rear sway bar install question

[locsicom]

I spent too much time trying to install the rear sway bar today and was hoping you guys could help me out. No matter how I try to install it, the endlinks on either side rub against the lower control arm. I have tried to first install the endlinks to the control arm and then tighten down the mounting tabs by the bushings and vice-versa, but either way the outcome is the same and the endlinks are hitting the lower control arm.

 

The endlinks I received in the kit from Eibach are stamped with the part #33551126932 which I believe to be the correct part. Is there a trick to get this thing installed that I am missing? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks,

 

 

[matt325]

Your control arm might be bent or the reinforcements welded to the top of the arm are too thick.

 

I just went out and looked at mine, and the swaybar is damn close to the control arm, maybe a 1/4" of clearance.

 

Let me know if you need a picture.

[locsicom]

Thanks for taking a look at your car. The reinforcement plates on the control arm are from the kit that Turner sells. I'll take a look and maybe I can cut the reinforcements out where the swaybar hits the control arm to get enough clearance.

 

Any other ideas to get this swaybar to fit?

[dbgeek]

I recall the end of the link is an offset dog-bone - could it be up-side down?

 

Mine are close, but make no contact.

[locsicom]

I recall the end of the link is an offset dog-bone - could it be up-side down?

 

Below are some pictures of one of the endlinks I received. The bolt that goes through the sway bar will only fit through one end of the endlink. So, I don't think I have it on upside down. I did receive the wrong bushings from Eibach, though, and now I'm wondering if I also received the wrong endlinks. Is this what your endlinks looked like?

 

 

 

[dbgeek]

Sorry, I meant the black suspension link the swaybar is hitting. After inspection, it would be difficult to mount the suspension link upside down.

 

Your swaybar end links look just like the ones I'm using (and the ones that were stock on the car). Curiously, my eibach package had the wrong rear swaybar bushings as well. RRT (from whom I purchased the kit) sent me the correct ones.

 

Here is mine:

 

[locsicom]

Sorry, I meant the black suspension link the swaybar is hitting. After inspection, it would be difficult to mount the suspension link upside down.

 

I double checked and the lower control arms on both sides are installed the same way as your picture. Any other ideas or things I could be missing? I'm embaressed that this bar has given me so much grief.

[JamesM3M5]

Below are some pictures of one of the endlinks I received. The bolt that goes through the sway bar will only fit through one end of the endlink. So, I don't think I have it on upside down. I did receive the wrong bushings from Eibach, though, and now I'm wondering if I also received the wrong endlinks. Is this what your endlinks looked like?

 

You have everything correct, not sure why you're having problems. That clevis bolts into the arm, and the M10 bolt goes through the bar and the bottom end of the link. What does it do when the suspension is at ride height? Still rub?

[locsicom]

You have everything correct, not sure why you're having problems. That clevis bolts into the arm, and the M10 bolt goes through the bar and the bottom end of the link. What does it do when the suspension is at ride height? Still rub?

 

With the car on the ground the bar still rubs. I'm taking the car to a local shop tomorrow to have an alignment done. I'll try to get them to take a look at the bar.

[1slowspec3]

it was def a pain to install this... and a tight fit around the control arms. (also around the spare wheel)..

 

my only guess is to make sure u tight the dog bone to the upper control arm all the way seem.. they have like little inserts that go into, i guess make sure its properly seated in those holes/inserts.

 

ps. is there a front swaybar reinforcement?

[VaTechM3]

There is not a front swaybar reinforcement that I have seen. I have seen the studs rip off but that was on a heavily modified and prepared race car. Our cars are probably a step or so above a fun street car in terms of suspension and grip potential so I wouldn't worry at all about it.

 

Locsicom, did you get your bar on yet?

[locsicom]

Sorry for being slow to respond. I am not aware of a front swaybar for our cars. I've never heard of it being a problem, but I lack experience that others here have.

 

I took the car to get an alignment on Wednesday and he was able to get it installed without rubbing using the outer holes on the bar. He was having rubbing issues, as well, trying to use the inner holes on the bar. I've only put about 15 miles on the car since then, but so far I've heard no noises and it doesn't look like it's rubbed at all. I'm going to leave the bar as it is and work on other things on the car for now. I apologize for being unable to offer any insight to the community on why the bar didn't fit better.

[1slowspec3]

well my few month old end link bushing already has a rip in it.

 

end links that come with rear sway bar are same as e36 oem ?

[locsicom]

well my few month old end link bushing already has a rip in it.

 

end links that come with rear sway bar are same as e36 oem ?

 

The endlinks I received in the Eibach kit are stamped with part #33551126932 which is the OEM endlink. Any idea of why they failed so soon?

[1slowspec3]

not sure at all. not much track abuse it on yet (1 event). its not cut all the way thru yet.i noticed it just the other day prepping for this weekends DE. Its like a cut on the rubber upper side of the end link. perhaps its always been there and i just now noticed it. the end links seems to sit at an angle, like the sway bar pulls them to a side rather then sit straight down.