Sway bar links?

[mp 2010]

Hello - well I'm having some issues with my sway bar links I dont know how to properly adjust them I've managed to adjust one side to the point where the loose sound goes away but when I go to adjust the other side it throws off whatever I did to first side...

can someone help me or teach me how to adjust my sway bar links?

 

[bigwilly43729]

Define what you mean by "adjusting". Are these the stock endlinks?

 

[mp 2010]

no these are the agent47 one's and there seems to be a loose sound in my front suspension that goes away when I one of the links longer but when I go to extend the other one It come's right back so that's why I ask how is the proper way to adjust do both sides need to be the same length?
I'm confused.

 

[bigwilly43729]

I just looked them up, they are just like the Steeda endlinks. You need to make sure you are adjusting them at ride height. Put a jackstand under each control arm and then make the adjustments. I recommend red locktite as well to keep them in place.

 

[duece05]

amen for red loc-tite. Had a 68 Gran Torino GT with destroked 390 and Crower 310 solid lift cam, damned scattershield Would not stay bolted to the block, even with lockwashers, after red loc-tite, problem solved. glad i never had to replace the clutch again though.

 

[mp 2010]

now do they need to be adjusted the same on each side you think? I know it's a stupid question but I dont know where I read this week that only one side has to be adjusted...wich doesnt really make sence to me

 

[SoundGuyDave]

Okay, here's the deal... What you're adjusting is not bar rate, or wheel rate, but preload against the bar, which is net for the whole front suspension. What you're trying to do is to set up the bar so that it's neutral when you are static, with the driver in the seat.

Weigh yourself, and then pile that amount of ballast onto the front seat, and then, with the car at ride height on all four corners (ramps make this easy), simply loosen the jamb nuts on one of the end-links, and then either extend or contract the link so that there is no load on it at all, then re-tighten the jambs. Some blue loctite on the jambs is a good idea.

By doing that, there is no load placed on the bar with the car properly balanced. Once you cause any dynamic input (cornering, trailbraking, etc.), the bar starts to effect the net wheel rate. With fixed links, you may have some effect on the wheel rate just sitting there, which will alter your cross-weights.

Clear as mud, eh?

 

[mp 2010]

clear!!! Thanks to all...now let me go and try this.

 

[SlideWRX]

There shouldn't be a 'loose' sound whether they are adjusted right or not. Sounds like maybe something else in the suspension is having issues.

 

[SoundGuyDave]

actually, it kind of makes sense... If he's preloading to one side, and it's all tight when static, it will appear to be loose when going the other way. For the end links, loctite is your friend!

 

[Bingo]

Okay, here's the deal... What you're adjusting is not bar rate, or wheel rate, but preload against the bar, which is net for the whole front suspension. What you're trying to do is to set up the bar so that it's neutral when you are static, with the driver in the seat.

Weigh yourself, and then pile that amount of ballast onto the front seat, and then, with the car at ride height on all four corners (ramps make this easy), simply loosen the jamb nuts on one of the end-links, and then either extend or contract the link so that there is no load on it at all, then re-tighten the jambs. Some blue loctite on the jambs is a good idea.

By doing that, there is no load placed on the bar with the car properly balanced. Once you cause any dynamic input (cornering, trailbraking, etc.), the bar starts to effect the net wheel rate. With fixed links, you may have some effect on the wheel rate just sitting there, which will alter your cross-weights.

Clear as mud, eh?

So I guess this should be the procedure with stock end-links, too? I tightened up everything without any load on the front and I'm now experiencing some noises from up there. I'd like to try everything before actually replacing something.

 

[SoundGuyDave]

The problem with the S197 links is the same as with the upper control arm out back... larger hole than stud. It's a hellacious problem getting them tight enough not to slip. I've just gotten to the point of replacing the nuts every time I loosen them, AND loctiting them as well, and it's still a hit-or-miss proposition. IIRC, 18mm for the nut, and you have to hold the stud with an 8mm wrench.

While there is play in the joint from stud to bar, I honestly don't know if there's enough to properly unload the bar at static ride height. It's also getting down to nits, at that point, as well. Kind of like trying to put icing on the cake that you haven't baked yet. I wouldn't suggest adjustables unless you've corner-weighted the car in the first place, which you can't do without either shimming the springs or going to coil-overs.

 

[SD07GT]

The problem with the S197 links is the same as with the upper control arm out back... larger hole than stud. It's a hellacious problem getting them tight enough not to slip. I've just gotten to the point of replacing the nuts every time I loosen them, AND loctiting them as well, and it's still a hit-or-miss proposition. IIRC, 18mm for the nut, and you have to hold the stud with an 8mm wrench.

While there is play in the joint from stud to bar, I honestly don't know if there's enough to properly unload the bar at static ride height. It's also getting down to nits, at that point, as well. Kind of like trying to put icing on the cake that you haven't baked yet. I wouldn't suggest adjustables unless you've corner-weighted the car in the first place, which you can't do without either shimming the springs or going to coil-overs.

What a horrible design the stock end links were , not so much the end links but the strut hole that is to big like you said and Ford didn't use some type of cerated nut to get a bite on the metal .

I finally just bought the Steeda end links and I can tell you there worth every penny ! you can actually put a wrench on the stud and it has cerated nuts and the big thing is you can use your torque wrench on the nuts ! What I did was use some paint around the Steeda nut on the end links to check if somehow they would move still under extreme conditions and they have never broke the paint ..meaning they have never moved with ninety lb ft of torque .

I just cant figure out how they made the holes bigger on the UCA and strut tabs and the bolts smaller to create slop ? This must of been a slip up somewhere at Ford ?