Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting Rt. Rear Swaybar bushing mount cracking away

Greetings. Did search, found nothing quite like this.SO:

4.5 yr. old E0 SVT,always mine,44k miles. Had bad sway bar links already, so in 1/2002, ordered BAT sway bar and standard links, had Ford dealer install both.

I thought at first around 5/2002 that the links had crapped out early, based on noises, until the Ford mechanic and I got up close and personal. (background: the car went in shop for an emergency repair (water pump, quelle suprise ma non) which between dealer and FoMoCo was 80% covered although technically out of wty.)

We found a cracking bit of hardware, though:
Pics at http://home.earthlink.net/~jnathanj
are reasonably sharp and informative.

Dealer didn't offer to write off any part of this suspension problem, maybe since they'd just eaten some costs of the new water pump, and also averred that since I'd had installed a "stiff" sway bar (but by their hands, though aftermarket parts), so they wanted me to infer this was my fault.

This car's never been overloaded, has no hitch, done no racing, no nada. I was 40yrs. when I bought it, and though I like to cut a curve now and then, this car has seen light duty. I pretty much drive my age.

And, you know, even if I didn't, this part should not fail in this way, at 4.5 yrs and 44,xxx miles

Ford dealer repair cost:
~200 for a new rear subframe crossmember assy., and 6hrs. @ $80/hr. to install. I told 'em I'd think about it.

I think I'm gonna do one of these:

1) Let a good welder fix it for $50US.
(but the part is so skinny... it's not like we're doing welds on a Mack Truck here--will it work??

2) Bubblitch to Ford until they acknowledge this part was born badly pressed, badly welded, or just made of bad steel.

3) Try to find a whole rear crossmember from a front-wrecked Contour, and let a trusted mechanic put it in (good excuse-time for fresh rear springs and dampers,eh?) Still much labor, though.

Professional or dedicated amateur advice is appreciated here. I don't check in to contour.org except when troubles come, but I usually follow with a donation to the webmasters, so maybe I do my part even if I don't post or visit so often.

Hope some advice may come to me from this well of knowledge. Thank You.

Jonathan Jones, 314.477.4361
jnathanj@earthlink.net

Much discussion in mod suspension forum on this topic. Here's a long one:

http://www.contour.org/forums/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=46;t=000256

Thank you, Horseydug for the pointing.

I must've searched under
"rear sway bar cheesy tab", 'cuz I missed that post.

What's causing the crack to grow is called fatigue. Fatigue is a cyclic event, whereby each cycle causes the crack to get a bit bigger. Your car going over bumps during driving is the "cyclic" part of it.
I'm not sure if welding will help. Those parts are heat-treated to be resistant to cracking and failure. Obviously something is wrong with THAT part.
I would continue to try and find a replacement and to check that part out for any sign of fatigue or cracking before it's installed.
And it only took 5 years of engineering school to learn that...

Mine are going to so I'm going to use the upgraded backing plates. For god's sake don't pay the dealer what he wanted. Seems like these brackets will only hold the stock bar and that's it, anything bigger or stiffer will wreck the mount. Terry also has some bolt in ones too coming out soon so you might be able to go that route if you can't find a good welder.