design end links that go through the lower control arm certainly are much more sturdy. Its been awhile since I thrashed on mine with a full set of bars, but I'm pretty sure I felt a seat-of-the-pants difference with the wagon front upgrade. PI rear - no questions there's a difference

[sly]

the lower control arm still has the hole for the box style front bar and links though.

[His Royal Ghostliness]

With the big-brake upgrade you can go either way for the front, personally I do prefer the box-style end links with the straight-thru bolt for ease of installation and simplicity and durability, but obviously the newer-style with the ball & socket joints do offer some marginal increase in stiffness.

The rear bars, I'm actually surprised wagons didn't get them standard-issue, seeing how they ass is much heavier than that of a sedan and thus much more prone to fish-tail. Was there tow package available for wagons, maybe that got the rear swaybar (to avoid the tail wagging the dog issue)?

[knucklehead0202]

I run an addco front bar and a PI rear bar on my '90 and the difference is REAL. Didn't notice much with the front bar but the rear made a HUGE difference. It's no slot car but most of the "lean" I feel now has to do with shitty flat seats with no bolstering. Seriously how do you corner fast in these cars without sliding all around. I have to steer with one hand and brace with the other. With the big tires though it sure sticks.

[sly]

Cloth seats and jeans. You tend to stay put pretty good... or you hip check the door and arm rest.

[jaywish]

Better Headlights, better sway bars, big brakes/wheels & good tires, trans cooler & 3G alt FTW. (HO & better speakers are also real nice) Posi for those who live in slippery areas.

[87gtVIC]

IIRC, the front bar on the newer panthers mounts to the spindle with some silly looking end link, so if you had a 98+ big brake upgrade you cou'd do that (not sure if the spot is there on earlier spindles). I don't know if the bars are the same, but the older design end links that go through the lower control arm certainly are much more sturdy. Its been awhile since I thrashed on mine with a full set of bars, but I'm pretty sure I felt a seat-of-the-pants difference with the wagon front upgrade. PI rear - no questions there's a difference

I dont think the newer bars are the same.

Here is my install of a newer bar onto my big brake swapped 87 Vic.

http://www.grandmarq.net/vb/showthread.php?26257-My-1987-Two-Door-Crown-Victoria-AKA-THE-BROWN-BLOB&p=780673&viewfull=1#post780673

[jd350az]

Replaced sway bar bushings and end links, much more solid feeling and no clunk on the way into work today

[LRGMARG]

In an effort to continue adding to this thread, and answering my own question..... I pulled a rear end axle assembly from a '95 P71 to transplant into my '91 Colony Park. I wanted to ask if I would be able to use the swaybar that was on the P71 on my Colony Park.

I did notice that the lower control arms on my Colony Park resemble those on the P71... not like the earlier Panthers that had the sway bar bolted directly to the lower control arms. I looked underneath the Colony Park and did notice an area on the frame, that appears to have a hole where I could attach the swaybar endlink.

Can anyone confirm if I can use that swaybar assembly off of the '95 P71 on my '91 Colony Park?

P.S. Would I be able to use the complete driveshaft assembly from that '95 P71 on my Colony Park as well.... Is the yoke the same length and number of splines?

Thanks In Advance