How recommended is the endlink upgrade for the sway bars??

I have to replace the passenger side front one... but I'm thinking maybe upgrading to the alta set...

anyway
any thoughts??

 

Malcon, what other suspension changes have you made? If it's just a swaybar then a factory link is just fine. If you have the $$ to spend on a set of adjustable links and just have to have them then there are way better ones out there then the Altas for the front bar. Altas are fine for the rear though.

 

You could do all four with TSW end links and balance the car out for more neutral handling. http://www.autoxcooper.com/tsw_suspension.html

 

What about with a lowered car and a sway bar? Are upgraded links a better idea then?

 

Malcom,

I couldn't agree more with Onasled!! Don't go Alta in the front. Rears are fine. Stick to stock or look for different ones.

 

Powergrids (TSW, WMS) here and after lowering and driving for a while without them and then putting them on, they make a very nice change. The car is better balanced and settled with more forward bite. PS: I did all four.

 

The stock endlinks cost me 60 dollars a pop, so why not pay 155 for 2 ? or 300 for 4? I think these are great value, and are great for balancing the car nicely. I have four powergrids (TSW) and they are highly recommended

 

With rear 22mm sway bar and JCW shocks and Eibach springs (soon going for a set of BC Racing coilovers) do you recommend adjustable endlinks both front and rear?

 

Funny, I was just looking at endlinks since I just bought a rear sway. Anybody have the Helix endlinks? What makes TSW better? Thanks...

 

Heim joints are just not as good in day to day driving as the better sealed and better articulation that you find on the TSW (powergrid) endlinks. My 2 pennies.

 

I'd definately recommend them, even without coilovers, but with your new BCs, i think you should definately have. You can't properly corner-balance the car without adjustable endlinks (i'm assuming you want to corner-balance)

 

Were ou responding to me? If yes, my first worry (and reason why I was looking into adjustable endlinks)was to have zero preload...

 

Corner balancing = zero preload unless you are wanting to load a corner for a specific turn, track.

 

Looking at minimarks' comment in reverse - sort of - a stock mini will have some pre-load as soon as you sit in the car. A corner balanced car will not have preloaded endlinks once you sit in the car.

 

Really, unless you are using the car more then 50% of the time on the track, corner balancing is a huge waste of time. Even then, to corner balance any car that is not a full time track car is throwing money out the window.

Some comments here on how just adding adjustable endlinks have made a noticeable difference in the cars handling. Maybe those that have done so can explain just how and why they come to this conclusion.

Unless you have really messed up your ride heights when adding adjustable ride height coilovers, then the amount of preload you might get without adjustable links is not mountable to much.

Now, absolutely nothing wrong with getting adjustable endlinks at all. I did it when the car was still streetable. But I just don't want those that are uncertain on the importance of them to think that they will really doing much help on a car that is not track dedicated.
Added this: Adjustable links will help if you ever 'stagger' your adjusments from side to side. Like when using the last hole on one side and the middle hole on the other.

One more note, of course all just "my" opinion. Don't ever preload a Mini's swaybar for any track. Just the wrong thing to do. If you are going that far in your thinking then it's time to by new springs.

 

Yeh i was indeed.

Corner balancing is very much a fine-tuning, but its not necessary. However, i do believe that they are a good idea for either street or track use, as it allows the preload to be zero on the swaybars (once you've sat in it). The swaybar's work at their best with 0 preload.

 

Guess you could ask if you were in a race and your a last place car and you put endlinks on and corner balance it, would it make you a first place car? NO, but it will make the car more predictable, better balanced and allow you to work on the mod between your ears. Which by the way, I need a lot of work on...

 

Don't confuse corner balancing and adjusting for zero preload as the same thing. Completely separate from each other. Yes, adding any preload will throw off a corner balanced car.
Just don't corner balance a street car. It's 99% a waste of time and money.

 

I tried to PM you Onasled. Do you have time to clear some PM space?

Jeremy

 

Wasn't, but I'd like to hear your discription and advice.

 

Was addressing the post above yours. Yours was clear and pretty accuarte I think.

 

Will do. Gimmi about 10 min.

 

 

I have an unrelated question. I just put the JCW suspension kit on my car thinking it would take care of an issue that the dealer believes is in my head.

After taking a few corners...not hard mind you it seems at times, the rear suspension is a little unbalanced more lean on the driver’s side, but corrected after I do a left turn or two...what could cause this. It is not as noticeable now that the stiffer suspension in installed but I still recognize it.

could the cause be flex or movement in the rear struts etc? I welcome any suggestions.

 

IMHO, the preload on the swaybars using the fixed-length OEM endlinks is a likely culprit. I noticed much, much more neutral behavior, better behavior in quick transitions, and more lateral grip even on a "stock" style suspension (Bilstein SP's with our TSW springs).