04 mountaineer sway bar against 04 edge sway bar

[superj]

Pulled an 04 mountaineer (explorer) sway bar that was from an awd model so it had torsion bars like my 04 edge. There was only two, an 04 mountaineer and an 04 wxplorer what had torsion bars and both were 4.0 v6 models but still the bar was larger than my stock bar.

Holy cow, what a significant difference in diameter. The difference is 3/8" in size.

Anyway, here is some pics.

 

[superj]

There was only 5 pics, i dont know why there are so many attached to the post

 

[JoshT]

It's beefy, but you'll need to take a hard look at mounting it. Explorers had a different suspension layout with shocks and stuff. Ranger bars are designed and bent to clear all of their compoinents, the Explorer ones may not clear. Also 04 Explorer is independent suspension, not solid axle.

Wait... You are looking at front bars aren't you? I was thinking about the rear. Front suspension on the Explorer changed too, but might still be close enough to the same to work

I'll be putting the Explorer V8 bar on the front of my '99, not sure how it compares to the V6 bar, but it's a big one too. Rear will most likely be getting a 1" BII bar.

Easier way to measure diameter is an open end wrench if you have them big enough. I hate trying to read a tape measure on a round object.

 

[pjtoledo]

an '01 Sport Track has the big bars too.
with proper bushings it was a direct bolt on to my 2000 Ranger.
unfortunately, it was wayyy too stiff for my purposes so I put the Ranger bar back on.

 

[stmitch]

How similar are the shapes? Any idea if the Mountaineer bar is solid or hollow?

 

[rubydist]

I think the front sway bar on my 09 FX4 is too stiff, no way I would put a stiffer one on there.

 

[superj]

i am going to the ranger bar. this explorer bar is way to stiff. i am still going to grab that bronco2 rear bar and try it out, but the explorer front bar is to thick.

@JoshT and @stmitch , i grabbed the sway bar from a mountaineer that also had torsion bars so it was very similar. i read that you need to make sure the systems are the same type to use the bars, ie: torsion/torsion or coil/coil. the explorer/mountaineer bar had one extra bend in the middle, like it had to clear something, but other than that, was the same shape so it went on very easily. neither bar is hollow though. both sway bars have some weight to them and the explorer/mountaineer bar could easily be used to bludgeon zombies, if one needed something like that


but i agree with @rubydist , its way to stiff.

 

[pjtoledo]

How similar are the shapes? Any idea if the Mountaineer bar is solid or hollow?

the 2001 Sport Track and 2000 Ranger 4x4 are identical in shape/mounting.
judging by it's weight it is solid.

 

[pjtoledo]

the coil bars are a couple inches wider to clear the frame bulges for the springs.
neither the Sport Track nor 2000 4x4 bars would clear a 2005 coil frame.

 

[stmitch]

the 2001 Sport Track and 2000 Ranger 4x4 are identical in shape/mounting.
judging by it's weight it is solid.

Right. The OP got his bar from an 04 Mountaineer, which has a different front suspension than T-Bar rangers or Explorers. I hadn't seen anybody attempt the newer Explorer/Mounty bar on a Ranger.

 

[superj]

no, the 04 mountaineer i got it from had torsion bars, just like my truck. that is why i took it. the explorer next to it also had torsion bars so i had two choices but the mountaineer was cleaner. i looked at a few coil spring explorers but the sway looked different so i passed. the mountaineer was awd so i assume that is why it had torsion bars