Adjustable End Links…Anyone install these on their CX-5?

[N7turbo]

I will be installing Corksport Springs soon. Browsing around their site I came across adjustable end links. Here's how they describe them:

"The ability to change the length of your end links help reduce unwanted sway bar preload or binding that may be a result of lowering your Mazda."

Performance Adjustable Swaybar Endlinks for the CX5 and CX9

The best rear swaybar adjustable end links for the for the 2013+ CX5 and 2016+ CX9

corksport.com

Has anyone installed these?

 

[N7turbo]

Now that I'm lowered I'm interested in checking for preload. @AL Cx5 do you have experience with this?

Here's a video I found:

Presumably, if we're unable to achieve zero preload, the adjustable endlinks would solve the problem.

 

[Lazy2.5]

Corksport lowering springs are too low for the factory dampers. You will reduce their overall life. Change the struts to bilsteins.

 

[N7turbo]

Corksport lowering springs are too low for the factory dampers. You will reduce their overall life. Change the struts to bilsteins.

Well that's, like, your opinion man

 

[sm1ke]

I mean, its true, but I think most people understand the risk and the tradeoff. We also don't know how much life to expect out of these dampers after the car is lowered. Hard to say without lots of reported damper failures with lowering springs installed. They may last 200k mi instead of 300k mi, who knows.

 

[Lazy2.5]

Well that's, like, your opinion man

As @sm1ke mentioned, not an opinion. It is true.

 

[N7turbo]

I'll replace/upgrade them when they fail. No need to toss out perfectly good 3,000 mile shocks at this time.

 

[Lazy2.5]

I'll replace/upgrade them when they fail. No need to toss out perfectly good 3,000 mile shocks at this time.

Fair enough.

Or just with with the bilsteins. You'll like them.

 

[AL Cx5]

Now that I'm lowered I'm interested in checking for preload. @AL Cx5 do you have experience with this?

Here's a video I found:

Presumably, if we're unable to achieve zero preload, the adjustable endlinks would solve the problem.

Yes, this video is the way I set up sway bars. On my race car, I stack weight in the front seat and have my wife sit in the car. We adjust the 4 Link and have a neutral "sway bar". It's called an Anti Roll Bar at this level.

Did same thing on the CX 5, less weight in the drivers seat. It would be a good idea to do this on a CX 5. At this power level and small diameter sway bar I didn't see a need. If it didn't drive straight I would have added weight and adjusted.

Drive yours after adjusting. If it's dancing around, it might have preload.

Here is a pic of my ARB, old and the new Big Boy. LOL

 

[AL Cx5]

I'll replace/upgrade them when they fail. No need to toss out perfectly good 3,000 mile shocks at this time.

Did you trim the bump stops in the rear after lowering?

 

[N7turbo]

Did you trim the bump stops in the rear after lowering?

Definitely. Followed the detailed CS instructions at the bottom of the page.

 

[N7turbo]

These videos were pretty good, too.

That said, I'm finding it hard to determine whether I really need them just based on the drive. The car feels fine—in fact, this car is handling dramatically better than my 2020 FWD model did, so I'm pretty happy so far. But I'd hate to spend $280 and a few hours to not get any improvement out of this. I guess the only way to tell is to do the work to undo my end links and find out, but I'm not crazy about that.

Someone convince me that I do or do not need them

 

[AL Cx5]

These videos were pretty good, too.

That said, I'm finding it hard to determine whether I really need them just based on the drive. The car feels fine—in fact, this car is handling dramatically better than my 2020 FWD model did, so I'm pretty happy so far. But I'd hate to spend $280 and a few hours to not get any improvement out of this. I guess the only way to tell is to do the work to undo my end links and find out, but I'm not crazy about that.

Someone convince me that I do or do not need them

If it tracks straight without having to constantly steer, it's good.

The front links are difficult to adjust with the wheels on blocks. The front SB has more room to swing in the front so having the links perfect length is not as critical as the rear.

If you have a sway bar with 4 holes, put the end link in the inboard hole and go for a drive. If the links are not neutral the car sorta dances going down the road. Been there.

I put my links in the OEM location on the SB. Our goals for the CX 5 is fun, not harsh, handling.

