So I've got some endlinks here, purportedly Powergrids but after receiving them they're just a smidge different so I'm thinking knockoffs. The fronts are on fine, adjusted to no preload. It's the rears that I'm having an issue with.

I have a 22mm Alta rear sway, and the car is lowered approximately 1.5". From all accounts, this means the rear links ought to be shorter to keep the bar correctly positioned, arms parallel to ground, si?

The aftermarket links, at their longest with still enough threaded into the ends to be comfortable, are MAYBE 1/2" shorter than the stockers. Yet when I go to install one, the top of the link (attach. to swaybar) contacts the trailing arm. This is with one connected, one disconnected, car sitting flat.
I've had to add washers to keep the joints positioned the same distance from the swaybar attachment point, still contacts the arm.

w - t - f? I'm using the softest setting on the sway bar, and if I move to the center holes, problem avoided. But I certainly don't need more rear bar. Has anyone else had this issue with the 22mm Alta? If I removed the swaybar and tweaked the ends inward a teensy bit, it should clear then. I can't see that being as easy as it sounds.

Also, the rear swaybar's ends are suppose to remain parallel with the ground, right? Does anyone have a clear picture of the front swaybar properly aligned?

 

Circled is where the endlink contacts the arm (on the other side, naturally)

Are tolerances wicked close here and I just drew the short stick, or is there something amiss that I'm not seeing? Are the links too short?

 

edit: nm.

 

Welp, guess it's not the bargain endlinks afterall. I reinstalled the stockers, and they still hit the trailing arm. How's THAT for preload??

Any takers on why this is?

 

try taking off both sides, then install the shorter ones.

if one is short, and the other is stock, it might cause a problem

 

I've yet to try that combination.

OK, with the rear in the air, one stocker installed and full range of motion checked, I was incorrect about the stock links hitting the trailing arm. It's VERY close, and they were only contacting with one side jacked.

With one aftermarket link (slightly shorter) installed (nothing linked on the other end...), it's an infinitesimally close distance from the arm at full droop, and jacking the suspension any amount causes the link to contact the trailing arm.



I can only assume that the cause of this is the Alta swaybar ends toeing out slightly (viewed from the rear). Reducing clearances and making them nonexistent with the shorter links.

I plucked the stock bar from where it was last thrown, and the arms are parallel to each other and shorter. It doesn't look like the exact dimensions of the Alta swaybar were well thought out.

Can I get any confirmation of either problems or clear sailing of someone running the 22mm rear swaybar, lowered, with aftermarket endlinks? I've found two other instances of this occurring, one on NAM and one on motoringunderground.

I am going to go with longer links which will solve the problem. Swaybar will not be parallel to the ground, but I'm not sure how that matters at all.

 

Same thing happend to me when I got the powergrid endlinks shortened by about a 1/4in compared to the stock endlinks. Was attached to the lowest setting of a H-sport comp bar. Top portion ending up hitting the trailing arm making a creaking noise. Had to lengthen them to stock length. No problems now.

 

Excellenta, thanks for the confirm. Going to get longer shafts for the links.