Wild Horzes

Ok, I guess I could search this but I thought I'd ask anyway.

Getting My C5 ready for the track and while working on the front end I noticed that my T1 sway bars seem to be ripping the steering rack boots. Both sides.

Has anyone else experienced this?

Thanks.

Gary

sperkins

The sway bar shouldn't be any where near the rack boots. Some guys have a problem with the bar hitting the lower control arm, but I've never heard of one hitting the boot. Is your car slammed?
The length of the endlinks may be the problem. If they are too long, it will rotate the ends of the bar upwards and towards the rack. You should be somewhere around 4 1/2 to 4 3/4 inches from center to center of each bolt on the "unadjusted" endlink. The other endlink may be longer if it has been adjusted for preload.

froggy47

Something about your bar install is wrong. Google/search for a pic of a correct install.

Wild Horzes

Probably my eyes but I know the install is correct. Will have to look around again tonight.

Gary

froggy47

Did you use hardware on the bar ends too long for the links or pointed wrong way?

Wild Horzes

Nope all T1 stock. It's odd, there was grease on the sway bar exactly below the rip on the boot. Maybe the grease gets really hot in there and drips? Just seems odd that I have two ripped boots after putting the T1 kit on. Phoenix does my set up. They are the masters so I know its right. I think I'll just chalk it up to UFO's; replace the boots and see what happens.

Oddly enough my Rippe brake ducts are also getting banged up. I insert a small length of 3.5 inch exhaust pipe in the Rippie ducts since you really cannot tighten the ducting clamps down on the plastic. Now these pipes are oval instead of round. Something is going on. The car feels great though.

Thanks for the help.

Gary

sperkins

Gary - there is no grease inside the bellows boot on the rack. If anything is leaking from there it would be power steering fluid - very thin. Can you post a picture or two?

froggy47

I thought you were doing your own work.

If someone else did the install I woud talk to them. It's pretty hard to miss ripped boots when you put a bar in.

It should have been mentioned to you when the bar was put in.

Even the best could have an off day.

Wild Horzes

Not PS Fluid. Wish I could post a pic. Have never figured that out. Will be pulling the boot soon to get a better look. Just seems very odd to me. The manual does say to add grease back in there before re-installing the boot.

Gary

Wild Horzes

I did the install. The set up was handled by the race shop. Boots were not ripped the last time I looked. Ah well....we'll see what happens when I replace them.

Gary

froggy47

Well BOTH SIDES you posted, right?

Somebody/something did the ripping.

Somebody was under your car doing something & it went wrong, happens every day & I have done dumb stuff on my car too.

At least it's minor damage, but still your time & $$ to fix it.

I would talk to the setup shop & see what they say unless they are some long distance away from you.

2MCHPWR

old thread I know.
Did you ever figure out why this happened? Mine's like that too and also have T1 front bar setup by Phoenix. Both sides were twisted and ripped. I fixed it so will keep an eye on it during next event.



Fixed but still ripped:

froggy47

Since I first posted, I too have gotten a ripped boot from the t1 bar. It's a combination of the bar being so much bigger in diameter & the length of the link.

The static clearance is not the same as when you are hammering in a corner.

I recently pulled the rack to do my balancer & I replaced the boot (dr side). Videos click below in the sig.

All you can do is adjust the link so that the bar clears the boot better.

Shorter or longer, I forget & I am having Sat nite happy hour right now so I'm not going out to the garage & jack it up to ck.

From the look of the pics above I think it's shorten, but then you get into clearance issues with the LCA so you are between rock & hard place. fwiw I am lowered all the way front on stock bolts, and yes there is grease in there, see the video.

2002rich

Looks to me that boot got twisted when the toe was begin set.