BTW, after lowering, did you get camber bolts to adjust the camber on the front end. This will impact handling, less tire surface on the ground and wear out tires quickly. If not, this is a good place to zero in on. Rule of thumb, for every inch lowered, camber changes .75 inch. This is about what I found when I lowered the front 2" on our CX 5.

https://f87.bimmerpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1621129

Good Luck

 

[N7turbo]

If it tracks straight without having to constantly steer, it's good.

I didn't think they cause the car to not track straight? Don't they just cause differences between left and right suspension reactivity?

BTW, after lowering, did you get camber bolts to adjust the camber on the front end. This will impact handling, less tire surface on the ground and wear out tires quickly. If not, this is a good place to zero in on. Rule of thumb, for every inch lowered, camber changes .75 inch. This is about what I found when I lowered the front 2" on our CX 5.

I haven't. I want to measure my camber because I didn't get a printout from my alignment.

 

[AL Cx5]

I didn't think they cause the car to not track straight? Don't they just cause differences between left and right suspension reactivity?


I haven't. I want to measure my camber because I didn't get a printout from my alignment.

Well, we have preloaded end links on Anti Roll Bars to make a car go straight on a launch and doing a wheelie. The problem with this is the car wants to turn towards the wall at the top end of the track at +150 MPH. If you watch many drag racing crashes, sometimes the cars turn into the wall at the top of the track and crash. One reason is they have preloaded suspension. There are other factors as well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_yT_pP32jQ

Preload or not neutral sway bar can make the car crab a bit going down the road. A stressful drive.

 

[N7turbo]

I read that having a little more negative camber in the front vs the rear is helpful to balance handling on a car that understeers (ours). So maybe leaving the front alone, as long as it's not extreme, is fine. I'll go measure the car now as I have the day off work.

 

[AL Cx5]

I read that having a little more negative camber in the front vs the rear is helpful to balance handling on a car that understeers (ours). So maybe leaving the front alone, as long as it's not extreme, is fine. I'll go measure the car now as I have the day off work.

Agree. Everyone has to weigh how a mod will comprise something else.

My camber was off 1.5 degrees, right inline with the rule of thumb, after lowering 2".

Other than 0 camber shortens tire life, longer braking distance and worse MPG.

On the other hand, it will go through the twistes better.

I ignored neg camber when lowering our Accord 1" or .75 degrees, neg camber. Ties lasted no time. I bought the parts and put in spec before replacing the tires....$500 lesson.

I'm not sure how to measure 1.5 degrees neg camber without some special tools or on an alignment machine.

Let us know how it works out.

 

[N7turbo]

Other than 0 camber shortens tire life

If you're a highway miler, yes.

longer braking distance

Yes.

and worse MPG.

I doubt it would have much effect. If anything, less tire contact would increase economy.

But 0 camber would mean the outer edge takes more than an equal share of the load when turning, increasing wear during cornering.

 

[AL Cx5]

It sounds like you are building your CX 5 to track or race around town. If so, shortened tire life is not of concern. And you fixed the rear camber issue and choose to have the front camber out of factory spec.


My CX 5 is definitely a DD and road trip car. The following supports how we use this car.

I like Ecomodder for details on FE. These guys "get into the weeds" as we say on the details. They were fussing with .5 degrees of camber.

https://ecomodder.com/forum/showthread.php/camber-caster-alignment-questions-37980.html

Bottom line, if the print out from the alignment shop has all the values in the Green, then it's within factory specs.

Mazda set up our CX 5s with zero camber in an effort to get better FE. It tracks pretty good. After I added front and rear sway bars, it tracks much better. I'm sure better tires will help as well.

Aside, I'm impressed Mazda built the front end section and my Camber is zero on both wheels, with no factory adjustment.

The before and after show front camber out 2 deg and toe out .09 deg after lowering 2" front and 2.5" rear with coilovers. I have since bought camber adjusting bolts which mount the struts that fix the camber issue below. Handling with camber and toe out was a strange feeling.

 

[N7turbo]

Mazda set up our CX 5s with zero camber in an effort to get better FE. It tracks pretty good.

As a new car, mine had obvious negative camber in the rear. Not sure why they set it up like that. The fronts, I don't know. They were probably close to zero.

I am investigating the front still and will address it before I put the new tires on.