F150 Swaybar end-links on S10 chassis?

Since it's a bitch to dig out of someone's project thread, can we get all the info to date on this option and how it progresses into a thread of it's own. This is an upgrade I'm personally VERY interested in, but awaiting a bit more information on it. If one guy can post the basics I'll move his post up to the title post for the thread instead of this.

Harley and rentedmule are the guys investigating this option

I'll just quote the main discussion we've had so far.

How tall are your new links?

I've heard rumblings that some newer F150 links will work well, but I haven't got my hands on a set to measure how tall they are.  Supposed to be similar to the Ride Tech links, but all one piece, cheaper, and available to purchase locally.

My notes say 2006 F150 4WD and I wrote down 3.4" for the link height.  I think that is the height I'm looking for, but don't remember exactly haha.

I think they were about identical to the linkage joints in the pic so about 4 inches.  I'll measure tonight though since the truck is on jackstands anyway.  Interesting about the F150 links... I'll check that at the parts store next time I'm there.  The pic on rockauto does look a lot like the ones I tried to make!

I'm not sure what the decision is on the F150 endlinks.  They only have a ball joint at one end but it certainly has a much larger range of motion than the crappy ones I tried before.   



I couldn't get a very accurate measurement of my current links - I was in street clothes and didn't want to slide under the truck.  They look to be at least an inch longer between mounting points than my current ones though.  The increase in length with the F150 links may offset any gain associated with the ball joint.  I was in a rush but they look to be roughly 5" between the solid stops and they'd be longer with the required bushing on the non ball joint end. 

The truck is on jack stands at the moment anyway so I'll try bolting them up.  Any input on which side I should put the ball joint?  It may only fit on the sway bar side.  Harley - which measurements in particular do you want?  I run the Spohn LCAs and have the same misalignment issue (see pic a few posts ago).

I second the Ball Joint on the LCA.  That is where the bolts always deform on my truck.

I'm guessing the measurement I took was from LCA to sway bar since I don't have links on the truck at the moment.

I was looking through the Rock Auto catalog and want to confirm you got the 2WD link?  The pictures definitely show the 2WD to be shorter.

No - I got the 4wd link which is what you mentioned in your original post.  You're right, the 2wd version does look much shorter in the pic on Rockauto.  That may be a better starting point - I'll check if they have the 2wd versions in stock locally

Yeah my notes do still say 4wd.  Go figure... haha If only I could go back and remember what I was thinking when I wrote that down.

From the looks of your measurement though something shorter would be better for us.  4wd might not be a bad stock replacement.

I'm still working on this.  I spoke to the parts store again yesterday and they're hunting down options (they forgot about it over the holidays).  The 2wd link is apparently not that much shorter - IIRC the info the parts store had said it was less than 1" shorter than the 4wd link.

I'll talk to my parts guys on the way home today, see if they have any. This generation of F150s is VERY popular down here, so I would be surprised if they're not at one of the stores up here in town. I'll let you guys know if I get anything. 2006 F150 2WD links are the ones we want the measurements on, right?

Yeah.  Those are the ones I've been looking at.  Makes me wish I had access to the Ford parts catalog, but maybe I should start browsing the GM database for candidates too.

So, what's the benefit of running these?

So, what's the benefit of running these?

you (hopefully) dont bend your endlinks every 2 weeks

The other benefit is that you eliminate some the compression associated with the traditional end link bushings.

I didn't get anywhere with my local parts store on these.  They weren't able to track down shorter versions in the same sort of layout.  I'll try to dig through the links at my family's parts store the next time I'm home.

I start at PartSource again next week, I'll see what I can come up with.

Any new info on this?

I did some more online research on this topic today as the Isuzu will need new end links as I reassemble the front suspension.  Did a search on amazon for Pro-Forged sway bar links and came up with a whole pile of options.  Looks like Ford & Ram trucks have been using this style since ~2004 or so.  Toyota has also used them on some trucks and SUVs.  Unfortunately I've got no dimensions still since GM doesn't appear to use this style on any of their vehicles.

Findings, though:

2004 F150 has a side mount lower joint with the bolt through upper in two lengths.  Might be an option to add a tab(s) to the control arm to use this.
2004 F150 RWD
2004 F150 4WD



2009 F150 appears to be of similar length to the 2006, but has a ball joint on both ends of the link.
2009 F150 RWD
2009 F150 4WD



Everything else is of similar style, but with different lengths like this really short side mount from a Mazda 3.
http://amzn.com/B0096O8XKU

There was also this thread, where he measured a moog link from I believe a Ram, but don't quote me on that.  5" which is longer than what we are looking for, but it appears that most of these double join links are on the lengthy side.  Another guy later disassembled, cut, and welded his shorter.

http://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/1566757/1.html

i like what you're doing

Agreed -carry on with the research!

The misalignment of the LCA mounting tabs and the swaybar was a major issue for me when I tried to figure this out. Welding the two ball joint ends together may get things to the proper length but there may be binding without modifying the LCA mounts.

That's why I'm thinking the side mount link could be a great solution.  Weld a tab or two sticking off the LCA and we're back in business.

Quick thought/question: is the shorter link on our trucks better because it is stiffer or because it is shorter?  Obviously the shorter the link the worse the misalignment is.  With a solid, near stock length, link we might still get the benefits of a stiffer link without making the alignment worse.  I'll probably still do something different on the Blazer with the ART arms, but for the Isuzu I have been trying to keep it bolt on.

When I played with endlink lengths, I chose length purely to keep it out of the way of other things.
Frame contact is bad, duh.

ideally the bar will be at perpendicular to the control arm motion at ride height, but lots of OEMs deal with a lot of angle regularly.

the longer the link, the better it is geometrically, if you can fit it.

I'm not sure why we need to weld a tab for the 90 degrree link to work, unless there isn't a longer option. I removed the rivets from my steering stops to remove them, I have two holes there, I could pretty readily put one of these links through.

On a stock arm, you could just drill a hole, certainly.  The reason I'd add a tab other than there not being a place to drill on tubular arms would be to have the axis of the ball joint working to my advantage.  Most of the deflection needed in the link is in the front/rear & up/down plane.  Drilling into the side of the control arm would be the left/right & up down/plane.  That was my main rationale other than not being constrained by the location of the LCA side wall.

Regardless on a stock LCA I'll personally stick with a straight link with the joints if I can find one at the right length.

On a stock arm, you could just drill a hole, certainly.  The reason I'd add a tab other than there not being a place to drill on tubular arms would be to have the axis of the ball joint working to my advantage.  Most of the deflection needed in the link is in the front/rear & up/down plane.  Drilling into the side of the control arm would be the left/right & up down/plane.  That was my main rationale other than not being constrained by the location of the LCA side wall.

Regardless on a stock LCA I'll personally stick with a straight link with the joints if I can find one at the right length.

Me too, we just need to actually find that one...