Endlinks + Dropping the Beast

[TampaSport20]

I guess I'll be sticking with the stockers, for now at least. My beast IS a daily, year-round driver (wish she was summer only and could be snug in a garage for winter ) so I don't want to go through the hassle with the AWR's...

Does anyone else make quality endlinks that will be fine in the winter, or are stock and AWR the only options?

unless you make your own from heim joints
http://www.aedmotorsport.com/ youll still have to deal with the same problems as the AWR's...what AWR needs to do is make a rubber boot to go over the heim joint to protect it from the elements

 

[Dpwhitehead1]

subbing for info and what not. ..i planned on buying the whole awr setup..the front and rear sway bars w/ endlinks from AWR...i guess what you all are saying is that it will make noise? also, if i want a clunk to stop, i would need to use those grommets or w/e.?

 

[Mazdacub]

Sorry but I was not thinking straight when I told MyZmZm that the stock P5 links would be too long and you need shorter ones. It was the other way around. The pic below shows the bar pointing upward with the stock P5 links used with Eibach springs installed. I changed the links to ones from the basic 2002 sedan (not the GT) and they are longer making the bar sit perfectly level when the car is at rest. Sorry for the mix up about what size of link is required.

 

[TampaSport20]

kinda off topic, but not...I found out the hard way that some of the later 2000 models had the longer endlinks in the front.....

I installed Mazdaspeed 5 way adjustables and the tabs for the endlinks are made for the shorter endlinks from 99 and earlier 00 models...once everything was together though they SEEMED to fit up allright...however after taking it for a drive at FIRST it was tight as hell(serious preload on the swaybar),but I bent the endlinks badly...time to order some new shorter ones from richard at mazdastuff

shorter endlink part#b26r34170

 

[Mazdacub]

I will be dropping Morrigan come spring - about 1-1.2" all around - and I will be replacing the endlinks at the same time as the springs and struts.

I know that when the P5 is dropped, the stock endlinks end up being too short, which can result in clunking and other potential problems. A fellow owner here in town found that the stock Protege endlinks - with the regular suspension, NOT the sport - are a perfect fit because they are longer.
**Disclaimer - I know this is the case with the Tokico Illuminas; not sure about other struts**

I have the part numbers for the stock Protege endlinks; for those who have done this, are there different endlinks available from AWR for the different Proteges? Depending on price, I'd rather go with AWR adjustable endlinks, but I want to make sure that I would be getting the correct ones. At this point, because I know what the different parts/part #'s are, I am leaning towards stock endlinks.

Feedback from personal experience would also be greatly appreciated.

TIA!

How is my first post off topic?

This one is off topic
I am not trying to start a argument here but I am just sharing information.

And how does changing the length of both the links change pre load?

Please correct me if i am wrong. if you look at our sway bar on our cars it has two mounting points to the frame. some people claim if you lengthen or shorten both end links at the same time you are applying a preload to the bar. this is not true because the bar freely pivots at the location attached to the frame. my understanding is preloading is when you make one end link longer or shorter than the other, thus applying a twist (preload) to the bar. this is an advantage for race cars that race on oval tracks because they turn only in one direction. please read the info below for a better description of what im getting at. If you have a bar like the AWR one you can move the link mounting point forward or backward to change the stiffness of the bar when a twisting force is applied to it but it will not affect preload unless you make one link longer than the other.


SWAYBAR PRELOAD ADJUSTMENT - RARELY A GOOD IDEA

Preload of the swaybar implies that once installed the bar is loaded in torsion and applies load to the suspension system. The static result of this is that the body or chassis has been preloaded in roll and may be at a visible angle if the preload is large enough. This preload also effects the weight distribution at the tyre contact patch, both left and right and diagonal.
Dynamically the sway bar will be able to resist roll in one direction much greater than it would if it where installed without any preload. However cornering in the opposite direction the bar will allow and promote chassis roll until it has unwound or used up its preload, at which point the swaybar is unloaded at some cornering level. Beyond this the swaybar will provide the usual roll resistance or roll stiffness (less than a non-preloaded swaybar).
This effect is very asymmetric, although actual amount or effect it has could be minimal. The possible reasons for such a design could be to match a chassis which has its CG offset to one side, compensating any effects of that. It can also be used to modify the handling of cars that run on specific tracks, like oval racing, which benefit from asymmetric setups.
At Whiteline our swaybars are designed to provide no preload once installed, giving symmetrical roll resistance. We have not encountered any OE swaybars that are designed by preload.

 

[TampaSport20]

How is my first post off topic?

AHEM :

I meant MY post was off topic (stooges)

I suppose I used the term pre-load incorrectly...

I simply meant that when I installed my FRONT struts the endlinks were too long and pushed the sway bar too far down, so after I drove it, it bent my endlinks

 

[Mazdacub]

Ah s*** my bad. (hand) I was not trying to be rude. I was just posting info. that might help you with your links.

