Sway Bar Endlinks

[OffTrac]

Didn't want to go too far off topic on the pictures page, so I started this here.

May want to think about beefing up the sway bars as well. on a side note: add extra washers of a larger diameter and thickness to your sway bar end links. i've had them pull through the connector front and rear.

I'll get to this quote in a minute.

I bought new Moog endlinks this weekend in a moment of frustration. I've chased a squeak around for a couple weeks and figured for $14 shipped to my door, I'd get new Moog endlinks and if they fixed it, great, if not, it was only $14 and 20 minutes. Should arrive tomorrow.

BUT...

I just needed to add grease to the LCA bushing on the driver's side (did both anyway). I was just being lazy and not wanting to get down in the dirt on my back in 100*+ weather. Turns out that's all it was. Didn't expect them to empty out that fast since I put new lower ball joints and all on in May. Guess I'll just add that to my monthly maintenance checks.

I read terrible reviews about the Moogs, and some great ones. Should larger washers be the only modification I need to make or are there any other tricks? I've also read about making them longer but I'm unclear on the necessity of that. Gonna be doing this tomorrow most likely and just wanted to see what y'all thought.

Wish I had done this when I did the sway bar bushings a couple weeks ago.

 

[swshawaii]

The Moog K7275 replacement end links are 7/16" which are the largest available. Energy Suspension and others, use 3/8" bolts or smaller. My problem was continually blowing out the blue Moog thermoplastic rubber "marshmallows", and not being able to get them separately. Ultimately, I kept the Moog hardware and used the much larger polygraphite ES 9.8103G bushings. Had to reduce the nipples from 7/8" to 11/16" so they would fit in the sway bar eyelets and lower control arms. I can also torque them to the recommended 15-21 ft/lbs without collapsing. I should have done this cheap mod years ago. The difference in feel and handling was immediate, and should last much longer than the Moog's.

http://www.moogproblemsolver.com/_pdf_En/MOOG_PS_Bulletin_25471_K7275_En.pdf

http://s1207.photobucket.com/albums/bb476/swshawaii/

 

[CityBoyAtl]

not sure if you need to make the end links longer since yours is a body lift, though my super lift did come with longer end links. my problem came just a few months after the lift install. and the washer and nut had litteraly pulled through the sway bar eye and the bushing had just pinched out around the outside. (extra height and movement from the lift as well as heavier tires causing much more force on the connection) I took it to my favorite mechanics and they both agreed that the stock washer used was too small and nowhere near enough to handle it. they just added washers that were thicker and matched the diameter of the bushing. and i haven't had a problem since.

 

[OffTrac]

Thought it might make a little bit of a difference because of the TT.

 

[MidnightRebel07]

Hugh, I made longer endlinks and had the same problem with the bushings and the one endlink I made actually broke when I went on/offroading on our fine city streets here in Pittsburgh. I endled up putting the Moog Problem Solver endlinks back on and used wider flat washers on both sides of the bushing so it won't get pulled through the shock tower again or crushed/ cut by the curved endlink washers.

I'll post pictures.

 

[CityBoyAtl]

Ah, forgot about your TT. how extreme is the angle at the connection? guess it depends on what you're comfortable with.

 

[OffTrac]

1.75", maybe a little less; not very extreme on the angle. I've actually been considering going back down and removing the rear shackles.

 

[LONO100]

where did you get a set of moog endlinks for 14 bucks shipped?

 

[MidnightRebel07]

Probably rockauto.com, there's a discount code in the vendors section too.

 

[OffTrac]

Oops, actually, more like $17. My bad. Still, thought that was a good deal. Free shipping because I have Amazon Prime.

But anyways, Amazon.

 

[MidnightRebel07]

Oh, ok. Spoke too soon.

 

[OffTrac]

I've meant to give RockAuto a try and have checked them for stuff before but I've just never ordered from them.

 

[LONO100]

so you got them from amazon for 17 bucks shipped? and thats for two!? thats still a pretty damn good deal, i might invest in some since im going to be under the truck this weekend anyway. i get free shipping from amazon too. thanks for the tip!

 

[LONO100]

btw, do you know off hand which model # should i be looking for? i have a 03 ST (2WD). thansk fellas.

 

[OffTrac]

That's right. $8.50 or so each.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000C57YMK

I guess it's gonna take a few more pennies to get new washers.

 

[MidnightRebel07]

For the washers, just make sure the openings in the center are the smae size as the bolt so they won't get pulled through and slightly wider then the bushings. I'll take pictures of my setup in the morning and upload them.

 

[OffTrac]

Thanks Jerry.

 

[LONO100]

thanks for the link, im going to try to order some while im at the office tomorrow.

 

[MidnightRebel07]

Wait a minute, I had a brain fart last night when I was talking about the washers . I did use flatter, wider, thicker style washers that I had from the energy suspension endlinks to stop the bushings from getting crushed and cut but I doubled up the washers for both bushings on the top of the front shocks. I'll go take some pictures and post them here I a coule minutes. "homer Simpson voice" Doh!!!

 

[MidnightRebel07]

Ok, so here's how I stopped my "shock bushings from continuesly getting pulled throught the shock tower (yes the socks are the correct ones, My Rancho 9000XL's did the same thing). I doubled up the washers on the inside of both top and bottom bushing with washers that have the same diameter center hole as the shaft on the shock, the hole in the shock tower for some reason is alot bigger than it needs to be allowing the bushings to get yanked down through. Others have had this problem too.

I also used a rubber vacuum advance cap to cover the threads on the top of the shaft of the shock so they don't rust up in the first winter (Pittsburgh loves their road salt).