AWR Front Endlink Issue

[low_psi]

Has anyone else had issues with the AWR front endlinks being too short? Even at full extension they are so short that under compression, the swaybar is hitting the tierods and the bolt heads are hitting the unibody. I'm going to call AWR tomorrow and try to order longer rods and 4 new rodends.

Am I the only one having this problem? They have not broken like AzteCyphers, though the rodends are bent. Not sure if thats due to the collisions though.

 

[o.g.sk8er]

yea, mine are/were shorter as well. I didnt have any clearance issues though, but I did notice the sway bar was pointing up a little to high for my liking. So I took them off. Seems my car handles better with the stock ones than the AWR's anyway so, off they go. I used to run with these front ones for years. It wasnt until recently that I needed to re-install the stock ones that I found my car actually likes the skinny stock ones. hehe

I do use the front AWR end links on the rear when I install my rear stock sway bar. Otherwise, I have my MSP rear bar with the shorter links.

 

[Mike R]

I kinda remember having issues, and there were two lengths or something you could get for them....Or you were sent the rear ones...

Memory is fuzzy about it... It's been 3-4 years since I installed them (and almost 2 since I took em off!) I know the other issues with them breaking are a spacer issue. I thought I took care of that with Tony years ago.


I noticed in your other post about replacement bushings... You have replacements for the front control arms? My car is rapidly nearing 200K and I know rubber doesn't last that long. That being said, I don't know if the ball joints are available seperate from the arms.....

 

[Mike R]

Here's a copy and paste from the other thread... good for comaprison to the setup you have.....


First 4 are the damaged ones from the drivers side. You can see the marks on the strut where ther is contact.
http://www.msprotege.com/members/Mik...ds-damage1.JPG
http://www.msprotege.com/members/Mik...ds-damage2.JPG
http://www.msprotege.com/members/Mik...s-lowerold.JPG
http://www.msprotege.com/members/Mike R/ds-old.JPG



The new setup, the spacers on the upper are different.
http://www.msprotege.com/members/Mik...-uppernew1.JPG
http://www.msprotege.com/members/Mik...-uppernew2.JPG
http://www.msprotege.com/members/Mik...-uppernew3.JPG
http://www.msprotege.com/members/Mik...-uppernew4.JPG
http://www.msprotege.com/members/Mike R/ds-new1.JPG

 

[low_psi]

Yea my spacers aren't that thick, but I do have thicker and thinner ones(the thicker on top). The front bushings are all stock, the rear has some that I made though. I still need to replace just the dust boot covers on the lower ball joints.

I have 3 different lengths, a set of rears and then a short and long set of fronts. I bought them used... and now I've already destroyed/don't need parts off the fronts. I'm probably just going to leave the stock endlinks on until I get the rest of the new track stuff on and sorted out. One less thing to go wrong...

-Marc

 

[mazdaspeed777]

I am installing my front AWR endlinks and I was going to try to tighten the whole endbolts into the body of the endlinks which takes about an inch off the stock endlink length. Would that be a bad thing?? I just wanted to do it that way so I dont have to worry about the end bolts braking or bending

 

[Mike R]

You will still break the stuff. If it hits and binds, it'll break.. Look at my pics. That is how you install them. This stuff is trial and error. Install, turn the steering and look for contact. Adjust, repeat, etc....

 

[MrE007]

I had the same problem. http://www.toprotege.com/forums/showthread.php?t=28079

When installed, it pulled my front sway bar way up even with the endlinks are full length. I had to revert back to stockers in the front.