Dumb Question Thread - No Flaming Allowed

[Cubieman]

Trying to detemine the correct way to torque this rear swaybar.

Athough there's no specifics in the TIS i'm seeing conflicting guidance on it needing to be under load, or alternatively full droop(but leveled). The end-links are not balljoints so I'm thinking they would need to be at load.

What's everyones' take on this?

The end links likely have enough give as to not distort when installed on a 2 post but the main bushings should be done on a 4 post or with pole jacks holding the suspension at or about ride height, just my 2 cents.

[bavarian3]

The end links likely have enough give as to not distort when installed on a 2 post but the main bushings should be done on a 4 post or with pole jacks holding the suspension at or about ride height, just my 2 cents.

Thanks. Certainly torqued all inner control arm bushings with load on the car(via jacking up the suspension).

This has be thinking however, that my car is lower than stock. why doesn't anyone use adjustable rear end links?

[fourmula1]

Are CSL dipstick tubes NLA? ECS has them always listed as expected by date but it just keeps getting pushed out?
(WTB)

[IamFODI]

why doesn't anyone use adjustable rear end links?

I can't speak for anyone else, but...

Adjustable end links are for

1. Corner balancing – which almost no one will even do / benefit from
2. Running much lower ride height than stock – which almost no one should ever do for any reason
3. Certain suspension mods that relocate the end link mounting points – which almost no one runs

Track rats and race cars are really the only exceptions to the above. Arguably show cars and garage queens, too, though I'd argue the ARBs don't even need to be connected in those cases. 😛

So, little to no reason to run adjustable end links in the first place. And, AFAICT, the adjustable end links on the market (at least for the E9x M3 – take this with a grain of salt) all seem to be of less-than-OE quality and/or made with completely open rod ends (dirt ingress = shorter life). And even barring those issues, they can be annoying to align properly and will bind if you mess that up.

Little-to-no benefit + Potential added problems = Not worth it

I say this as someone who has installed SPL end links front and rear. I kind of regret it. They are heavier than stock (all unsprung mass). I've changed my mind about corner balancing and I'm running the stock ZCP ride height, so I don't think I need the adjustability. The rod ends are completely open, so I now have to worry about dirt ingress. Probably should have just gone stock.

FWIW.

[bavarian3]

I can't speak for anyone else, but...

Adjustable end links are for

1. Corner balancing – which almost no one will even do / benefit from
2. Running much lower ride height than stock – which almost no one should ever do for any reason
3. Certain suspension mods that relocate the end link mounting points – which almost no one runs

Track rats and race cars are really the only exceptions to the above. Arguably show cars and garage queens, too, though I'd argue the ARBs don't even need to be connected in those cases. 😛

So, little to no reason to run adjustable end links in the first place. And, AFAICT, the adjustable end links on the market (at least for the E9x M3 – take this with a grain of salt) all seem to be of less-than-OE quality and/or made with completely open rod ends (dirt ingress = shorter life). And even barring those issues, they can be annoying to align properly and will bind if you mess that up.

Little-to-no benefit + Potential added problems = Not worth it

I say this as someone who has installed SPL end links front and rear. I kind of regret it. They are heavier than stock (all unsprung mass). I've changed my mind about corner balancing and I'm running the stock ZCP ride height, so I don't think I need the adjustability. The rod ends are completely open, so I now have to worry about dirt ingress. Probably should have just gone stock.

FWIW.

Thanks for the response. So in summary the little be of preload in the rear swaybar links after changing ride won't be noticeable...or worth going after troubleshooting.

[Tbonem3]

I still don't understand why people talk about preload from lowering. The bar will rotate within its bushings as far as I can see.

To me, preload would be a consequence of side to side differences.

I understand that the bar rotating away from 90 degrees to the floor isn't desirable, but I bet it's not much, plus that's nowt to do with preload.

As for real world experience, I had to get adjustable links for my MCS struts, and during installation, once done with one side, the other side's link went into the sway bar hole perfectly without further adjustment.

The part with adjustment as far as lowering is concerned is the springs' bottom location (bottom perch) on strut body - swaybar tab doesn't move. Then the body (frame rails) are the part that would be lower, but like I said, the swarbar will just rotate in the bushings.

Somebody please correct me because I've never understood the issue really.

[jayjaya29]

I still don't understand why people talk about preload from lowering. The bar will rotate within its bushings as far as I can see.

To me, preload would be a consequence of side to side differences.

I understand that the bar rotating away from 90 degrees to the floor isn't desirable, but I bet it's not much, plus that's nowt to do with preload.

As for real world experience, I had to get adjustable links for my MCS struts, and during installation, once done with one side, the other side's link went into the sway bar hole perfectly without further adjustment.

The part with adjustment as far as lowering is concerned is the springs' bottom location (bottom perch) on strut body - swaybar tab doesn't move. Then the body (frame rails) are the part that would be lower, but like I said, the swarbar will just rotate in the bushings.

Somebody please correct me because I've never understood the issue really.

I agree completely with this. There is no preload on the mounting bushings.

[Tbonem3]

No, but there can be on the bar AFAIK, but it would be on one side, slightly, if the links were different lengths or something - I still don't see which situations would cause significant preload.

