extending end link spacer
10-28-2004, 02:58 AM
#2
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I wouldn't do that because you will have your sway bar always pre-loaded and your end links won't last as long.
Get a spacer from ground control instead. It goes under the rear spring and you can adjust the height by turning the adjuster. $92 a pair.
Get a spacer from ground control instead. It goes under the rear spring and you can adjust the height by turning the adjuster. $92 a pair.
10-28-2004, 05:22 PM
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When the car gets lowered the sway bar gets more load, that's true BUT... only if it's not perfectly horizontal. That's why the right way to lower the car is to also get shorter end links, although this is not absolutely necessary.
There is potential for mount-bending but that will only happen in extreme conditions. The end link bushings would give out first, assuming you're NOT using urethane.
A lot of people go for the urethane bushings everywhere, and although this improves handling a lot, it can cause bending of some mounting points - the first candidate for bending is the lower control arm mounting point.
For example, if you go over a bump with only one tire, say the left rear, the LCA has to turn left a little. If it's a boxed LCA with urethane, the bushings won't give, the LCA itself won't give and..... the mountiing point on the chassi has to give - it bends - a big no no.
Back to the sway bar, not big problems there, lots of people use urethane end links and "insulators" (the bushings that hold the sway bar at the axle) and nothing bends there. It just gets noisy after a while and no amount of grease will make it go away. The best bushings are the graphite impregnated.
As a rule of thumbs, the ideal is to have the weight of the car on the springs. If big part of the weight is on the shocks or sway bars, components won't last as long as they should.
There is potential for mount-bending but that will only happen in extreme conditions. The end link bushings would give out first, assuming you're NOT using urethane.
A lot of people go for the urethane bushings everywhere, and although this improves handling a lot, it can cause bending of some mounting points - the first candidate for bending is the lower control arm mounting point.
For example, if you go over a bump with only one tire, say the left rear, the LCA has to turn left a little. If it's a boxed LCA with urethane, the bushings won't give, the LCA itself won't give and..... the mountiing point on the chassi has to give - it bends - a big no no.
Back to the sway bar, not big problems there, lots of people use urethane end links and "insulators" (the bushings that hold the sway bar at the axle) and nothing bends there. It just gets noisy after a while and no amount of grease will make it go away. The best bushings are the graphite impregnated.
As a rule of thumbs, the ideal is to have the weight of the car on the springs. If big part of the weight is on the shocks or sway bars, components won't last as long as they should.
10-28-2004, 05:46 PM
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Graphite impregnated are dark looking / black and they're not as hard as the pure urethane ones. I think this is good, because at least you give your mounting points a break, distributing the stress between the bushings and mounting points.
I use 1LE bushings, they are harder than stock but softer than urethane. It's a good compromise between performance and durability.
Do a search on graphite impregnated bushings and you'll see several options. These are harder than the 1LE ones (almost like urethane), but you won't have to deal with the noise.
Since I don't want to put too much stress on the mounting points of the car I decided to go with 1LE. It all depends on what you want to do with the car. Mine is a daily driver and i don't drag race.
I use 1LE bushings, they are harder than stock but softer than urethane. It's a good compromise between performance and durability.
Do a search on graphite impregnated bushings and you'll see several options. These are harder than the 1LE ones (almost like urethane), but you won't have to deal with the noise.
Since I don't want to put too much stress on the mounting points of the car I decided to go with 1LE. It all depends on what you want to do with the car. Mine is a daily driver and i don't drag race.
