Endlinks for a '98 SE

[SHOtimer]

I'm driving our family '98 SE while I do some motor work on my Gen II ATX. It has some noticeable clunks in the front and rear, which upon inspection I have found to be worn endlinks. The car is just shy of 70k. Will rear endlinks for a Gen II fit the rear? Also, I have been shopping around for front endlinks, I am not getting plastic ones. I am either getting the Windstar aluminum ones, or the MOOG steel ones. The MOOG are a pit more pricey than the windstar though. My question with that is, will the Windstar fit a Gen III SLO as it does the Gen II SHO?

Thanx, Doug

 

[Dylan]

I belive all the rear and front endlinks are interchangeable from gen1-3 and maybe gen4 taurus's. The moog fronts are greaseable are the windstar ones greaseable??
I have rear and front endlinks on my 98 SE that are for a 91 SHO.

 

[SHOtimer]

Alright, thats what I need to know.

Thanx, Doug

 

[Mr Anonymous]

Front endlinks between gens 1/2 and 3/4 are NOT interchangeable. Just look at them and you'll see the difference. Thus, the Windstar links will NOT fit.

The rears are fully interchangeable.

 

[SHOtimer]

Oh, well I guess I won't be using the Windstar endlinks. The steel MOOG ones get pretty good reviews from what I've heard, I guess I will go with those.

Thanx, Doug

 

[Dylan]

NOw that i have looked at them, the gen1 fronts may not work with the gen3 front. The angle of one end is different by about 45 degres. But I will be useing a gen1 bar so hopefuly (for me) the bar has a different angle than the gen3 bar and hopefuly the endlinks will fit the gen1 bar on my gen3.

 

[Mr Anonymous]

NOw that i have looked at them, the gen1 fronts may not work with the gen3 front. The angle of one end is different by about 45 degres. But I will be useing a gen1 bar so hopefuly (for me) the bar has a different angle than the gen3 bar and hopefuly the endlinks will fit the gen1 bar on my gen3.

Let's try this again... Front endlinks from a Gen I or II (1986-1995) Taurus, SHO, or Sable CANNOT BE INTERCHANGED with front endlinks from a Gen III or IV (1996-2005) Taurus, SHO, or Sable. The difference is in the length of the endlink, and how the endlink attaches to the strut.

The only way it could be done would be to install Gen I or II front struts in the Gen III or IV car, which is highly undesirable due to the different front-end geometry of the '96 and later cars.

 

[Dylan]

I went out and took off one of my stock (plastic) front endlinks off my 98 SE and matched it up with a 91 SHO front endlink (moog) that I bought from rockauto.
One is about an inch longer than the other but, that's not what i'm worried about, maybe I should be
And you can see the angle at one end is different the one of the other ends.
As far as it being to short or long, (by about an inch) I would think (and hope) you can just chnage the nagle of the swaybar a little before you tightin down the bushings. And maybe the angle of the swaybars are different too .
But since i allready have them I might as well try them out.
http://www.supermotors.org/getfile/185114/fullsize/endlink comparo.jpg

 

[Mr Anonymous]

I went out and took off one of my stock (plastic) front endlinks off my 98 SE and matched it up with a 91 SHO front endlink (moog) that I bought from rockauto.
One is about an inch longer than the other but, that's not what i'm worried about, maybe I should be

Yes, you should be worried.

And you can see the angle at one end is different the one of the other ends.

Yes, I know.

As far as it being to short or long, (by about an inch) I would think (and hope) you can just chnage the nagle of the swaybar a little before you tightin down the bushings. And maybe the angle of the swaybars are different too .

I personally can't understand why not just use the proper endlinks with the proper car. A set of Gen III/IV front endlinks is less than $50 at most places and are certain to be the proper length and orientation. Perhaps you could use a torch to re-shape the Gen I/II front endlinks or perhaps do the same to the swaybar or strut.

But since i allready have them I might as well try them out.
http://www.supermotors.org/getfile/185114/fullsize/endlink comparo.jpg

Best of luck with that!