noxiouSS

iTrader: (11)

Everything suspension wise on my car is UMI, so got there front and rear sway bars, rear went on no problem. The front not so much. I can not tell you how frustrating this is. The bolts UMI supplied are to short, even when not on the car the nut BARELY grabs, on the car its not even close. Ive had the suspension compressed, un-compressed, i tried installing the ends first still wont go. Anyone have this issue? Kinda pissed off and hope maybe im just clearly missing something and not that i got short bolts.
So any ideas before i drive to the damn hardware store to get some longer bolts?

XtremeDime

iTrader: (16)

Unless youre SEVERELY ******* up the install, I see no other option aside from getting some new bolts.

99Bluz28

iTrader: (35)

You could just cut the bolt sleeves shorter if you don't want to spend any more money, otherwise buy new bolts.

noxiouSS

iTrader: (11)

i ended up using the factory bolts which are about 1/4" longer than the ones supplied.

vjo90rs8

iTrader: (9)

all Energy Suspension and Prothane end links are like this (literally just finished replacing my Prothane links for some shorter Energy links since my car is lowered). The trick is to put a jack under the end link and jack it up a bit to compress the bushings and allow you to grab the thread with the nylon nut. The problem with the factory bolt is I don't think it is the same diameter as the Prothane/Energy ones and will fit loose inside the bushings.

noxiouSS

iTrader: (11)

the diameter of the bolts seem to be the same. The bushings fit snug on the bolt, the main difference is factory has a 13mm hex head and nut where as the energy ones 9/16. I'll keep an eye on it but they seem ok. And the sway bars feel real nice. Keeps the car much flatter around corners

Necron

iTrader: (11)

I just ran into the exact same problem, I couldn't get the front end-links on, but then i realized I had a extra bolt set from Strano's bars and it was a good inch longer. Bam install done.

vjo90rs8

iTrader: (9)

When using longer bolts you have to make sure you have enough thread. When I replaced my 1 7/8" end links for 1 5/8" ones I originally wanted to use the bolts from the old end links but when putting everything together I realized that there is so little thread on these bolts that I would probably run out before I got them tight enough (and they were only 1/4" longer).

UMI Sales

iTrader: (1)

Hello
Thanks for choosing UMI Performance for your suspension needs. The hardware that is provided with the kit will fit ( I guarantee it) But it is tight and if you have any questions give me a call and I will be more than glad to explain how you have to do it. Because if I try and type it I am sure I will confuse you. So If you have any other questions feel free to ask. The best advice is do the end links first and once you get them started. Then do the body mount bushings.
Thanks
Brad

RedVertTA

iTrader: (9)

I know this is an old thread but this is exactly the problem I'm dealing with.

I'm working on this install now as well and I've got to say I'm genuinely pissed about the situation with the front endlink bolts. This whole business about having to compress the endlinks BEFORE the nut goes on is bullshit. ^^^ Brad, would it have killed you guys at UMI to include bolts with another 1/2 inch of thread? I understand you say it will work and it probably would after quite a bit of "persuasion" on the part of the installer but in the end this is a huge pain in the *** which could be resolved very easily by the addition of longer bolts. I for one do not intend to fight with these parts and break out the jack every time I need to reinstall the swaybar. I'm leaving for the hardware store now to get new bolts and do the job right the first time.

JD_AMG

Are you installing it while the car is still on the ground? The suspension needs to be loaded, so you need to use a ramp.

spy2520

iTrader: (3)

This is pretty typical actually. For most endlinks.

UMI Performance

iTrader: (77)

End link length is important with sway bars so including different length bolts and longer is not always an option. First thing, do not shorten the sleeve... doing this can cause the sway bar to rotate and hit.

The supplied end links will work, the install is a little tricky with a bar of that size. Take a few minutes and call Jerry here at our shop, he will explain how to install the supplied end links.

Thanks,
Ryan

jsteele90

iTrader: (13)

everytime ive changed a front swaybar ive used drive on ramps. works perfect everytime

99Bluz28

iTrader: (35)

Ramps and a offset ratchet on the top of the end links work great!

RedVertTA

iTrader: (9)

Yes it was loaded. What I meant by not wanting to break out the jack was not wanting to have to use it to compress the endlinks as vjo90rs8 suggested:

I did call and speak to Jerry before posting. His solution was about the same as everyone else's. He also admitted that this is a difficult install and a "two person job", those were his words not mine.

Interesting, Jerry actually suggested that I could cut a 1/4 inch off the sleeve and it would be fine. I didn't end up doing this and I'm not trying to pick a bone with you Ryan, just pointing out that you and Jerry don't seem to see eye to eye on this.

What I ended up doing was getting a longer bolt, 8 inches long, the UMI supplied one is 7 inches long. The problem with bolts like these is that only the last inch has thread on it and the rest is a smooth shoulder. This creates a problem where you won't be able to torque down and compress the endlinks properly. So I took the bolts to a local machine shop and they added another inch of thread at the shoulder. The bolt above is the new bolt and the one below is the UMI supplied bolt. You can see the new bolt starts its thread at the same place the UMI one does, only difference is the extra inch of thread.



This allowed enough thread to come up out the top of the stack of bushings/sleeve/washers for the nut to grab onto. Below is the new bolt installed and tightened. This cost about $20, bolts and machine shop work combined, so yeah I had to pay but this install and every one which will follow will be much easier and quicker.



I'd like to make a note of something that was not mentioned in the UMI instructions for anyone who has yet to perform this install: When torquing down the endlinks do not torque them to 17 foot pounds as instructed in the factory manual to do with the stock endlinks, instead tighten the endlinks to the point where the bushings compress and become as wide as the washers that hold them in place. I hope this bit of information may come to use for someone.

UMI Performance

iTrader: (77)

Glad to hear you got it to work. Just make sure that bolt isn't too long that it hits. Load the suspension and check around the link.

Also for sleeve, Jerry didn't realize that you have an older style front sway bar. Our newer design offers more room under the engine since we changed the bends in that area. The older design cleared fine but we revised it mid last year. The older design was more sensitive to end link length because it could rotate into the balancer, the newer bar doesn't have this issue because of the new bending procedure.

leadfoot4

iTrader: (1)

I must be missing something here.....You said the 7" long bolt was "too short", so you got an 8" bolt, installed it, and in the picture it looks like there's a bit over 1" of thread showing above the nylock nut.


???????

RedVertTA

iTrader: (9)

Yes you are. The "bit over 1" of thread showing above the nylock nut" is only that long AFTER the endlinks are tightened and the bushings are compressed. Even with the longer bolts before the bushings were compressed there was a little less than half an inch actually sticking out for the nut to grab.

Observe the pic shown by the OP in the first post at the top of the page. See how the bolt doesn't come all the way through the hole? That was what I had to deal with before switching to the new bolts.

Thanks. Bolt seems to clear fine. I've had this bar for only a few months now awaiting install (Gota admit I procrastinated quite a bit) and you guys already switched to a new bar. If only I had known.

UMI Performance

iTrader: (77)

The bars are virtually the same, same size and material... just changed how it forms around the balancer so if a shorter end link was used it wouldn't hit anywhere.

Thanks again,
Ryan