Is tightening endlinks under load necessary when changing sway bars?

dellyjoughnut

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My first time doing rear sway bor change. I removed my FK7 endlinks to install the Accord ones and found I could rotate 360 them while on the sway bar. The Accord endlinks can also rotate 360. Since Whiteline doesn't provide an installation guide, I used the factory service manual. It does state to tighten while under load. What confuses me is if the endlinks are tightened under load yet they can pivot 360 not under load, doesn't this defeat the purpose of tightening under load because of that free play?
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jscm

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rotate 360? maybe im not getting your question but the only reason to tighten the endlinks under load is so you can have zero preload on the sway bar and thats for adjustable endlinks otherwise tightening a non adjustable endlinks under load or not under load will be just the same thing whether the bar has preload or not.
 

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1. When installing the adjustable endlinks, tighten both to the rear swaybar.
2. Tighten the locknut on the adjustable end of one endlink.
3. Lower the car onto its wheels with the full weight on the suspension.
4. Swing the swaybar down until the endlink you just tightened is inside the lower control arm.
5. Put the bolt through that arm and endlink.
6. Check the opposite side endlink and see if the hole is lined up in the arm. Then you’ll know if you need to lengthen or shorten that link.
7. Pull the bolt out of the original side endlink and control arm and swing the swaybar up so you can adjust and lock the other endlink. It might take a couple of tries to get it with zero preload on the bar.
 

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My first time doing rear sway bor change. I removed my FK7 endlinks to install the Accord ones and found I could rotate 360 them while on the sway bar. The Accord endlinks can also rotate 360. Since Whiteline doesn't provide an installation guide, I used the factory service manual. It does state to tighten while under load. What confuses me is if the endlinks are tightened under load yet they can pivot 360 not under load, doesn't this defeat the purpose of tightening under load because of that free play?
The only reason I see they say this is the pressure of the car on the links will help prevent the pivot from spinning around while you tighten it. As L8Apex stated, you only need to tighten with weight on for adjustable end links to ensure you have the correct geometry. With non-adjustables you can do it either way but it may be easier to tighten while under load.
 
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1. When installing the adjustable endlinks, tighten both to the rear swaybar.
2. Tighten the locknut on the adjustable end of one endlink.
3. Lower the car onto its wheels with the full weight on the suspension.
4. Swing the swaybar down until the endlink you just tightened is inside the lower control arm.
5. Put the bolt through that arm and endlink.
6. Check the opposite side endlink and see if the hole is lined up in the arm. Then you’ll know if you need to lengthen or shorten that link.
7. Pull the bolt out of the original side endlink and control arm and swing the swaybar up so you can adjust and lock the other endlink. It might take a couple of tries to get it with zero preload on the bar.
When tightening the first end link, eibach says to set the centers to 80 mm, is that what you mean or is there a specific measurement to use. Or do you mean to bottom it out then adjust it back so the ends are perpendicular.
Sorry if my question doesn’t make sense if you need me to reword it I can try.
 


Benster

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When tightening the first end link, eibach says to set the centers to 80 mm, is that what you mean or is there a specific measurement to use. Or do you mean to bottom it out then adjust it back so the ends are perpendicular.
Sorry if my question doesn’t make sense if you need me to reword it I can try.
The measurement from Eibach is to make it so the sway bar end is parallel to the ground, follow that, there is no other measurement to follow. If I remember suspension geometry right, this is what you need in order for the sway bar to work properly.

You don't need to have the end link joints at the same distance from the center link, just make sure they somewhat even so one isn't only on by one or 2 threads.

What L8apex is explaining is you tighten one end link on both ends and adjust the other so there is no side load on the sway bar when the car is on flat ground.
 
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L8apex

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When tightening the first end link, eibach says to set the centers to 80 mm, is that what you mean or is there a specific measurement to use. Or do you mean to bottom it out then adjust it back so the ends are perpendicular.
Sorry if my question doesn’t make sense if you need me to reword it I can try.
Eibach probably recommends 80mm for clearance issues rather than geometry. Yes it would be ideal that at rest, the endlinks form a 90 degree angle with the swaybar pivot point. But with various suspension arms and links and driveshafts in the way, I’d rather adjust the endlink to avoid all those things when the suspension (and/or steering) articulates.

And keep in mind the maximum and minimum length of the endlink may only change its angle relative to the swaybar pivot point by maybe 5-10 degrees. Not enough to worry about, I’d concern myself with keeping the swaybar from hitting other components.
 
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Eibach probably recommends 80mm for clearance issues rather than geometry. Yes it would be ideal that at rest, the endlinks form a 90 degree angle with the swaybar pivot point. But with various suspension arms and links and driveshafts in the way, I’d rather adjust the endlink to avoid all those things when the suspension (and/or steering) articulates.

And keep in mind the maximum and minimum length of the endlink may only change its angle relative to the swaybar pivot point by maybe 5-10 degrees. Not enough to worry about, I’d concern myself with keeping the swaybar from hitting other components.
Great info! Thanks for getting back to me!
 
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The measurement from Eibach is to make it so the sway bar end is parallel to the ground, follow that, there is no other measurement to follow. If I remember suspension geometry right, this is what you need in order for the sway bar to work properly.

You don't need to have the end link joints at the same distance from the center link, just make sure they somewhat even so one isn't only on by one or 2 threads.

What L8apex is explaining is you tighten one end link on both ends and adjust the other so there is no side load on the sway bar when the car is on flat ground.
Great info! Thanks for getting back to me.
 

L8apex

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Great info! Thanks for getting back to me!
Remember too that as you lower the car, keeping the swaybar parallel to the ground is gonna get more and more unlikely.

Some suspension designs where the swaybar connects to the lower control arm, you can install something like a roll center adjustment. That makes the lower control arm more horizontal, and that brings the swaybar more horizontal as well. That’s probably where that reasoning originated from.

But the suspension design on our cars, the front swaybar is attached to the strut, so even if you install a roll center adjustment kit, it only affects the geometry of the lower control arm, not the swaybar.

I know, more confusing information than you needed, but it sucks (for enthusiasts as a whole) when someone installs parts (correctly, yes) but aren’t adjusted correctly and end up not having the effect they were expecting, or worse, a bad experience about said part. Sometimes that bad experience spreads like wildfire. End rant. Lol.
 
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Remember too that as you lower the car, keeping the swaybar parallel to the ground is gonna get more and more unlikely.

Some suspension designs where the swaybar connects to the lower control arm, you can install something like a roll center adjustment. That makes the lower control arm more horizontal, and that brings the swaybar more horizontal as well. That’s probably where that reasoning originated from.

But the suspension design on our cars, the front swaybar is attached to the strut, so even if you install a roll center adjustment kit, it only affects the geometry of the lower control arm, not the swaybar.

I know, more confusing information than you needed, but it sucks (for enthusiasts as a whole) when someone installs parts (correctly, yes) but aren’t adjusted correctly and end up not having the effect they were expecting, or worse, a bad experience about said part. Sometimes that bad experience spreads like wildfire. End rant. Lol.
Got the rsb, and frame brace because it came with the end links, going to be putting them on in the spring for the start of the autocross season. Hopefully the stiffer bar helps.
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