Whiteline front sway bar + endlinks

[CoryCooper]

This is interesting

Originally Posted by Wepeel

It might not have been OP's issue, but any KW-based coilover changes the distance from the endlink mount to the strut mount, so a shorter endlink is usually needed. In addition, the WL bar is shaped differently than OEM, which is why the WL bars come with their own endlink to begin with. For my KWv3 and WL bar combo, the endlink that came with the WL bar was too short, so I got a shorter set of WL endlinks.

What I posted in another thread:


http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=61472

[bslate3]

I hate to revive an old thread but I'm having a really hard time fitting the Whiteline 20mm sway bar and endlinks with my RCE T2's. Are the endlinks that Whiteline supply's with the bar too long for KW coilovers as previously mentioned? I can install it but the sway bar literally sits in the lower control arm causing it to bind a lot, and that's with the endlinks shortened all the way.

I had a Perrin 19mm bar with stock endlinks on there before and had zero fitment issues. It looks like the Whiteline bar has different bends in it and is 1.25" more narrow in overall width than the Perrin bar.


Edited: ok figured it out. The supplied endlinks are too short. Ordered the correct shorter endlinks.

[slyphen]

Originally Posted by bslate3

I hate to revive an old thread but I'm having a really hard time fitting the Whiteline 20mm sway bar and endlinks with my RCE T2's. Are the endlinks that Whiteline supply's with the bar too long for KW coilovers as previously mentioned? I can install it but the sway bar literally sits in the lower control arm causing it to bind a lot, and that's with the endlinks shortened all the way.

I had a Perrin 19mm bar with stock endlinks on there before and had zero fitment issues. It looks like the Whiteline bar has different bends in it and is 1.25" more narrow in overall width than the Perrin bar.


Edited: ok figured it out. The supplied endlinks are too short. Ordered the correct shorter endlinks.

I'm having the exact same issue with my 22mm sway and my KW V3. did you say you had to order shorter endlinks? i have a lot of people on 86 track page on facebook saying they had to cut the rod down by 1-2 inches.

[bslate3]

You can cut them shorter. Just don't mess up the threads when you cut them.

[GSpeed]

Originally Posted by bslate3

You can cut them shorter. Just don't mess up the threads when you cut them.

A countersink bit like this makes it easy to clean up the threads after you cut. Assuming you cut it straight/square, of course.

[slyphen]

Originally Posted by GSpeed

A countersink bit like this makes it easy to clean up the threads after you cut. Assuming you cut it straight/square, of course.

yah i have access to those, as well as taps. i'll probably cut it on a lath i have access to at work.

[GSpeed]

Originally Posted by slyphen

yah i have access to those, as well as taps. i'll probably cut it on a lath i have access to at work.

Yep, then put one of those countersinks into the tailstock, turn at about 60-80 RPM, and you won't have any problem reusing the old threads.

[n0thing]

have kwv3 here and currently looking into front sway options

is this a compatibility issue between kwv3 and whiteline front sway only? since kwv3 lowed the end link mount hole and whiteline front sway has a different bend to oem. if i just get the perrin front sway with perrin end link (not adjustable), would that be ok?

[Axus]

Originally Posted by n0thing

have kwv3 here and currently looking into front sway options

is this a compatibility issue between kwv3 and whiteline front sway only? since kwv3 lowed the end link mount hole and whiteline front sway has a different bend to oem. if i just get the perrin front sway with perrin end link (not adjustable), would that be ok?

I have KW V3 on my car and I just installed whiteline 20mm front bar with whiteline endlink and there is no compatibility issue (there is almost 10mm of clearance between the bar and LCA with suspension in full droop). I am lowered about 30mm.

I do have a question though, do any of you guy actually torque the endlink nut? Since you need to place allen key in the endlink bolt to tighten the nut I dont see how you can fit a torque wrench over the it, please enlighten me if I am doing something wrong.

[Lynxis]

I'm using coilovers with the whiteline adjustable endlinks and OEM sway bars and I also had clunks in my front end over certain slightly uneven surfaces. I spent some time looking at it and found the bolts that keep the end links at length had backed off a bit and let the bushings move back and forth and they would knock against the mounting points on the strut when loading/unloading on uneven surfaces. Pic attached to show what I mean. Red circles are the bolts that had loosened and the purple arrows indicate the parts that were moving causing the clunking noises:



Used the opportunity to adjust my swaybar preload which I had never bothered to do before and then tightened the bolts back down and everything was nice and quiet again. Car also handles much better than it did before.

[8RZ]

Originally Posted by Lynxis

Used the opportunity to adjust my swaybar preload which I had never bothered to do before and then tightened the bolts back down and everything was nice and quiet again. Car also handles much better than it did before.

I'm in the process of adjusting my front swaybar preload as well. How do you know how much to lengthen or shorten the end link? Also, I'll need to torque down all those bolts with weight on the wheels, right?

[Lynxis]

Originally Posted by 8RZ

I'm in the process of adjusting my front swaybar preload as well. How do you know how much to lengthen or shorten the end link? Also, I'll need to torque down all those bolts with weight on the wheels, right?

Mine were already installed and I didn't feel like screwing with the endlink bolts so I just fully loosened the bolts indicated in red circles so I could easily adjust the length of the arm by hand.

Then I put the wheels back on and put the car back on the ground on my ramps so I could fit under the car enough to adjust the length of the arm. My sister was there so I had her sit in the driver seat with 40lbs of weights in her lap so it was preloaded like I was in the car.

Then I went under the wheel and twisted the gold middle part until it spun as loosely/easily as possible which indicates that it has no preload. As preload is added in either direction, you'll feel it get harder to twist. Find the middle point and you're good.

Finally, put the car back in the air, took the wheels off again and tightened down the adjuster bolts on the ends. Put the wheels back on and test drive. No more clunk and car no longer any more difficult to turn left vs. right with just me in the car, it's amazing.

[8RZ]

Originally Posted by Lynxis

Mine were already installed and I didn't feel like screwing with the endlink bolts so I just fully loosened the bolts indicated in red circles so I could easily adjust the length of the arm by hand.

Then I put the wheels back on and put the car back on the ground on my ramps so I could fit under the car enough to adjust the length of the arm. My sister was there so I had her sit in the driver seat with 40lbs of weights in her lap so it was preloaded like I was in the car.

Then I went under the wheel and twisted the gold middle part until it spun as loosely/easily as possible which indicates that it has no preload. As preload is added in either direction, you'll feel it get harder to twist. Find the middle point and you're good.

Finally, put the car back in the air, took the wheels off again and tightened down the adjuster bolts on the ends. Put the wheels back on and test drive. No more clunk and car no longer any more difficult to turn left vs. right with just me in the car, it's amazing.

Awesome, thanks for the tip. I'll try that out soon.