Sway bar end link measurements

[bluedevils]

Dear FAQ Community;

I would like to know the lengths between the two mounting points between the control arm at front (and chassis at rear) and the sway bar for a 2002/tii as shown in the picture (A=?). The length of the end link is shown to be 160mm in the parts catalog, same for front and rear, but I am not sure. Car is too dirty for my lazy ass to get under and take measurements. TIA.

Happy new year to all

p.s. if you need some quality seat belts contact me and I will make you a set at a very good price using quality NOS and new parts.

[Collinster742002]

If a stock 2002 is the same I'll take a look a bit later today when I go out to pull the transmission.

[bluedevils]

Thx Collin, I think they are all the same between 72-76, except turbo and perhaps early cars.

[Mike Self]

depending on which bushings you're using. The OEM rubber bushings will compress quite a bit as you tighten the link bolt/nut, while aftermarket Urethane bushings won't compress at all.

I just finished installing a new front swaybar with all new urethane bushings and new end links, and noticed that when I snugged up the bolts on both sides so that the bushings wouldn't move, I had more thread showing on the driver's side than the passenger's side...Not sure why.

If you like, I can measure the distance on both sides for you--car's still up on stands and mission creep has taken over--noticed I needed new brake pads, have a deteriorating flex hose and I've known about a warped rotor for some time, so might as well do these jobs while I'm at it. Too much road salt to drive anyway...

mike

[bluedevils]

depending on which bushings you're using. The OEM rubber bushings will compress quite a bit as you tighten the link bolt/nut, while aftermarket Urethane bushings won't compress at all.

I just finished installing a new front swaybar with all new urethane bushings and new end links, and noticed that when I snugged up the bolts on both sides so that the bushings wouldn't move, I had more thread showing on the driver's side than the passenger's side...Not sure why.

If you like, I can measure the distance on both sides for you--car's still up on stands and mission creep has taken over--noticed I needed new brake pads, have a deteriorating flex hose and I've known about a warped rotor for some time, so might as well do these jobs while I'm at it. Too much road salt to drive anyway...

mike

if you could take some measurements, I would appreciate it very much. In theory, sway bar should sit parallel to ground, when the car is on the ground, but I am not sure. Can you also measure the length of the spacer that slide on the bolt, between the upper and lower bushings?

[Mike Self]

they're taken with the car up on stands, but that shouldn't make much difference.

The link sleeves measure 59mm, so I suspect they're a "nominal" 60mm.

The measurement from the center of the lower control arm, where the trailing link passes through the control arm, is 112mm on one side and 114mm on the other. I suspect that variance is due to my torquing the swaybar link by feel vs correct torque figures, and might also be due to manufacturing tolerances in the urethane bushings.

cheers

mike

[bluedevils]

Mike thanks. The measurements are very close to end links I have, Energy Suspension end links, p/n 9.8125.

happy new year

[wegweiser]

FWIW -

I had one of the end bolts break during removal last year. and since I didn't have a spare on hand and didn't want SAE aftermarket threaded stuff on my car, I ended up using shorter metric bolts (100mm?) and simply cutting one of the tubes in half, so I had two identical (yet SHORT) end link assemblies w short tubes. My goal was simply to reassemble everything until I could order new hardware. They worked fine...so I don't think length here makes a ton of difference from an engineering standpoint. I've seen modern race cars with 18" long end links mounted up near the top of the firewall!

Have I mentioned how much I loathe installing non metric parts on German cars? ;-)

HTH!

[bluedevils]

I will be replacing 3/8" Grade 5 bolts with 10mm Class 8.8 bolts, don't worry. But, there are non-metric bolts in 2002 as well, from factory. I am sure you know where.

[Mike Self]

If the sleeves are rusted to the bolts so you have to cut through both to remove, simply go to your nearest hardware store and buy a length of glavanized (or black iron) 3/8" ID gas or water pipe and the appropriate length bolts. Be sure and grease the inside of the pipe and/or the bolt shank before installing, so you won't have the rust problem again.

cheers

mike

[bluedevils]

Yea, but the longest bolts available at Lowe's or HD were of 110mm (3/8" or 10mm size), so I ordered some 160mm M10 bolts with nylock nuts from Boltsdepot. I also ordered the sleeves of length 60mm (approx 2 1/4") from McMaster that fit M10 bolts (or 3/8" bolts). The poly bushings and washers (Energy Suspension) are available from Autozone or similar car stores cheaply; I ordered enough to make extra sets for 2002s which I will unload here for sale to offset the cost. Thus, I will now have beefed up version (M10, Class 8.8 instead of M8) of factory end links with metric hardware to stay Germanic! The bushings for the factory sway bars are coming from UK (15 and 16mm). So I am beefing up the hardware but still using the OE sway bars to keep the factory ride. Other suspension pieces started coming in, new OE strut inserts and shocks (oil type), all new rubber, hardware, etc. My 73 roundee is gonna ride like it came out of the factory, no stiff shock BS for me.

[Collinster742002]

I got similar measurements to above; my suspension is pretty dead being original to the car. I'd love to take a ride in the 73 when it's done!