[reldridge]

I was out the other day, turned a corner, and heard a loud 'boing'.

Didn't think too much until I was at the shop the other day getting an oil change. Took a look, snapped the sway bar. WTF?!? Right at the end, about an inch in from the end-link mounting hole.

Anybody had this happen before?

Ryan

[Focus man. Focus.]

Front or rear?

[reldridge]

Whoops, should have said. Front sway bar.

Ryan

[ZED_not_zee]

reldridge,Mar 17 2008, 09:08 PM Wrote:Whoops, should have said. Front sway bar.

Ryan
[right][snapback]260100[/snapback][/right]

stock? if so I have a stock one if you want...

[SVTGuy02]

I had the exact same issue while I was auto crossing... turns out that it was just the sway-bar endlink. I bet thats what happened to you as well. I would imagine that if you can exert enough force to snap a 21mm bar of metal, you'd blow your tires or something else would break.

Take a look at your swaybar endlinks (they should attach from the strut to the little hole in the end of the swaybar) I bet the swaybar is dangling from the strut, and NOT attached to the swaybar. It's not a big deal really, just get a new one, attach it, and you're good to go.

Maybe pickup some Moog endlinks while ur at it, theyre cheap and good quality!

I paid about $40 shipped for the moog endlinks. The ford ones pre 04 were s*** apparantly (as I know the 02 ones are so flimsy!)

[reldridge]

SVTGuy02,Mar 18 2008, 12:13 PM Wrote:I had the exact same issue while I was auto crossing... turns out that it was just the sway-bar endlink. I bet thats what happened to you as well. I would imagine that if you can exert enough force to snap a 21mm bar of metal, you'd blow your tires or something else would break.

Take a look at your swaybar endlinks (they should attach from the strut to the little hole in the end of the swaybar)  I bet the swaybar is dangling from the strut, and NOT attached to the swaybar. It's not a big deal really, just get a new one, attach it, and you're good to go.

Maybe pickup some Moog endlinks while ur at it, theyre cheap and good quality!

I paid about $40 shipped for the moog endlinks. The ford ones pre 04 were s*** apparantly (as I know the 02 ones are so flimsy!)
[right][snapback]260130[/snapback][/right]

Um, nope. I had it on the hoist. End link is completely in tact, hanging from the strut with about 2 inches of sway bar attached. Sway bar is broken right where it goes from being pressed together for mount holes to full diameter.

Scenario: I turned a corner (from one street to another) at about 40 km/h, and there was a change in elevation (going from county road to town street, about 2 foot total drop over 15 feet). It was my outside end, so it just couldn't bind anymore and snapped. End links are tightened with every oil change, and have been thread sealed on. End links weren't going to move on me again. :P

Besides, I own a Focus, I know what a broken end link looks like. :lol: I've been through 2 sets in 3 years.

Ryan

[silvermist]

sounds like a shotty swaybar there was probably a fine crack in the metal and over time poof.

[reldridge]

Had it replaced the other day. It actually was rusted around the end link mounting hole, and snapped off there.

Interesting, but explainable.

Ryan