AWR + Progress= Bad Combo

[Wes]

I bought this Progress rear sway bar a month ago, when I got it I was shocked that is was 22mm solid. The thing must weigh 15lbs..
I made the assumption that the stock endlinks where not going to cut it with a rear bar that heavy. So I bought a set of AWR end links.
Well I had no idea that the AWR links are propriatary, meaning they only really go with their own sway bar. The Progress bar has the same specs as the stock one except for thickness, which is where my problems begin.
The AWR endlinks are too long, I shortened them as far as they go and they are still too long. Not to mention the end bolts are way to long to fit the strut tab and the sway bar it seems.
I improvised on the bolt connections, but my problem at present is that the sawy bar is actually resting on the cross members! I honestly think that the entire weight of the rear end is resting directly on them.
I took some crappy pics to give you eye view...

My thought at this point is to connect the end link to the sway bar BELOW the cross member. My concern is that this may disrupt the rigidity of the sway bar..
Any suggestions or comments?
(smash)

 

[RyanJayG]

those endlinks are the proper length for a MP3 or MSP.. not a P5 (which are much shorter)

 

[Wes]

those endlinks are the proper length for a MP3 or MSP.. not a P5 (which are much shorter)

Holy crap, you're kidding? that explains a lot. I looked at my order and it just says "Adj End Links" ... (ghey)

 

[Mike R]

Those look like the shorter of the two endlinks tony sells. You won't hurt anything running the bar under the crossmember, in fact the geometry looks much better there. Most people run the AWR bars under also.

 

[PR5Matt]

I have the Progress bar and springs (just installed) and use stock links. Work fine. Strong enough.

 

[Gratefully Dead]

They got the Progress rear sway bar on sale for $135 shipped at ptuning.com

I'm debating getting this but I too have the longer adjustable end links from awr. I've got the stock bar positioned right below the cross member and its rubbing like no other. I jacked up the back to check their status today and found scarred indentations where they are making solid contact. I'm starting to worry that in a few months its going to eat thru the end links and i'm gonna have to fork out another 75$ to get the same pair or spend even more at the dealership for stock ones that possibly cant withstand the weight over a long period of time...I've only had these links like a month now, not even that...

What did you end up doing so far Wes?

 

[FunkyBuddha]

Ya run the bar below those lateral arms (whatever they're called). Elongate the endlinks a bit.

 

[Wes]

I have a serious problem that resulted from this combo... I'll take a pic this weekend and show you. Until then... oh the suspense! (eekdance)

 

[Gratefully Dead]

Ya run the bar below those lateral arms (whatever they're called). Elongate the endlinks a bit.

It is run below the lateral arms. The end links are also at their longest setting...

Cant wait to hear Wes...

 

[Wes]

I'm bringing this thread back from the dead to help warn people...

I have been running my car without a sway bar for the past six months... call it frustration... call it apathy. After extending the AWR links as far as they would go and positioning the bar underneath the control arms I still had contact. After only a week.... the links bent all to hell and eventually stripped apart.

So I took the ill-logical step, I bought an AWR sway bar instead. that would have turned out great... had the stress from my prior defunked setup not completely stripped the bolt receivers in the crossmembers and destroyed one of my bushing brackets! So when I got the AWR bar, I was screwed from the beginning. I am now slowly piecing it all back together.

I dunno if this fitment issue is due to my Tein S-Tech or what. All I know is... YE BE WARNED! (notcool)

 

[apocman]

I was wondering since mine Progress swaybar fits with the AWR endlinks was becuase the Tokico Blues rear strut spring perch sits a few inches higher than the Tokico Illuminas and other struts was the reason my setup fits?

here is a link that posts pictures to show you the differnce in the perch heights...

http://www.msprotege.com/forum/showthread.php?t=123625190

 

[dmitrik4]

just use the stock endlinks w/ the progress bar, if the mounting method is the same (i.e., if the ends of the 2 bars are built the same way). i really doubt you'll break them.

the links aren't supporting the entire weight of the bar anyway; that's borne by the crossmember/subframe. as far as weight goes, the links only support the weight of the bar's arms.

 

[apocman]

I don't understand why the swaybar is above the crossmember? I just installed my Progress the same way my RacingBeat was mounted which is below the crossmember

and I used the AWR endlinks...

 

[dmitrik4]

btw, that's the lateral link (part of the multilink suspension) in the picture, not the crossmember (part of the chassis).

 

[Black_Protege_5]

I talked with Tony and he said for me to measure the lengths and he will make me the endlinks with the right length for the bar.

 

[Wes]

I'll be trying the stock endlinks next, dmitrik4... my old ones were hosed long ago.

I dunno apocman, maybe yours is different somehow. But if you go back to the top of this thread and look at the pictures again, you will see that even if I were to lower the bar to beneath the control arm (which I did) the hole on the sway bar that received the endlink is directly in line with the control arm. If the arms of the sway bar were a bit longer, it would bolt up no problem.
Does that make any sense?

 

[Wes]

Let me know how this works out... I assume I'll be seeing you at the Feb 26 meet. If he is able to do it, then I'll take a set too.... since my first set are now garbage.

I talked with Tony and he said for me to measure the lengths and he will make me the endlinks with the right length for the bar.

 

[apocman]

I take a look when I get home for you. Call me later if you can and we'll go over it together while I am under the car. I'm still wondering if the spring perch location on the Tokico blues being different play any part in this?

seeing how the endlink connects to the strut there may be enough slight design differences that it allows for one setup to work, while the other not being able to ????


lets put our thinking caps on and work through this tonight, if possible....

I love figuring out problems and it makes it even more enjoyable when we have a team working on a problem!!!!