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Badlands
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Clubs
 
I'll admit that I was immediately intrigued when I found out that Sasquatch models were coming with a sway bar from the factory sometime in 2022 / 2023. It seems like the bean counters at Ford would push their own grandmother down a flight of stairs if it meant saving $.03 on a part, so if they incurred the cost to add a sway bar to some models, they probably had a damn good reason too. My 2022 Badlands Non-Sas 4 door did not come with one stock, but I did have the mounting spots on the axle / frame. Yes, I've gone off-road and would like as much articulation as possible, but this is also my daily and family vehicle where 99% of the miles will be on pavement

Part #s
Ford Bronco OEM Rear Sway Bar Install with Tips and Initial Impressions Bronco Rear Sway Bar Part #s


Tools used: 15mm and 19mm deep sockets, 15mm and 19mm ratcheting wrenches, and an adjustable wrench (for the ends of the sway bar links).

I jacked the vehicle up right to the point where the rear tires were about to leave the pavement and set with jack stands. I did not remove the tires. I really struggled to get the sway bar clamp on the passenger side past the gas tank, until I realized that the clamp could be removed by depressing little tabs that held it on.
Ford Bronco OEM Rear Sway Bar Install with Tips and Initial Impressions clam


Once I removed that clamp, I was able to muscle it over the diff and around the gas tank without removing anything else. From there it was just a matter of installing the nuts and bolts. I tightened all the nuts to be close to tight and then bounced the vehicle up and down several times to make sure it was at normal ride height before torquing down fully. I did not have the torque specs, but tight is tight. It took me about an hour 15 minutes to install, and probably could have saved the 15 minutes if I had just removed that clamp from the bar in the beginning.

Ford Bronco OEM Rear Sway Bar Install with Tips and Initial Impressions Installed 1
Ford Bronco OEM Rear Sway Bar Install with Tips and Initial Impressions Installed 2


Initial impressions after a drive is that it is much more 'flat', but its a rougher ride for bumps that only one side of the vehicle encounters. One big thing I noticed is that it used to be around fast corners it would lean one way, and then lean the other way once you straightened out, but now it does not. It stays fairly flat and there is no 'bounce back'. This certainly isn't enough to induce any level of oversteer, or even neutral handling, but being a factory spec bar, this isn't surprising. Still heaps of understeer when pushing it.

I'll try to remember to pop back into this thread to give a longer term update.
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Daxe44

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I added the hellwig bar and adjustable links since my lift was so big and found a major improvement in lean like you mentioned. The oem bar with extended links would probably work just as well. 80% of my driving is highway like yours and much more stable in my opinion
 

Bikeric

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Excellent write up and thank you for posting P/N’s and quantities!! This has been on my wish list for some time.
 

SkyKing

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Wait... so does a 2021 Sasquatch Bronco come with a rear sway bar? I thought yes. Or was it only non-Sasquatch? I've never hear this before - intrigued.
 

GI_Jo_Nathan

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Good work writing this up. I have added the stock rear bar to mine as well.

In regards to articulation, it's a common practice to add a rear bar on IFS vehicles to force articulation in the front. So win win.
 

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Dimitar

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The chassis movement during cornering is greatly mitigated with good shocks. I have the 2.5 FOX DSC which I stiffen up on the road and they provide much better handling characteristics than stock. 21 badlands sas no rear sway bar here and no plans to put one on at this time.
 

redone17

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Really wish Barnes or someone would release a weldable bracket for the OEM locations...but, I guess when it's only 2021 models that were screwed out of it...there isn't much of a demand.

Belltech is an option, but it seemed like the ground clearance loss wasn't worth it. I need to revisit that.
 

tourproto

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Very interesting write up. I also have a 2022 BL non-SAS 4-door, but have not felt the need for a rear sway bar. I have been pretty happy with the on-road performance with the stock KO2s.

I will be watching this thread to see your updates.
 

Rob_Broncowski

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Thanks for the write up. I've wanted to pull the trigger on this upgrade for a while now but the consensus on here seemed to be that you needed a lift to snake the bar into position. I'm wondering if removing the clips like you suggested is the secret. Would it be possible to elaborate a little more on where you placed your jack stands and how you got the bar into position? I'm going to order the parts today.
 

Brostango

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Thanks for the write up. Part list was a bonus. Question for anyone. I have a non-sas badlands with around a 2” lift . Would I need to extend the stabilizer links 2”?
 

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dgorsett

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Really wish Barnes or someone would release a weldable bracket for the OEM locations...but, I guess when it's only 2021 models that were screwed out of it...there isn't much of a demand.

Belltech is an option, but it seemed like the ground clearance loss wasn't worth it. I need to revisit that.
I also have a '21. I went to Belltech's site. The product looks decent and I don't see where you'd lose anymore clearance than with OEM. Funny the instructions show real good pics for everything but the passenger side, where you really need them... and I wonder if the Beltech joint style might be subject to loosening, wear or need lube?

I'm fine with the Bronco's on road performance but am looking for better articulation off road and wonder if adding the rear would improve it much as some suggest.
 

CarmeloS

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Bookmarking this, I'm gonna get it down the line
 

GI_Jo_Nathan

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I also have a '21. I went to Belltech's site. The product looks decent and I don't see where you'd lose anymore clearance than with OEM.
The pics I've seen of the belltech have it quite a bit lower than the oem. I think it's the way the brackets come off the bottom of the frame. I believe it has the end links lower than the lower control arms.
 

redone17

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The pics I've seen of the belltech have it quite a bit lower than the oem. I think it's the way the brackets come off the bottom of the frame. I believe it has the end links lower than the lower control arms.
That’s what I was wondering - if it was lower than the LCAs.
 

GI_Jo_Nathan

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That’s what I was wondering - if it was lower than the LCAs.
Yeah I haven't seen it in person. But the pics I've seen have it just below the lca's. Which of course means when the suspension Cycles up they're going to be way lower I would imagine.
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