I’m installing Moog sway bar end links on the front, and I don’t know how tight I should go. The Moog links and bushing are different from the originals. See pictures below. It seems wrong to tighten the nut all the way down to where the threads on the bolt end b/c the new bushings will be crushed and deformed real bad from the pressure. I dont have a torque wrench of any kind so I’m going by feel. I’m thinking about half way down the threads on the bolt, which squeezes the bushings but not to an extreme. What do u guys think?

Ok, they're on. I got about half an inch of thread showing at the top of each link. Any chance that road vibrations will cause the nut to come off?

Thanks for any feedback guys. I'm gonna go drive it now to see how it feels.

Tighten them with the suspension loaded, and just tighten them so that they are snug and not smushing the bushings. At least I think that's the proper procedure. How I do it anyway lol
Your bump stops look like mine lol. I need new ones.

I agree with 91_5.7_TPI, but to add my , I think the easiest way to install the endlinks is with the front wheels on ramps. Keeps the suspension loaded and there is still room to work under the car.

Initially, I drove the car up on the ramps and got underneath it to remove the old links, but they were so rusted and fused together that I knew I wouldn’t be able to get them off using just the hand tools and WD-40. So, I put the jack under the lower A-arm and lifted the car to get the ramp and the wheel out of the way. I brought out the air tools. I used an impact gun to turn the bolt from underneath while I held the nut at the top with a combination wrench. The end of the combination wrench not holding the nut was resting on the car. Then, *rat* *tat* *tat* *tat* *tat* until the nut came off the bolt or the bolt broke (both bolts broke BTW).

I’m hoping the car’s weight on the A-arm is enough suspension loading. The jack stands u see in the picture were there just for insurance b/c I don’t fully trust my jack. The jack’s arm falls back down when I’m jacking it up and there is no load on it.

Thanks for responding guys.

Yeah, doing that way should work.
I broke my endlinks as well. Well, one rear was already broke when I changed it haha. It seems to be a common occurance with the stock endlink's age.

I guess my endlinks aren't common then. The 20+ year old endlinks on my car only have some surface rust on them and they came right off with just a wrench. I changed them all out with new zinc coated and poly stuff anyway.

The front endlinks get torqued to 14ft/lbs and the bushings to 25ft/lbs. The rear endlinks get torqued to 12ft/lbs and the bushing nuts to 20ft/lbs. For endlinks, my bushings always bulge a little bit before my torque wrench does its clicking thing. I was just doing this tonight because my rear end had to come out since one of the seals started leaking.

Make sure you torque it down when the suspension is loaded AND level.

Mike

Both of my front endlinks broke when I tried to take them out, too, but neither of my rear endlinks did.

BTW, racing geek, why did the rear end have to come out when a seal was leaking?

It was the pinion seal and it was just easier to get at with the rear out since I don't have a lift.

Ok that makes sense. I just assumed it was the oil seal at the end of the axle, I've had two different ten bolts in my car and three of those seals leaking.

the nut should have a nylon or some other type of lock mech. The end links I've never had an issue with them backing out.

raceing geek mine unbolted w/o issue also but my car has no rust on it except at the battery tray.

Tighten them until you run out of threads on the bolt.

Yes, the bushings will squish a little.

Eventually I tighten them until I ran out of threads on the bolt because they (the metal sleeve and washers in-between the bushings) were rattling.

Not intended as flame, but that sounds like the endlinks were overtightened when they were first installed, which distorted the rubber bushings past the point from which they could recover, and you kept chasing the looseness until you ran out of threads.


Norm