Special Sway Bar Warning!
11-06-2012, 10:38 PM
#1
Special Sway Bar Warning!
One of my first mods to my 2012 G37S was to install a set of Hotchkiss sway bars to reduce the excessive amount of body roll the stock car had. That was a great mod and works like a charm. So far the stock links are holding up just fine except for one little thing. I noticed once that when I wanted to test a different stiffness for the rear sway, I loosened the lower nut on each link and then moved to the inner most hole in the bar to make it stiffer. On one side I noticed that somehow the nut had stripped on the links threads and so I eventually got the nut of the link and I also replaced the old link with a new one. Put everything back together and all seemed fine. Decided after testing to go back to the old setting of the middle hole and that went fine as well.
But within a month, I started hearing a slight clicking noise on the rear left side while driving over some small driveway bumps or super market entrances. I suspected the sway bar links maybe wearing out prematurely but since I had two spares, one for the left and one for the right I would just change out the left side. I also decided to change out the stock link nuts with Nylocs or Stopnuts which have a nylon center at the end of the nut to act as a locking device. When I started to make the change I found that both the upper and lower link nuts were loose and I know they were tight when I last installed them. This also may have been the reason for the previous stripped nut episode I experienced.
So now I changed out the stock link nuts with the new Nyloc lock nuts, both upper and lower. It seems that a stiffer sway bar may be causing more flex on the nut end of the link which over time loosens them. So I would heartily recommend changing out the factory link nuts with some stronger Nyloc/Stopnut type of nut to keep this from occurring. Also don't forget you will need a washer for each one as well. By the way ACE hardware carries a great selection of quality metric fasteners. Better than Lowe's or Home Depot. You'll need two "M10 x 1.25mm" Nyloc or Stopnut and washer per link.
Now if these start coming lose, then I'm not sure what it will take to keep these links tight.
Al
But within a month, I started hearing a slight clicking noise on the rear left side while driving over some small driveway bumps or super market entrances. I suspected the sway bar links maybe wearing out prematurely but since I had two spares, one for the left and one for the right I would just change out the left side. I also decided to change out the stock link nuts with Nylocs or Stopnuts which have a nylon center at the end of the nut to act as a locking device. When I started to make the change I found that both the upper and lower link nuts were loose and I know they were tight when I last installed them. This also may have been the reason for the previous stripped nut episode I experienced.
So now I changed out the stock link nuts with the new Nyloc lock nuts, both upper and lower. It seems that a stiffer sway bar may be causing more flex on the nut end of the link which over time loosens them. So I would heartily recommend changing out the factory link nuts with some stronger Nyloc/Stopnut type of nut to keep this from occurring. Also don't forget you will need a washer for each one as well. By the way ACE hardware carries a great selection of quality metric fasteners. Better than Lowe's or Home Depot. You'll need two "M10 x 1.25mm" Nyloc or Stopnut and washer per link.
Now if these start coming lose, then I'm not sure what it will take to keep these links tight.
Al
11-07-2012, 12:57 AM
#2
One of my first mods to my 2012 G37S was to install a set of Hotchkiss sway bars to reduce the excessive amount of body roll the stock car had. That was a great mod and works like a charm. So far the stock links are holding up just fine except for one little thing. I noticed once that when I wanted to test a different stiffness for the rear sway, I loosened the lower nut on each link and then moved to the inner most hole in the bar to make it stiffer. On one side I noticed that somehow the nut had stripped on the links threads and so I eventually got the nut of the link and I also replaced the old link with a new one. Put everything back together and all seemed fine. Decided after testing to go back to the old setting of the middle hole and that went fine as well.
But within a month, I started hearing a slight clicking noise on the rear left side while driving over some small driveway bumps or super market entrances. I suspected the sway bar links maybe wearing out prematurely but since I had two spares, one for the left and one for the right I would just change out the left side. I also decided to change out the stock link nuts with Nylocs or Stopnuts which have a nylon center at the end of the nut to act as a locking device. When I started to make the change I found that both the upper and lower link nuts were loose and I know they were tight when I last installed them. This also may have been the reason for the previous stripped nut episode I experienced.
So now I changed out the stock link nuts with the new Nyloc lock nuts, both upper and lower. It seems that a stiffer sway bar may be causing more flex on the nut end of the link which over time loosens them. So I would heartily recommend changing out the factory link nuts with some stronger Nyloc/Stopnut type of nut to keep this from occurring. Also don't forget you will need a washer for each one as well. By the way ACE hardware carries a great selection of quality metric fasteners. Better than Lowe's or Home Depot. You'll need two "M10 x 1.25mm" Nyloc or Stopnut and washer per link.
Now if these start coming lose, then I'm not sure what it will take to keep these links tight.
Al
But within a month, I started hearing a slight clicking noise on the rear left side while driving over some small driveway bumps or super market entrances. I suspected the sway bar links maybe wearing out prematurely but since I had two spares, one for the left and one for the right I would just change out the left side. I also decided to change out the stock link nuts with Nylocs or Stopnuts which have a nylon center at the end of the nut to act as a locking device. When I started to make the change I found that both the upper and lower link nuts were loose and I know they were tight when I last installed them. This also may have been the reason for the previous stripped nut episode I experienced.
