Rather than piggy back this onto the other threads, I wanted to create a new thread discussing the front sway bar end links for the Taurus / SHO. It looks like the factory links on my 2014 SHO are the MEF-162 (2010 part number) with the full plastic cap for the joints. The Ford parts catalog now shows new part numbers for the 2010-2017 SHO:
GG1Z-5K483-A (MEF-353) Left
GG1Z-5K484-A (MEF-352) Right
MEF-353 also shows up as an upper ball joint for old pickup trucks. This is the first time I've seen a possible re-use for a Ford part number, or perhaps its just a description error. But Rockauto doesn't list MEF-353 for the Taurus.
As you can see in the photographs, my bent/snapped link is the older design with a thinner/shorter joint design and the plastic bearing cap. The revised 2016 part is Made in Japan with a different bearing cap design and the joint is a longer/thicker design. I think I'm going to give the revised parts a try. The fact they revised it suggests they probably knew about the issues with the old design, kind of like the recalled fuel pump control module that was then quietly revised again.
Does anyone know why we have different Left/Right front endlinks? Is it the length or the angle between the 2 joints?
The last time I observed Ford produce revised front endlinks was on my 2007 Mustang GT. The stock links were very much like these revised links, but the Mustang's revised links are the current 07-14 GT500 front endlinks (all aluminum with THK joints) that look like longer versions of our stock rear links.
