ATTENTION !!!! Ford F-53 Owners READ!!

[OakHillFarm]

Second attempt at posting pictures of my sway bars. Hope Tejay's directions work...

Well second one is upside down, so we are getting better.

At least now I can post pictures if you want to see anything more specific.

[TeJay]

Oak,

You are correct. That differential is a lot different from anyone that I have ever seen. And for sure I have never seen one like that on a Ford F-53 chassis.

Except for several RV chassis I am not that versed in the heavy truck chassis lines. I hope somebody else chimes in on this because I'm curious. Maybe Ford made some major changes to the 2016 chassis.

I have seen on-line with the standard chassis the SB go over and under the DF housing but never a round cylinder shaped housing like that.

Wait!!! I clicked on the pic and on a close up look maybe that's the emergency brake housing. Mine is way up closer to the driveshaft split bearing. That cable housing that comes in from the right and over the top to the left may be the cable for the EB.

[twinboat]

A poster already had a seal leak in a new style EBrake.

All they did was move the emergency brake from the back of the transmission to the diff. housing.

It will actually take out a bit of the movement, the trans mounted brake has, due to shaft movement.

[Brockx]

Oakhillfarm

The 24K and 26K F53 use the Dana 17,500# rear axle. None of the other F53's use that rear axle.

The 24K will show as 15,500# on some charts due to a lighter rated rear spring.

https://www.fleet.ford.com/truckbbas...16_F53_F59.pdf

[OakHillFarm]

Yes, That is the e-brake mounted on the front of the differential. The axle housings are square vice round, as well. The whole rear axle looks like something from a semi tractor.

[747Driver]

My 24K 2016 Winne looks the same. No Z bracket on front bars, and the front bars that everyone extends are S shaped.

[TeJay]

747Driver,
Yes there are some differences in the F-53 chassis SWAY control set up. Some times the rear SB curve goes over the differential (DF) pinion shaft area and sometimes it's under. Most times they use a Z-bracket on the attaching links on the frame attaching point but not on the SB and not usually on the front.

I have read that the Z-bracket is used for extra attaching link support and yet the rear SB is a bit smaller (diameter) than the front.

All we can ASSUME is Ford has the engineers so they should know what they are doing. Sometimes we wonder.

The S- shaped front links seem to be used les often than other changes. Most are not sure why these difference are not consistent but maybe we have just not done the research.

[OakHillFarm]

I took quick measurements of my sway bars when I took the pictures posted above. The rear was 1.512" and the front was 1.509". I measured both right next to the bracket. I will recheck the measurements as it seems the rear is supposed to be smaller than the front. I am betting mine are the same size and the variance in my measurements is due to not having the micrometer square with the bar on one or both to the measurements I took.

[Hudsoner]

Today was the day that the front end of my motorhome became 220 lb heavier. The added steel is welded to the factory installed front trailer hitch that is rated for 500 lb tongue weight. As soon as a friend of my son delivers the remaining 100 lb of steel, they will be welded in, as well!

[gypsy8]

2007 bent sway bar bent bolt

[TeJay]

Ya kind of left us in the dark. It would be nice to have a bit more information or a picture on your bent bolt. It is fixed?? Did the bolt come loose and just bend?

[Tricolor]

Originally Posted by Hudsoner

Today was the day that the front end of my motorhome became 220 lb heavier. The added steel is welded to the factory installed front trailer hitch that is rated for 500 lb tongue weight. As soon as a friend of my son delivers the remaining 100 lb of steel, they will be welded in, as well!

I hope that the result meets your expectation.

How soon will you be going for a test ride?

[Hudsoner]

Originally Posted by Tricolor

I hope that the result meets your expectation.

How soon will you be going for a test ride?

That will not be for some while. I will have surgery first (need carpal tunnel surgery in both hands, each takes about 2 month recuperation until I can handle heavier loads (like pulling on a F53 steering wheel). The earliest time that I see myself doing anything big would be sometime around mid February. But I wanted the outside work done before we sink into the winter wonderland (big time snow is supposed to come in by the middle of next week)

[OakHillFarm]

I got a chance to go back under my rig today. I checked the torque on the sway bar end links. The rears were a little loose, tightened them up to 66in/lb. The mount bolts were tight. The front bar ends were loose, about the same as the rear. Tightened them up. The mount bolts were good. Once it warms up some, I may take the mounts off and grease the bushings before hitting the road again in the spring.