F150 end links into stock LCAs?

I ordered these on a suggestion from this site but didn't actually get any feedback on how to install them. What orientation are you guys running these?  I'm guessing the ball joint end down towards the LCA? As for bushings, the stock end link has them on the sway bar mount and the LCA mount, the f150 endlinks only came with one set of bushings for each end link. Can I mount it directly to the control arm with no bushings? Or should I pick up an extra set of bushings for mounting to the LCA?

Bushings go in the sway bar and the ball joint in the control arm. The bushings are what take up any deflection, but so does the ball joint, so you only need either of the two not both at each joint.

Most of the deflection happens on the control arm side; that is where I've heard and seen most bend their end links, which is one of the main reasons to go with the F150 over factory. The ball joint has more articulation without binding/bending than the bushings.



I did the same on my aftermarket LCA's, but added in some angle to the tab to improve the mounting geometry a bit too.

Thanks, I ended up installing them late night, I ended up doing it the same way you've suggested.

As far as the zq8 bumpstops go. The dorman ones I have are a white plastic. Also the little alignment nub that goes in the second control arm hole to keep it from spinning as you tighten it was off by 1/4", i just put it to the side of the arm and it held while I tightened it. Are the dorman ones equivalent to the ZQ8 ones? it appears to be completely different material. I don't have any ZQ8 ones to compare to except for the early triangular zq8 bumpstops. Is it worth switching to the oem ones?

I don't think I've run the Dorman yet. I always find a comparable deal on the OEM part shopping the part number around google, so couldn't tell you if it is worth it or not. There probably isn't much of a discernible difference though even if they do fit the hole right haha

I went a little overboard on my setup, but there is zero bind at all extreme suspension heights.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/9vbNmThLXMAkd6fQ7

I definitely have 0 bind on my Blazer with the custom mounts on my aftermarket lowers an d F150 links. I ran that thing through so many cycles while chasing clearance for everything, but never cycled the stock arms on the Hombre.


Your setup might benefit from one of the 2004 F150 end links with the side mount. You could get rid of that upper bracket and run an off the shelf link.

http://www.pro-tourings10.com/index.php?topic=1101.msg13352#msg13352

I have a Hotchkis 1.375" bar, and it required a few "adjustments" that swayed me toward adjustable endlinks.

The first issue is that the bar is not bent 100% "flat".  With the swaybar detached & the truck sitting level, equal length endlinks would cause it to lean.  The difference in the bar is probably 1"-1.5"; ride height difference would probably be much less though.  I guess this is similar to corner balancing, but I'm not nearly that advanced...

The other issue is that there is a notch cut out for the idler arm that dictates a min/max bar angle, regardless of ride height.  Having the ability to fine tune the angle was needed.

One more non-endlink issues is that the the drivers side endlink flange would rub on the spring pocket.  I took a grinding wheel to the bar to solve this issue.


Overall, I wonder if this bar is more hassle than it's worth.  I have been considering going back to the ZQ8 bar or a fully adjustable splined bar, but for now everything functions (even if the extra endlink brackets are excessive)

What is the diameter of the Hotchkis?

What is the diameter of the Hotchkis?

1 3/8".  I have no idea what the rate is.  It's hollow, but I don't know the wall thickness.

I have no idea on the ZQ8 bar rate either, but going by diameter Hotchkis only has less than 0.1" on the ZQ8.

I'd be wondering if it was worth the effort too haha

Fully adjustable splined bar would be trick. That black widow muffler truck built a few years back put one on top of the frame up front to gain some extra clearance.

I bought it a long time ago before I knew much about suspensions, and it's been on ever since (the rear one too).

 It's definitely stiffer than the ZQ8 bar, I suspect the material is different or heat treated. I noticed a huge reduction in lean with the stock geometry... Which might not be needed as much with the tall ball joints raising the roll center. Unless I go huge with the front tire...

Another issue that this bar uncovered, is that there felt like a lack of spring & dampning for the first 1" of travel when entering a driveway at an angle (and other similar conditions).  The truck would rock back & forth bouncing off the stiff swabar.  My current setup doesn't do this nearly as bad, so either the shocks, springs, delrin bushings, spherical endlinks, or raised roll center made it less noticable... So I guess I'll never know.

Something with the material must be different unless they shortened up the arms a bit. I think it is Belltech makes a set of bars that are nearly identical in size to the Blazer bars, which seems silly unless they use different materials. They could go hollow to save weight, but that's not something I've seen them market it for.

I take it you had the ZQ8 bars before the Hotchkis?

Yeah, I had the ZQ8 bars first (with polyurethane mounts & endlinks).  My truck actually started as a ZQ8... the only ZQ8 parts left are the steering box, frame brace, & most of the rear springs (overload removed).  The rear springs are probably next to go, as I keep inching closer to the JSM 3-link.

The swaybar arms are very close in length to OEM, the extra thickness is just material

RideTech also makes their "Muscle Bar" which is smaller than Blazer/ZQ8 (it is 32mm hollow).  I wonder if its rate is any stiffer. https://www.summitracing.com/parts/art-11399100?seid=srese1&cm_mmc=pla-google-_-shopping-_-srese1-_-ridetech&gclid=Cj0KCQjw-JvaBRDGARIsAFjqkkrQGHgccK6yqNPVDxlLh0BUzC1KvRWTxwSJ6BLjmJsFFHt0j6q9dgsaAgJ3EALw_wcB

Makes me wonder if any of these companies know the rate of their bars and/or the factory bars. Going to the Ride Tech site all the details are marketing lingo. And they claim it is a "larger diameter" bar too. I guess if I really wanted to know I'd start emailing and calling haha, but I'm not dropping $425 on a sway bar anytime soon.

I'm not convinced RideTech knows much about handling at all.  It feels like they bought out another company, and just re-branded everything (probably when they changed their name from Air Ride Technologies).

"What says “performance” more than a set of tubular control arms! After all of the time and effort expended on your ride, you definitely can’t let your stamped OEM control arms detract from all that work."   

I also find it funny that their suspension kit consists of a front suspension that was clearly designed for handling, with their rear air-bar that has a non-articulating bushings and is only meant for up & down travel.  That must be why they don't make a rear sway bar... the rear can't roll much anyway.

I looked hard for swaybar options and wasn't convinced anything was better than the ZQ8. The splined bar on the black widow mufflers truck didn't work - it's in one of their threads or a follow-up article that it was totally ineffective on course unless they revised it again.

I also looked for custom options and no one was willing to do it. A hollow 36 mm bar like I have on my car would be nice but going to a much heavier spring may negate the need. The UMI race package uses an 800# coil, which would likely reduce roll a lot.