 

[TampaSport20]

Ah s*** my bad. (hand) I was not trying to be rude. I was just posting info. that might help you with your links.

nah I just need the shorter 99-00 front endlinks....I thought I already had them until I found a post from negatize on clubprotege that later model year 2000's had the longer endlinks on the front like the rest of the 01+ models..

.does make sense though why the longer ones still fit though....the sway bar pivots down far enough..after looking at it I realized what happened...the sway bar was resting up against the A-arm because the longer endlink pushed it so low, so when I took a hard corner it braced against the a-arm and the weakest link(the endlink) gave out and bent

 

[MyZmZm]

As per Mazdacub's post, I have corrected my initial post about the endlinks. Sorry for any mix-up or confusion this may have caused.

So tampa, this item that you posted - shorter endlink part#b26r34170 - is the one that fits properly?

 

[TampaSport20]

As per Mazdacub's post, I have corrected my initial post about the endlinks. Sorry for any mix-up or confusion this may have caused.

So tampa, this item that you posted - shorter endlink part#b26r34170 - is the one that fits properly?

In my case yes....I am using Mazdaspeed adjustable struts..the tab where the endlinks mount to the strut sits lower on my front struts.....my stock struts had the tab mounted higher, like all the rest of the 01+....so when I changed out the struts the old endlinks were too long...the endlinks on the FRONT struts of 99 were mounted in the same way as the Mazdaspeed adjustables, SO the earlier model endlinks will fit my car properly now.....In my case were talking like 3-4 inches difference so new endlinks ARE necessary

In your case with the spring drop the strut doesnt change position at all, however the BODY is...so the sway bar sits lower....a 1"-2" difference shouldnt necessitate even NEEDING new endlinks

 

[FunkyBuddha]

What did you expect. Tuning and Winter don't really go well together. They are made for the track not the Deerfoot...


There are two sizes for front and rear. Get them if you plan not to drive with them on in the winter. Add the rubber Gromets to make them tight and totally quiet...

Here is a link...

http://www.msprotege.com/forum/showthread.php?t=106761

But don't you think they should've thought of daily drivers when they make products for the general public? You can't expect everbody who pick these up to be using cars for just track and warm summer days.

 

[dbzeag]

Mcmaster Carr has them.

And I lowered mine almost 3 inches and the only endlink problems were in the back. Wanna know a free fix? Flip the lower rear lateral bars over. If you get under there and look you'll see they bump up right at the spot where the antisway bar attaches to the endlink. If you flip them, they are now bumped down. Never touched ever, and like I said lowered almost 3 inches.

Can I get a picture of this? I believe I am having that problem right now. I have emailed AWR 3 times but they haven't replied back. I was thinking about making my own because I bent one of the front ones already, so I might as well do all of them.

Anyone have any clues or how-to for making your own set? They will have to withstand Cleveland winters = cold, tons of salt (huge mine under Lake Erie).

 

[dbzeag]

But don't you think they should've thought of daily drivers when they make products for the general public? You can't expect everbody who pick these up to be using cars for just track and warm summer days.

http://www.awrracing.com/store/information.php?id=8&sessId=EF3A307F77D5BE40CC59AA618FCB4098

 

[2k2silvermp5]

Will the awr links work w/ stock struts???? I have the car lowered 2" w/ sprint springs and a racing beat sway bar???? Anyone have the awr's with this setup???

 

[Dpwhitehead1]

ok so what im gathering is that the front endlinks on the 01+ are too long if you drop the car. so what i was planning on doing was, buying the front and rear awr sway bars 21.5mm and the endlinks..and putting them on. now, is what you guys are saying that the links still clunk but are easily fixable with a grommet?

 

[kyle's protege5]

Can I get a picture of this?

Yes, here you go

Anyone have any clues or how-to for making your own set? They will have to withstand Cleveland winters = cold, tons of salt (huge mine under Lake Erie).

Mcamster Carr has all the parts, and just get all the pieces in stainless so no worry about corrosion

 

[kyle's protege5]

http://www.awrracing.com/store/information.php?id=8&sessId=EF3A307F77D5BE40CC59AA618FCB4098

well said

 

[Brian MP5T]

But don't you think they should've thought of daily drivers when they make products for the general public? You can't expect everbody who pick these up to be using cars for just track and warm summer days.

Why not They car called AWR...

"R" For "RACING"... (first)

Not "R" for "Recreational Driving"

Not "R" for "Really Good In The Snow and Salt"

Not "R" for "Rust Proof"

Get it? (hah)

 

[Brian MP5T]

Anyone have any clues or how-to for making your own set? They will have to withstand Cleveland winters = cold, tons of salt (huge mine under Lake Erie).

I would get AWR adjustables and remove them for the winter. I can't see you doing much in the way of "Super Cornering"

It is a stupid suggestion but so is driving in the winter...

(glare)

 

[Brian MP5T]

Will the awr links work w/ stock struts???? I have the car lowered 2" w/ sprint springs and a racing beat sway bar???? Anyone have the awr's with this setup???

Yes they are direct fit..