How to Replace Rear Sway Bar Links 2006-10 Ford Explorer
Created on: 2017-05-19
How to repair, install, fix, change or replace loose, worn, or rattling sway bar links on 06, 07, 08, 09, 10 Ford Explorer
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step 1 :Removing the Wheel
- Loosen the five 19mm lug nuts
- Raise and support the vehicle
- Remove the lug nuts
- Pull the wheel off the hub
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step 2 :Removing the Sway Bar Link
- Apply rust penetrant to the sway bar link
- Allow the rust penetrant to soak in
- Remove the 15mm nut from the top of the sway bar link
- Remove the top sway bar bushing with locking pliers
- Hold the sway bar link sleeve with locking pliers
- Remove the 16mm nut from the bottom of the sway bar link
- Remove the bushing from the tip of the sway bar link
- Drive the link out of the sleeve with a hammer and punch
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step 3 :Installing the Sway Bar Link
- Support the control arm underneath the strut with a jack
- Thread a washer onto the sway bar link
- Thread a bushing onto the sway bar link
- Thread the sway bar link through the control arm
- Thread a bushing onto the sway bar link
- Thread a washer onto the sway bar link
- Slide the sleeve onto the control arm
- Thread a washer onto the sway bar link
- Thread a bushing onto the sway bar link
- Thread the sway bar link into the sway bar
- Drive the sway bar link through the sleeve with a hammer and socket
- Thread a bushing onto the sway bar link
- Thread a washer onto the sway bar link
- Set the suspension to ride height with the jack
- Tighten the 15mm nut and bolt
- Tighten the nut to 22 foot-pounds of torque
- Lower the jack
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step 4 :Installing the Wheel
- Slide on the wheel
- Start the five lug nuts
- Lower the vehicle to the ground
- Tighten the lug nuts to 100 foot-pounds in a crossing pattern
Tools needed
-
Hammer
Socket Extensions
Torque Wrench
15mm Socket
Rust Penetrant
16mm Socket
Jack Stands
Center Punch
19mm Socket
Ratchet
Floor Jack
1/2 Inch Breaker Bar
Hi, I'm Mike from 1A Auto. We've been selling auto parts for over 30 years. We're dedicated to delivering quality auto parts, expert customer service, fast and free shipping, all backed by our 100% satisfaction guarantee. Visit us at 1AAuto.com, your trusted source for quality auto parts.
In this video, we're going to show you how to remove and reinstall, or replace, your rear sway bar link. This is a 2006 Ford Explorer. This is pretty much the same for Explorer as well as Mountaineer and Sport Trac. We hope you like this video. If you do, please click subscribe. Also, check out 1AAuto.com. There's a link right down in the description. Find thousands of parts for these Explorers, Mountaineers, Sport Tracs, as well as lots of parts for all kinds of other makes and models. Here are the items you'll need for this repair.
With the vehicle on the ground and 19 millimeter socket or your tire iron, and loosen up your lug nuts. Raise and support the vehicle. You can use jack and jack stands. We are using a lift. Remove the lug nuts the rest of the way, and remove the wheel and tire.
Spray the top of the stabilizer link with some penetrating oil. Let it sit. There’s a 16 millimeter on the bottom for the stabilizer link, and 15 millimeter on top. The nuts usually come off pretty easy on these, but a lot of times the link inside is so rusted that this won't come apart, but we'll see what happens.
If this top bushing is stuck, with a good set of locking pliers, usually you can start twisting it, and lift it up and off. Then, we'll put the locking pliers on the bottom, and we'll just start to try to unlock each piece as we go. I'll put my 16 millimeter back on here. That bushing's free. Get the top bushing here. Top bushing's free. Now, we'll try the plastic sleeve.
This is usually where you run into some problems. Looks like everything's spinning at least. Take a lot of penetrating oil, and go right down from the top and let that sit for a while. We're pretty lucky, because ours seems to be coming apart. Most of the time, when the link goes bad, this shaft is broken anyways, and then things will be so rusty, what you'll end up doing – the easiest thing can be to just cut right through here with either a reciprocating saw or a torch. Ours, like I said, seems to be coming out. We'll put the nut on top. After we've let it soak for a while, we're just going to put the pliers back on there again, twist it around and hopefully that gets some of that penetrating oil to drop down in.
Now, we're using a driving pin. Up to this point, you can lock a set of pliers onto the upper part, and drive the link out.
Place your jack underneath the strut, here. Here’s a new sway bar link from 1AAuto. You can see it's a little bit different from the original, but it's going to fit and function the same way. Put it up into place. I've already got a washer and bushing down here. I've got to put the next bushing with the shoulder facing towards the control arm, and then washer goes on there, and then the sleeve. I'm going to push this up through, and a washer like that. Again, shoulder facing up towards the sway bar.
I want the sway up. Put the link assembly in. With the back side of a socket, drive the whole shaft right up through. The shoulder goes down towards the sway bar. Washer on top. Start the nut on top. At this point, I can put some more pressure on my suspension, but not too much. The bolt and nut are 15 millimeter. I'll preliminarily tighten up the nut. Okay, with a torque wrench, tighten the nut to 22 foot-pounds. Remove your jack.
Reinstall your wheel and tire. Put the vehicle back on the ground. You want to tighten your lug nuts to 100 foot-pounds using a star pattern.
Thanks for watching. Visit us at 1AAuto.com for quality auto parts, fast and free shipping, and the best customer service in the industry.
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