Trouble with Turner Motorsports front sway bar

[uberchris]

I could use some advice installing the Turner Motorsports front sway bar on my e46. I took a quick video of the problem I'm having here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKloeHCXBb0

As described in the video, I'm having two problems:

1. When mounted, the end of the sway bar is about half a centimeter higher on the driver's side as compared to the passender's.
2. I cannot get the endlinks mounted to the bar without the bar bottoming out on the control arm.

Am I doing something wrong, or does this look like a manufacturing defect? FWIW I have mostly stock suspension with the exception of Koni shocks.

[D-O]

Looks like the adjustable end links are going to be required. They will also help you ensure that you have no load on the bar when at rest.

Jesse

[uberchris]

Is that typically required for the TMS bar if everything else is stock?

[Kcalhoun27]

http://m3.madrussian.net/diy_front_eibach_sway.shtml

might help. It looks to me like youve tightened the center bushings too much. Maybe loosen them some and then hookup the end links before you fully tighten the center bushings? Worth a go

[uberchris]

http://m3.madrussian.net/diy_front_eibach_sway.shtml

might help. It looks to me like youve tightened the center bushings too much. Maybe loosen them some and then hookup the end links before you fully tighten the center bushings? Worth a go

Yeah that's a good idea. I tried it with the bushing brackets completely loose, and I tried it with them torqued down. I got pretty much the same result either way.

[Kcalhoun27]

Yeah that's a good idea. I tried it with the bushing brackets completely loose, and I tried it with them torqued down. I got pretty much the same result either way.

Dang. Well, it was worth a try. Does it change position when its back on the ground? The geometry is changed enough with weight on, it might just be weird in the air.

[eacmen]

Adjustable end links will be required for the stiffer settings, not to mention improve your handling and remove preload.

[timmo]

Bolt up the sway bar on the side that is higher, then go to the other side and jack up under the outer balljoint on the control arm. The strut housing, and consequently the endlink will move up, and you can then bolt the endlink into the sway bar

[Obioban]

Bolt up the sway bar on the side that is higher, then go to the other side and jack up under the outer balljoint on the control arm. The strut housing, and consequently the endlink will move up, and you can then bolt the endlink into the sway bar

This is terrible advice. Adding massive preload is not the solution.

Get adjustable end links. Don't downgrade your handling and cause the end links to wear out absurdly fast.

[uberchris]

Adjustable end links will be required for the stiffer settings, not to mention improve your handling and remove preload.

Get adjustable end links. Don't downgrade your handling and cause the end links to wear out absurdly fast.

Thanks for the straight answer. That's what I figured. It's just weird that TMS seems to imply that you only need adjustable endlinks if "you have coil overs or the car is very low". Oh well; at least it's an easy fix.

[timmo]

This is terrible advice. Adding massive preload is not the solution.

Get adjustable end links. Don't downgrade your handling and cause the end links to wear out absurdly fast.

This is something that I've always wondered about and your comment actually made me look into it - I was always of the mindset that adjustable endlinks weren't necessary unless you run into interference issues due to lowering, and that your typical weekend racer wouldn't be able to feel whether or not his ARB has preload as our "ass sensors" are nowhere near as sensitive as those of professionals (heck, Seb Vettel felt something was off with his monocoque and it was because of microcracks).

So I ran some numbers. Assuming a 5 mm height difference in endlink-to-endlink attachment is ~1 deg of ARB preload. Which, using the numbers from FCM spreadsheet actually turn out to be ~280 lbs of preload differential between the two sides, definitely not negligible.

I can't say I agree about the extra wear though, given that most stock cars don't have them, and the amount of load the endlink sees under cornering versus some preload at nominal ride height

[Obioban]

This is something that I've always wondered about and your comment actually made me look into it - I was always of the mindset that adjustable endlinks weren't necessary unless you run into interference issues due to lowering, and that your typical weekend racer wouldn't be able to feel whether or not his ARB has preload as our "ass sensors" are nowhere near as sensitive as those of professionals (heck, Seb Vettel felt something was off with his monocoque and it was because of microcracks).

So I ran some numbers. Assuming a 5 mm height difference in endlink-to-endlink attachment is ~1 deg of ARB preload. Which, using the numbers from FCM spreadsheet actually turn out to be ~280 lbs of preload differential between the two sides, definitely not negligible.

I can't say I agree about the extra wear though, given that most stock cars don't have them, and the amount of load the endlink sees under cornering versus some preload at nominal ride height

Stock everything, there is no preload— it’s all sized to match/fit without adjustable end links.

Even without preload, the end link length should be set such that when neutral the end link is perpendicular to the sway bar arm-- so adjustable links are needed for that, as well.

[eacmen]

Stock everything, there is no preload— it’s all sized to match/fit without adjustable end links.

[elbert]

1. When you are installing the swaybar, all four wheels need to be on the ground to make sure the suspension is at ride height.
Best way to do this is a four post lift. Second best way is using ramps. You absolutely cannot be on jackstands like in the video.

2. Then attach the links, adjusting the length as needed. Generally you want the ends of the bar to be level with the car. There shouldn't be any tension on the links or bar. Everything should slip into place without any force.

[Tbonem3]

You can't "wear out" a ball joint like you can rubber, with preload. Ball joints only go bad due to loss of lube. Preload on the bar end itself isn't good, but it won't ruin an endlink. They go bad when the dust boot tears.