So I put an entire aftermarket front suspension on my 2000 T/A. Here's the list:

K-member
Adjustable Upper and Lower Control Arms
AFCO Coilovers
Solid Sway Bar
Manual Steering Rack

Needless to say, I needed a serious alignment, which it is getting as I type this. I didn't tighten the endlinks down all of the way, just enough for the nut to be contacting all of the threads. My question is this...If I decided I need to tighten the end links some more, will doing that throw my alignment off any?

Thanks.

 

Also, I'm running stock height in the rear, but I'm planning on doing the heater hose mod. Will doing that throw the FRONT alignment off? I know I'll have to mess with my adjustable panhard and LCAs, but those adjustments don't really need an alignment machine.

 

Arent you supposed to tighten the endlinks just enough so the bushings moosh a little? why do you have them loose? and i dont see how endlinks will "throw" off your alignment. unless im missing something here.....???

 

You have no idea how much they're mushed just getting that sway bar on there. Without the 1" bar ending on there, I barely had any threads to put the nut on. I had to use a giant clamp to push the sway bar onto the end link to just start the nut, then an impact gun to get it on there. In short, they're mooshed now.

If I knew EXACTLY how everything worked with the front suspension, I wouldn't have asked the question.

 

oh no, i wasnt giving you an attitude or anything. sorry if you took it lke that. my bad. Just by your description it sounded like you had them loose. Thats all. You sure you were given the correct endlinks?

 

Oh ok, sorry for snapping back.

They came from UMI with the sway bar.

 

When installed properly, the "arms" of the swaybar should be reasonably paralell to the ground, when the car is sitting at ride height. There are different length endlinks available to achieve this. By getting the correct length links, you wouldn't have to use a c-clamp to compress them, so you can get the nut on.

Sounds like your links might be a bit short....


Lowering the rear of the car, after your alignment, I think could affect the caster angle a little, depending on how much you lower it.

"Badazz 97"....if the "WS.666" has that much force on his swaybar endlinks, it could affect the alignment, because the swaybar is actually a torsion bar that connects the front wheels. It should be completely "neutral" when the car is sitting still or driving in a straight line. When cornering forces cause the car's weight to shift, the swaybar has to be strong enough to counteract these forces. Therefore, if he's putting the bar in tension just to get the links tightened, he's affecting the suspension...

 

Sway bars will not affect your alignment. Therefor the endlinks being loose will not impact this either.