[Nate047]

What all is needed to swap halogen headlights over on a 2001 Xenon car? Are coupe, convertible and sedan headlights all the same? I’m tossing around the idea of a halogen headlight swap on my car, if I can get all the parts super cheap/free.

[tcp]

What all is needed to swap halogen headlights over on a 2001 Xenon car? Are coupe, convertible and sedan headlights all the same? I’m tossing around the idea of a halogen headlight swap on my car, if I can get all the parts super cheap/free.

Pre-LCI coupe/convertible headlight housings will fit. Sedan housings are different. The halogen lights have the same connectors as the Xenons, but you'll have some extra unused plugs for the leveling motors. As someone who's gone from halogen to xenon, I hope you don't do much driving at night. The halogen lights are terrible at illumination.

[PSUEng]

So, I'm doing a full belt/tensioner job here in a week or so (whenever parts arrive) and, unrelated, watching M539 Restorations M5 video where he replaces a tensioner with a new one and compresses/relaxes it 3 times prior to belt install--is that TIS or some other method? I've not heard of doing this before that video...is it necessary when installing a new tensioner, prior to loading it with the belt?

[L0okitzRaj]

So, I'm doing a full belt/tensioner job here in a week or so (whenever parts arrive) and, unrelated, watching M539 Restorations M5 video where he replaces a tensioner with a new one and compresses/relaxes it 3 times prior to belt install--is that TIS or some other method? I've not heard of doing this before that video...is it necessary when installing a new tensioner, prior to loading it with the belt?

when I did my tensioner last, the instructions said to do the same. I forget which brand it was, it was FCPeuro tho, so prob oem

[SUPREM3///]

Hoping there's a few SMG gurus browsing in here: 2006 ZCP, 92k miles and I don't drive the car much.

Main symptom has been the huge clunk when throwing it into reverse, evening sometimes stalling the car altogether. It's not a normal clunk, its a huge pop into gear, maybe a bit of a grinding noise to boot. Really only in reverse, that's when I can get it into gear. It's been getting stuck in neutral (flashing gear on the dash) lately.as well. I checked codes on INPA and got 48/59/97/178. Cleared those and charged my battery up since it started getting low when I don't drive the car a few days at a time. That worked for a drive and I thought I was in the clear. Then I went to drive the car a day or 2 later and it started off okay but after a mile or so, it started stalling when I came to a stop or I was able to save it and the gears would either shift much slower or it'd get stuck rolling in neutral and eventually be able to get it to grab something after a few attempts.

Over the holidays I hadn't touched the car for a few days and went out and the battery was basically flat (like 4.5v - I've been having battery issues but I'm not sure if it's just letting the car sit in the cold or not yet) - so I went out today with intention of maybe tracking down some sort of drain. Wound up just charging another battery fully and first try the car started up fine and i was able to move it freely in and out of neutral. So I got everything cleaned up and went back out with a Schwaben tool and the car started/idled fine (voltage appeared good as well) but I throw it in reverse and it bangs hard then stalls. Pull the codes and now I'm only showing code 48.

Just wanted to get some opinions on next steps here? Originally with the code 59 I was prepared for the clutch slave cylinder and was planning on maybe doing alternator because of how often the battery was getting low. Now I'm unsure and leaning towards the gear position sensor? I'm going to check voltage first thing in the morning to see if there's a big drain and will also get some live data on the schwaben or INPA but I'm getting tired of browsing all the past threads trying to similar issues, just running circles at this point. If it were a voltage or hood sensor issue, would the car slam into gear like this? Or am I looking at a gps/slave/compression spring problem here? Just seeing if anyone has run into something or successfully cleared a code 48 and how.

[Shonky]

I doubt voltage would cause those problems but it's easy to check alternator. Just measure voltage at the battery with it running. It should be 13.8V or more. Anything less than that then yeah alternator or belt is suspect. Also check connections too e.g. the battery -ve to chassis and engine grounds.

Sounds more like you have a high draw whilst off rather than alternator.

Measuring voltage is not a clear cut way of measuring drain. Just because voltage is dropping doesn't mean there is one. Battery could be stuffed too.

[SUPREM3///]

I doubt voltage would cause those problems but it's easy to check alternator. Just measure voltage at the battery with it running. It should be 13.8V or more. Anything less than that then yeah alternator or belt is suspect. Also check connections too e.g. the battery -ve to chassis and engine grounds.

Sounds more like you have a high draw whilst off rather than alternator.

Agreed - was around 14.1v when I checked it quickly this morning before pulling the battery. I'm basically of the alternator now and will see if I have some high draw tomorrow. I forgot to mention 2 things in my post - 1) I recently installed an AFE dynamic scoop in the kidneys and its been getting caught on my kidney grilles opening the hood which has been annoying and 2) when I was putting the car back together and getting the cabin filter back in, I leaned on the hood/alarm sensor in the drug bin weird and thought I may have broken it. Seems fine though. But these 2 combined have me stuck on myabe some sort of sensor causing this but I'm not sure if it would slam into reverse like it does or not. Plus, the schwaben seemed to show the hood, trunk, etc. closed when I looked earlier.