So now I changed out the stock link nuts with the new Nyloc lock nuts, both upper and lower. It seems that a stiffer sway bar may be causing more flex on the nut end of the link which over time loosens them. So I would heartily recommend changing out the factory link nuts with some stronger Nyloc/Stopnut type of nut to keep this from occurring. Also don't forget you will need a washer for each one as well. By the way ACE hardware carries a great selection of quality metric fasteners. Better than Lowe's or Home Depot. You'll need two "M10 x 1.25mm" Nyloc or Stopnut and washer per link.
Now if these start coming lose, then I'm not sure what it will take to keep these links tight.
Al
11-07-2012, 11:20 AM
#3
The OEM end links are not designed for the angle that you have them at if you are using the stiffer holes on aftermarket swaybars. Or if you are lowered. Or both. That is the reason for adjustable end links. The best thing about them isn't just that they are stronger, it's that you can adjust them to the proper length for your sway bar/lowering setup. This takes the preload off of them and reduces undue strain on the nut caused by preloading the link when it's at a different angle than it is designed to work at optimally. Lock nuts or thread lock will help keep them from loosening, but the load is still present on the link itself if it's preloaded like that. If there is enough preload on it, it will break no matter how tight you have the nut on there. Ask me how I know.
11-07-2012, 03:29 PM
#4
Yeah, but in only one car which was back in 1973 have I had a sway bar link break on me because of an aftermarket sway bar. That one was my fault and I never made that mistake again. I do agree on a good set of adjustable links at least on one end to reduce if not eliminate the sway bar preload due to chassis flex or minor differences in bushings and such even on a stock setup. I just wish we could find a reasonably priced set of links for the car which would meet our needs.
Al
P.S. I feel kind of silly that I never really thought of Loctite blue on these nuts.
Both techniques are inexpensive and should work fine. And Black Betty how do you know? 
Al
P.S. I feel kind of silly that I never really thought of Loctite blue on these nuts.
Both techniques are inexpensive and should work fine. And Black Betty how do you know?
11-07-2012, 04:51 PM
#6
Yeah, but in only one car which was back in 1973 have I had a sway bar link break on me because of an aftermarket sway bar. That one was my fault and I never made that mistake again. I do agree on a good set of adjustable links at least on one end to reduce if not eliminate the sway bar preload due to chassis flex or minor differences in bushings and such even on a stock setup. I just wish we could find a reasonably priced set of links for the car which would meet our needs.
Al
P.S. I feel kind of silly that I never really thought of Loctite blue on these nuts. Both techniques are inexpensive and should work fine. And Black Betty how do you know?
Al
P.S. I feel kind of silly that I never really thought of Loctite blue on these nuts.
Both techniques are inexpensive and should work fine. And Black Betty how do you know? 
How I know.
11-08-2012, 03:35 PM
#7
WOW and OUCH! 
How slammed were you when this happened? My car is using Eibach's and it's only .8"-1.0" lower in the rear than stock. I'm also now on the middle adjustment hole and not the inner one. Doesn't the sway bar also follow the lowering on both sides so that it's not going to be binding or reach it's full range of movement of the suspension?
Al
How slammed were you when this happened? My car is using Eibach's and it's only .8"-1.0" lower in the rear than stock. I'm also now on the middle adjustment hole and not the inner one. Doesn't the sway bar also follow the lowering on both sides so that it's not going to be binding or reach it's full range of movement of the suspension?Al
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11-08-2012, 04:09 PM
#8
I am only mildly lowered on Tanabe coilovers, definitely not slammed by far. I don't remember exactly but above 27" ride height. Yes, there is some amount of play but not much. This doesn't happen to everyone who doesn't have adjustable links. But it certainly can. No abuse, no great number of potholes or curbs or such, no track day.
11-08-2012, 04:28 PM
#10
Maybe because I'm uneducated in this field, but what's going on in the picture? You don't think this has anything to do with my thread that I posted up about the creaking/squeaking that I hear when I go over dips? It's not a clicking sound that's for sure.
11-08-2012, 04:45 PM
#11
Duno about your issue. If you crawl under and look you'll be able to easily see if you links are broken. More likely just needs lube.
Top photo shows the end link broken where the shaft of the link meets the ball on the end of the stud at the upper attachment point. Bottom photo shows same thing on the other end link, only the rubber boot is still slightly attached. The main shaft of the link is completely detached from the stud where it attaches to the car.
Top photo shows the end link broken where the shaft of the link meets the ball on the end of the stud at the upper attachment point. Bottom photo shows same thing on the other end link, only the rubber boot is still slightly attached. The main shaft of the link is completely detached from the stud where it attaches to the car.
11-09-2012, 01:46 PM
#12
Registered Member
So what adjustable end links are out there for our cars? I know whiteline makes them for the rear (I used whiteline all around on my G35 and they were okay).
