Ford Super Duty Track Bar & Spring Perch Repair: Fix the Mount, Not the Whole Axle
If you drive a Ford Super Duty with a leaf-spring front end, you probably know the story: the track bar mount cracks, or the spring perch fills with water and rusts out, and the dealer answer is a whole new axle housing. That is an expensive fix for a bracket problem. At Autofab we build fabricated repair kits that let a qualified welder fix the problem on the axle you already own.
Here is how to figure out which repair applies to your truck, and which parts to order alongside it.
Know your truck’s year first
This is where most ordering mistakes happen. Super Duty track bar mounting bolts changed during 1999 production, and the kits are not interchangeable:
- 1999, built up to March 22: smaller 18mm (about 11/16″) track bar bolts.
- 1999, after March 22, and 2000 and later: larger bolts. Check your bolt size before ordering.
1999 Super Duty: track bar / sway bar bracket repair
Ford’s original track bar / sway bar bracket on 1999 Super Duty trucks was under-designed and has been known to crack and break off the front housing. Because the bracket is welded to the housing, Ford’s fix is to replace the whole housing, which means a big parts bill plus labor. Our repair kit is made from two layers of 1/4″ thick steel and is designed to be significantly stronger than the original part.
2000–2004 Super Duty: spring perch, sway bar and track bar mount
On 2000 to 2004 F250, F350 and Excursion 4WD trucks, the original spring perch and sway bar mount tend to fill up with water and rust, and that is worse where roads are salted in winter. Our combo kit replaces the perch, sway bar mount and track bar mount in one fabricated piece. It does take work: the stock spring perch has to be removed, the area ground, and the new kit welded to the axle by a qualified technician. The track bar bolt size on all 2000-and-up trucks is 7/8″ or 22mm, and this kit does not fit early 1999 trucks.
While the front end is apart
If you have already got the truck torn down this far, it is the cheapest time to handle the related parts.
Upgraded U-bolts
Our U-bolt kit uses 5/8″ diameter bolts against the 9/16″ stock size, with an inside length of 10.5 inches, which is usually long enough if you have added leaves up front. Each kit has 2 U-bolts, hardened flat washers, lock washers and high-strength nuts, so you need two kits to do both sides. They fit 2000-2004 4×4 F250/F350 and Excursion trucks with half-round tops, not 1999 trucks.
Steering stabilizer shock bracket
Many Super Duty trucks and Excursions use a steering stabilizer shock, but it was a factory option, so the bracket is sold separately. If your truck came with one, order the bracket with your repair kit.
Before you order: checklist
- Confirm the production date, and measure your track bar bolt (18mm for early 1999, larger on later trucks).
- Identify the model: F250, F350, Excursion, or F450/F550 with leaf-spring front.
- Inspect the perch and track bar mount for cracks and rust-through.
- Plan for a qualified welder: the stock part has to be removed, ground and the kit welded to the axle.
- Add U-bolts and the stabilizer bracket while everything is accessible.
Questions? Ask the shop
Not sure which kit matches your truck? Contact the Autofab team before you order. You can also browse all Ford truck frame repair kits or shop the full catalog.