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Question for 1st Gen guru       #: 2033
 Moderated by: NoPower, Mike69, MaDMaXX,
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 Posted: Sun Mar 8th, 2020 04:35 pm
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mark40
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Did the 1st gen 2wd trucks have sway bar mounted behind the axle, then moved to in front of axle for 90 model year?

Thanks
Mark.

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 Posted: Sun Mar 8th, 2020 08:48 pm
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410customs

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as far as I know the 83-89 Ranger REAR sway bar is mounted in front of the axle

Like this



This is very similar to how the factory sway bar was on my 88 Bronco II



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 Posted: Mon Mar 9th, 2020 08:25 am
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Thanks for the picture. I was however referring to the front bar and neglected to put it in my original post. Duh, sorry.

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 Posted: Mon Mar 9th, 2020 09:32 am
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410customs

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1983 Rangers had the sway bar behind the axle, mounted in the radius arm crossmember
Some 84-88 extended cabs were this way also


Everyone else was in front of the beams



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 Posted: Mon Mar 9th, 2020 10:18 am
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That is what I thought. So I should be able to adapt a 90 + front bar to my 88? I just need some brackets to attach the links to the beams? Maybe 90 + brackets?

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 Posted: Mon Mar 9th, 2020 11:43 am
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yes absolutely
In fact my 88 BII was running 93 explorer sway bars until I removed them



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 Posted: Mon Mar 9th, 2020 12:07 pm
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Find out the original OD of the bar and either match it for can OEM ride factor or find one larger, which I assume the explorer front bar is larger than the Ranger, to give a more stable but less flexible ride.
its all up to what and how you want the ride to be, less roll or more roll.

My '88 STX, high boy, had front and rear swap bars, it cornered flat, felt good gong in a corner.
When I did the 5.5" lift I lost the rear swap bar but the springs made up for it in cornering, I was suppose to get more flex without it, I didn't really notice.
then of course there're Sway Bar Disconnects, which allow you to do what it says, disconnect the Sway Bar, allowing for more flex off roading.

But you did ask for a 2X answer, I would think thicker will give you a firmer ride and better cornering !

Ltr



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 Posted: Mon Mar 9th, 2020 09:20 pm
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Mark,  The front axles on the first and second gens are different.  The first gen has an appendage on the front of it.  On the second gen, that appendage is gone and replaced with a tapped hole where the sway bar connects.  In the pic below notice the piece sticking out on the front of the driver's side axle immediately below the tie rod...that's a first gen...I do not know what purpose (if any) it serves.




That piece is absent on the gen 2 axles and the sway bar bracket attaches there.  For the first gens, the sway bar attaches to the radius arms and mounts in the front cross member as 410 displayed above.  The pics below are one of all the parts you need and a view from the passenger side once it's installed.







Here's a shot from underneath looking forward.




My '87 did not come from the factory with a front or rear sway bar.  I found a front one at a salvage yard a few years back, restored it and installed it.

This is the 87 XLT 2WD that modeled for the pics above.


Last edited on Mon Mar 9th, 2020 09:48 pm by 1qaz

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 Posted: Tue Mar 10th, 2020 08:32 am
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[/url][url=https://ford-rangers.com/users/146.html]1qaz   Thank you very much for that. That is by far the best info I have seen (and searched quite a bit). I believe the appendage you are referring to is a steering stop? Mine has those but I see they are gone on the 90 + trucks. I could not find ANY parts for our year trucks + I like the idea of the later (in front of axle) style a little better, so I have ordered some of the brackets that attach to the axle beams and will see what I can make work.

Good looking truck by the way!!

Thanks.

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