Stabilizer links with OEM replaced - but weird now when driving

[bmninada]

Recently got the front axle links replaced consequent to a diagnosed clunking sound. Sound is now gone. 3 weeks driving however distinctly feel the car got worse. Every bump, potholes - everything I am feeling now, while driving. Even the car is rolling more I think. To eliminate few things - pushed hard front hood when parked, swung steering left/right - all good.

Car: 2016 CX5, 75,000 miles

My neighbor knows car but not a mechanic. He said its rare and doesn't know how Mazda does it but said it could be the links were tightened when on load in the lift. That will cause what you're describing. He also then said - if you do take it back to shop ask them to also neutralize the sway bar. Will cost them perhaps 3 extra minutes.
Then drive a bit. If problem persists - your struts need replacement.

What does he mean and he did say he doesn't know much about Mazda so is he correct? I can take it back to the shop. If you guys think has "merit" then what should I ask them (shop) to do?

 

[N7turbo]

Those are symptoms of anti-roll bars (sway bars, stabilizer bars) being in a state of permanent pre-load due to what your neighbor describes.

However, this only applies to adjustable end-links. When they are a fixed length, it doesn't matter when you put them on because the length won't change and thus neither will the end result.

If they are in fact the correct part and length, it can't be them.

 

[jadmt]

sounds like your struts need replacing..or they have your tire psi jacked way up...that would be the first thing I would look at.....

 

[bmninada]

@N7turbo
A sway bar system has three variables, not one:

1. Link length (fixed)
2. Control arm position (changes with ride height)
3. Sway bar rotational position in the chassis (not indexed)

Even with a fixed-length link:

• If you connect both ends while the suspension is drooped
• You define the sway bar’s resting rotational angle at that droop position
• When the car is lowered, the control arms move
• The sway bar is forced to twist to accommodate that change

That twist is preload. No adjustable length is required.

Is what I am thinking.

 

[ColoradoDriver]

@N7turbo
A sway bar system has three variables, not one:

1. Link length (fixed)
2. Control arm position (changes with ride height)
3. Sway bar rotational position in the chassis (not indexed)

Even with a fixed-length link:

• If you connect both ends while the suspension is drooped
• You define the sway bar’s resting rotational angle at that droop position
• When the car is lowered, the control arms move
• The sway bar is forced to twist to accommodate that change

That twist is preload. No adjustable length is required.

Is what I am thinking.

You know I did my front suspension a year ago with jack stands and I think stuff was drooped. Now wondering if I screwed it up.

 

[RedBaron]

• When the car is lowered, the control arms move
• The sway bar is forced to twist to accommodate that change

The sway bar is not locked to the chassis, but pivots in the bushings. So there is only torque when one wheel is at a different height to the other. If both wheels are at the same height (high OR low) there is no torque (twist) from (in) the bar.

 

[Saskabush]

@N7turbo
A sway bar system has three variables, not one:

1. Link length (fixed)
2. Control arm position (changes with ride height)
3. Sway bar rotational position in the chassis (not indexed)

Even with a fixed-length link:

• If you connect both ends while the suspension is drooped
• You define the sway bar’s resting rotational angle at that droop position
• When the car is lowered, the control arms move
• The sway bar is forced to twist to accommodate that change

That twist is preload. No adjustable length is required.

Is what I am thinking.

This is how it WOULD work. But the sway bar itself is only clamped down with rubber bushings. So unless those bushings were loosened (no reason to do that for end link replacement and kinda a pain to get at) and re-tightened while drooped, there should no be no preload on anything at ride height. And even if there was, it's only on the rubber bushings and will not affect much handling wise (you can twist the bar by hand fairly easily). Worst case you just wear out the rubber bushings faster. The bar itself has no load on it until one wheel moves vertically more than the other.

Usually this is only a concern with control arms bushings or leaf spring bushings. Since those are far stiffer to handle larger loads. You want to make sure you torque them once the vehicle is back on the ground so that angles of everything are nuetral. But the way the front control arms on the CX-5 work this isn't really a concern either, since they can only be installed at a particular angle.

To me this sounds like the PSI is too high in the tires.

 

[N7turbo]

@N7turbo
A sway bar system has three variables, not one:

1. Link length (fixed)
2. Control arm position (changes with ride height)
3. Sway bar rotational position in the chassis (not indexed)

Even with a fixed-length link:

• If you connect both ends while the suspension is drooped
• You define the sway bar’s resting rotational angle at that droop position
• When the car is lowered, the control arms move
• The sway bar is forced to twist to accommodate that change

That twist is preload. No adjustable length is required.

Is what I am thinking.

That could be, but wouldn't the sway bar be hard to rotate in the bushings?

Their symptoms do sound exactly like what I experienced when I put on the 2" lowering springs but kept the stock end links. It was not a good time.