I mean, it’s just a sway bar. It mainly limits body roll. You could drive without it for years, as long as you don’t make quick turns. I once drove my 10k lbs 7.3 E-350 with a disconnected front sway bar for around 700 miles without any issues. I did get it fixed after that trip though.
You don’t really need the sway bar, but it helps a lot with cornering at higher speeds. The 99s had a problem with the sway bar bracket on the passenger side leaf perch bending or breaking. I just cut the bracket off and made a new one with ¼ inch steel. It was pretty simple if you have access to a MIG welder.
@Oswin
This happened to my 99 F-350 Super Duty 7.3L. The passenger lower bushing kept tearing out. I replaced it twice, then just left it. It’s been fine for over 10 years now.
Looks like someone tried to make extenders for the end links. Does this truck have a lift?
Davi said:
Looks like someone tried to make extenders for the end links. Does this truck have a lift?
Yes, it’s got a 6-inch Rough Country lift. I thought it had all new parts when the lift was installed, but this damage definitely wasn’t there before. The bushings show damage, and the previous owner didn’t realize it was an issue either when they put it in about 8 months ago. I must have caused it recently without realizing, since there’s no way you’d get that on there looking like this.
@Chapman
Most lifts come with extended sway bar links. What’s in the picture looks like a homemade attempt to make extended links. Rough Country should have the links you need on their site.
Blair said:
@Chapman
Most lifts come with extended sway bar links. What’s in the picture looks like a homemade attempt to make extended links. Rough Country should have the links you need on their site.
Believe it or not, they don’t have links for a 6-inch lift. All other lifts have them, just not for mine, especially for my model year.
@Chapman
That’s odd. Do you have an early 99? I had a 4-inch Rough Country lift on mine, and it came with extended links. If Rough Country doesn’t have them, try checking custom suspension companies like PMF Suspension.
@Blair
I’ve got a 1999 F250 Super Duty 4x4 with a 6-inch lift. The previous owner used all Rough Country parts. I assume that’s why he didn’t get the RC sway bar links. I know him well, and while some of his work is solid, he wouldn’t go through the effort to fab these brackets. I’m planning to make a winch plate mount for my Ranch Hand bumper with him soon. He wouldn’t waste time on this—he probably just ordered the wrong parts.
@Chapman
99 was a weird year for the F250s. It was the first year of the Super Duty. If your truck has a build date before 03/99, it’s an early 99. My truck is a 1999, but it’s an early model with a build date of 03/98. The early 99 trucks have a few different suspension parts than the later ones. Maybe Rough Country doesn’t make links for early 99 trucks anymore. But if yours is a late 99, I don’t know why they wouldn’t send you the links. I’d check other suspension companies to see if they make extended links for your truck.
@Blair
I think my truck is an early model since it was built in September 1998. I’ll just have to keep looking around like you suggested.
Chapman said:
@Blair
I think my truck is an early model since it was built in September 1998. I’ll just have to keep looking around like you suggested.
Yeah, the early 99 is a bit different from the later Super Dutys. Even the 7.3 motor is a little different. It has a slightly different turbo, smaller injectors, and a different high-pressure oil pump compared to the later ones. The front leaf spring u-bolts are square, brake rotors are smaller, and the track bar is different. Just make sure to always specify ‘early 99’ when you buy parts.
My 95 had a broken sway bar for a couple thousand miles before I got it fixed.
I took my front sway bar out 10k miles ago. Got tired of replacing the bad links. It’s been fine ever since.
You can just take it off both sides and toss it in the trash. It’s not needed. My 1999 F350 doesn’t have one.
That bracket looks weak. You should replace it with a better quality one.
Blair said:
That bracket looks weak. You should replace it with a better quality one.
The black one up top or the one welded to the frame? Sorry if I’m missing something here…