09 Rooster

iTrader: (1)

I lowered my 2000 Trans Am on Strano springs and Koni Shocks. So far so good but i could only drive 10 km/h because I need new front end links. Stockers broke on removal. I have a set of energy suspension 9.8118's but they are longer than the stock set. I was hoping to go shorter since the car is lowered. I feel like I've exhausted google trying to find this answer.

can anyone tell me which end links they used after lowering their car? Or even which set you used to replace your stock end links?

thanks

FirstYrLS1Z

iTrader: (4)

Summit show stock replacement
Moog K5252,K6630,K700532

and other brands

09 Rooster

iTrader: (1)

Thanks...looked at those but couldn't find a measurement.

Anyone want to advise what length of aftermarket links they used?

OwieVT

All my Camaros are factory height and I normally either use the stock blue poly ones from Napa or the Energy Suspension (i.e. either 9.8118 or 9.8117, can't remember right off the top of my head) for the front. it's the rear sway bar link that is a little tougher to find since it has an odd length sleeve (i.e. ~2.2 inches)

I would hope that Sam Strano would respond here, because he knows the answer. My guess is that you want the ends of the sway bar parallel to the lower A-arm, and I think that would give the sway bar the best mechanical advantage.

09 Rooster

iTrader: (1)

I emailed with Sam yesterday about the links and he said he uses stock length. My research lead me to the 9.8118's but when i put them beside the stock links, the 9.8118's are longer. i also understand that the bars should be parallel to the ground but i don't have a way to keep the car level while giving me enough clearance to measure.
i assumed shorter links were common on lowered f bodies but clearly they are not

FirstYrLS1Z

iTrader: (4)

There was an old thread(maybe 10 years ago) in which BMR responded that they have swaybar links for lowered cars. Contact BMR.

09 Rooster

iTrader: (1)

read it

prob is i'm in Canada and a $20 USD part is ~$40 CAD shipped with taxes and duty-not to mention 2 week wait due to the border. i dont feel right calling just to get info since i wont buy the part from them...

i might be overthinking this. looks like i need to put the 9.8118's on the car and drive it!!

thanks!

OwieVT

In my experience, every time I have taken off a factory end link, I have broken the bolt and that's using hand tools, no air tools. I have re-used the factory sleeve with new poly bushings and a new bolt. Around here we have Fastenal places that sell nuts and bolts. I just go there and get a new bolt with a nylock nut and it works great.

stp001

If you have the factory sleeve, or any aftermarket end link set, just cut the sleeve and bolt to fit. If you have concerns about how much length is needed, put on just the bolts and work the threads until you have the sway bar just right, then cut the sleeve a little longer knowing your bushings will compress some upon tightening.

09 Rooster

iTrader: (1)

I did this guys, thanks. used the ES kit i bought with the oem sleeve. looks like the angles are good. i added 3 washers to the bolt head side and it tightened nicely. now i finally get to go for a real drive with my lowered TA!! Im giddy as a school girl-teehee.

thanks!!

BMR Sales2

iTrader: (40)

This is correct, our ELK001 is 1/2" shorter than the stock length end link. This helps with clearance on a lowered car.

09 Rooster, there are many of our distributors that have special pricing for Canadian shipments. You can contact them with this part number and see what they can do for if you decide to go the upgraded route

https://www.bmrsuspension.com/index....productid=1260

09 Rooster

iTrader: (1)

thanks for the part number

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

I don't run shorter links. Aside from being a hassle given no two cars are the same, it does not make any difference anyway. The bar is never always parallel anyway, and the link angle has no effect on the torsional stiffness of the bar.

If you want to know how much shorter the link "should" be, it's the amount of drop the car saw from stock to your spring's current height. Is that 1", 1.2, 1.5? Hard to say. But in the end, functionally has no bearing on the matter and a link that is too short is more of an issue than one that is hypothetical amount too long.

FirstYrLS1Z

iTrader: (4)

^^^ that. The torsional twist of the bar between the two mounts is all that matters. Too many posts about how the ends should be parallel to ground/level. As long as normal suspension movement doesn't have the ends hitting/interfering with some other component,variation(s) from link stock length won't affect the sway bars' ability to resist sway.

HioSSilver

iTrader: (8)

I can't say i agree. I have shortened links and found a noticeable improvement.

I usually only shorten them enough to keep them level. To the long side of level. Sometimes it don't take much but keeping everything in a decent operating range not only helps with handling but more so in ride.

stp001

While I agree the angle of the sway bar arms to the lower control arm's movement is an incremental difference, Don't we many times sweat the incremental differences? Don't we choose wheels because of a 2# difference, choose sway bars by the millimeter, remove the back seat to lose 15#? Same thing for a sway bar arm position. I think the sway bar arm should be set to be perpendicular to the direction of movement of the control arm it is attached to. The pavement below it has nothing to do with it.

HioSSilver

iTrader: (8)

Yup.......now to go to the 9th degree with you.

The links also don't have to be the same length from side to side. I like to get the car at ride height and set the bars neutral for best performance. Sometimes that means different length links from side to side...... within the realm of reason.

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

HioSSilver has a good point. When you use adjustable endlinks to remove the preload from the bars, to enhance grip on turn it, the links won't even be the same length as each other, let alone all the rest.

As for sweating incremental details. Most don't, and this is so small in the realm of things you can do that have a bigger effect it's not even worth worrying about unless you have a car with all that other stuff done. And by that I mean corner weighting, a Watts link over a PHB, bushings that aren't trashed or worn, etc.

BMR Sales2

iTrader: (40)

To clarify my posting of the shorter end links, I don'r recommend them for reasons of geometry correction or any changes to bar working rate, but simply for physical clearance. Some shock/coilover combinations will cause interference on a lowered car with the sway bar in the stock location. This is mostly seen on convertible cars that have the additional bracing of the k-member

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

The converts have a tab on the k-member that's true. But then again it hangs there all the time, so if it's an issue it's generally always an issue. And sure, in that case, if you have a sway bar that is bent in such a way that it makes contact, shorter links make sense. But it's a pretty rare occasion that you would have all 3 of those things in play. But it depends on how the bar is bent.