Endlink length after lowering

[Jobodizo]

Lowered my car with Steeda progressives (~1") about 2 years ago and I've been getting a knock on uneven side-to-side pavement. It was annoying, but not frequent enough to bother with. Fast forward, my rear upper shock mounts started clunking so I used it as an excuse to replace the rear shocks, too. When I took the old shocks off, I noticed contact marks from the sway bar touching the shock body. I figure my intermittent sound was probably the lowered position of the sway bar contacting the shock body. Since I've got everything apart anyway, and the pandemic has me looking for projects, I decided to grab a full set of Steeda adjustable endlinks during their Easter sale.

Here's my question: how long should these endlinks be? Obviously they're going to be longer to bring the bar back to it's original intended position, but what does that look like?

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[Bluemustang]

Lowered my car with Steeda progressives (~1") about 2 years ago and I've been getting a knock on uneven side-to-side pavement. It was annoying, but not frequent enough to bother with. Fast forward, my rear upper shock mounts started clunking so I used it as an excuse to replace the rear shocks, too. When I took the old shocks off, I noticed contact marks from the sway bar touching the shock body. I figure my intermittent sound was probably the lowered position of the sway bar contacting the shock body. Since I've got everything apart anyway, and the pandemic has me looking for projects, I decided to grab a full set of Steeda adjustable endlinks during their Easter sale.

Here's my question: how long should these endlinks be? Obviously they're going to be shorter to bring the bar back to it's original intended position, but what does that look like?

It should be at zero preload with full weight on that wheel. Disconnect the endlink on one side with the car up in the air and leave the other side endlink only loosely connected. Then lower that side back down (the one that's loosely connected) onto a block of wood or something to get load on that wheel and adjust the endlink length if necessary to make sure it slides into the bar hole with ease - no preload. Then do the same with the other side.

Zero preload needs to be achieved at ride height/weight.

 

[Radiation Joe]

It should be at zero preload with full weight on that wheel. Disconnect the endlink on one side with the car up in the air and leave the other side endlink only loosely connected. Then lower that side back down (the one that's loosely connected) onto a block of wood or something to get load on that wheel and adjust the endlink length if necessary to make sure it slides into the bar hole with ease - no preload. Then do the same with the other side.

Zero preload needs to be achieved at ride height/weight.

Don't forget to put driver weight in the driver's seat. This makes a difference. Sorry to say in my case it's 200 lbs instead of the 175 it should be. Damned quarantine (Yeah, that's the reason).

 

[Jobodizo]

Thanks guys! @Radiation Joe if it makes you feel better, it’ll take the wife and both kids in my driver seat to simulate me, lol.

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