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Sway bar end links NAPA brand!?

D

dubsac2

CEG'er
Joined
May 28, 2007
Messages
137
Location
pig's eye, land'o'lakes
Has any one bought the NAPA brand sway bar end links? Well I did...These things are thick! The OE will be compared to a pinky and the NAPA brand is a thumb as far as thickness of the bar go. It's also nice that the can be greased, with them having a greasing pin. I didn't take pics, but I should, maybe I'll dig in the garbage and fish out the old one to do a side by side. If you need an end link up front, these are nice and inexpensive.
 
thicker where? at the top where the bushing is or in the stud? its not going to matter how beefy the top of the link is if they have to use the same size thread and nut as stock.
 
i think they are talking fronts, so thicker im assuming means it has a thicker shaft between the 2 ball joints.
 
From all the links I've used in the past, OEM thin aluminum ones made in Japan, survived the longest. $70 for a pair at the dealer is not a bad deal either. MOOG are think but wear fast, even if lubed on time.
These are the ones I'm talking about.
Part# YS7Z-5K484-AA
Picture084..jpg
 
over_30k said:
From all the links I've used in the past, OEM thin aluminum ones made in Japan, survived the longest. $70 for a pair at the dealer is not a bad deal either. MOOG are think but wear fast, even if lubed on time.
These are the ones I'm talking about.
Part# YS7Z-5K484-AA
View attachment 8195
Click to expand...

Those lasted half as long as the MOOGs. I've come to the conclusion there are no good front endlinks.
 
Yeah well the Ford ones just snap in half. They're pathetic. The stronger links, like the MOOG, still have the same size stud, obviously, and they break. So it's kind of like a lesser of two evils.
 
zorrex said:
Yeah well the Ford ones just snap in half. They're pathetic. The stronger links, like the MOOG, still have the same size stud, obviously, and they break. So it's kind of like a lesser of two evils.
Click to expand...

ive never had a front endlink snap. even the stock ones that were on my old pre98, which were original, never had a problem with them. they did get a little sloppy after so many miles and years, but thats pretty normal wear for a ball joint. :shrug:

also, FWIW, the ball joint type link is necessary to allow for the movement when turning the wheel.
 
The old endlinks were fine. The "redesigned" Ford ones (the only ones you can get through Ford now) bend/snap. My old endlinks were in good shape, save for the joints, which is why I replaced them.
 
striker2 said:
ive never had a front endlink snap. even the stock ones that were on my old pre98, which were original, never had a problem with them. they did get a little sloppy after so many miles and years, but thats pretty normal wear for a ball joint. :shrug:

also, FWIW, the ball joint type link is necessary to allow for the movement when turning the wheel.
Click to expand...

so a side note/question. how to tell when they have worn out?
 
when you can move them up/down by hand and feel them clunk, they are gone. you will start to hear the clunk when going over bumps first (like my gravel driveway, is a great test), just like in the rear, only it comes from the front and can sometimes feel it in the steering wheel.
 
OK, a few pics...
I have installed the left side W/the NAPA part, the right has the OE, and a few pics from the trash of the old OE I cut out and the box of the NAPA part W/part #.
DSC03914.jpg

DSC03913.jpg

DSC03912.jpg

DSC03910.jpg

DSC03909.jpg

DSC03915.jpg

DSC03906.jpg
 
The grease is all piled up around it, as is break fluid and grease for the CV joints (check the last pic.) After I'm all finished with everything I'll go back and clean the whole thing up. The car is only half together right now(front pass door, both fenders, wheel well inserts, both bumpers, rear pass suspension.) The priority now is to get all of the parts on, sand the painted body parts get those on, clean, buff, wax and drive. I don't think I drove it yet this year?
 
striker2 said:
also, FWIW, the ball joint type link is necessary to allow for the movement when turning the wheel.
Click to expand...

I understand why they went with that type but this was the first car I've had where it wasn't just a vertical link with a bolt on the bottom.
 
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