Replacing Sway Bar End links ?
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 653
Likes: 0
From: Baltimore Maryland
Replacing Sway Bar End links ?
Im almost positive my endlinks are going up, every bump i hit i hear a rattle. So i checked it out, laid under the car grabbed the sway bar and tugged and there was the rattle. Now is it better to replace the endlinks with aftermarket metal links, or should i not bother wasting my money when i can spend half the price on factory end links? Which will benefit me ?
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 87,375
Likes: 1,593
From: Western NY
The aftermarket, heim-jointed links will most likely give your sway bar a more positive response. The one thing to lok out for, is that the retaining nuts on the links have to be REALLY tight, or else they'll rattle too.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 19,965
Likes: 6,770
From: Bonneville Salt Flats
Not knowing which suspension you have, I recommend the following: 1) get the factory aluminum end-links, and 2) get urethane bar bushings. The latter were so cheap from Summit Racing when I changed mine (about $14 for all four, as I recall some years ago), I contacted them to make sure the price wasn't for each bushing!.
Anyway, the stock rubber is the softest I've ever seen in a suspension application and simply going to a very much stiffer bushing will allow whateve bars you have do their job and make a noticeable difference in handling--it did with my '01 base suspension. Like getting firmer bars on the cheap.
I've found Heims great for our racing apps that are constantly inspected and serviced, but have not been particularly happy with them for street use, i.e., precision, unprotected moving parts constantly open to the elements, that were never intended for such use.
My $.02.
All the best.
Anyway, the stock rubber is the softest I've ever seen in a suspension application and simply going to a very much stiffer bushing will allow whateve bars you have do their job and make a noticeable difference in handling--it did with my '01 base suspension. Like getting firmer bars on the cheap.
I've found Heims great for our racing apps that are constantly inspected and serviced, but have not been particularly happy with them for street use, i.e., precision, unprotected moving parts constantly open to the elements, that were never intended for such use.
My $.02.
All the best.
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,347
Likes: 4
From: Slidell La
I replaced fact. rubber with Poly U. bushings and used the "special lube". Now lets talk about squeeking bushings. I am considering going back to factory set up due to squeek. And no I don't plan to crawl under, remove bushings and lube monthly. 99 Nassau Blue
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 8,762
Likes: 2
From: Murphy TX
I'm with Avanti. It depends what bars you have, but the stock Al ones are good for up to a Z06 size bar. Heavier/more agressive is wasting money... (this does depend on your setup which you did not detail, but sounds like stock, or at least GM parts)
