I have an 85 IROC with rubber bushings on the sway bar, but it has red endlink bushings. I always assumed that someone had swapped the stock rubber out. However, on the suspension board some of the guys say they have stock red endlin; others say they've seen red endlinks in other cars. Comments?

JamesC

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Red is the color that most parts store poly endlinks come in. They aren't stock.

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Drew
The lone Thirdgenner of the Apocalypse
predatorman@hotmail.com
My Website
87 Iroc
91 Formula 14.3@98mph
91 RS Convertible
91 Firebird V6Sold
92 S10FOR SALE!
98 Grand Am GT

 

Drew,

I wouldn't argue with you since I have no personal experience, but just for amusement's sake, take a look at the suspension board, under the 36 mm questions.

JamesC

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They might be stock. The factory used them on quite a few cars. They arent as hard as the aftermarket poly, but harder than stock rubber bushings.

 

GM did use harder rubber bushings in some cars and on some bushings. For example my Formula and Iroc both have harder bushings then my V6 bird did. But I don't think GM ever used bushings molded in red.

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Drew
The lone Thirdgenner of the Apocalypse
predatorman@hotmail.com
My Website
87 Iroc
91 Formula 14.3@98mph
91 RS Convertible
91 Firebird V6Sold
92 S10FOR SALE!
98 Grand Am GT

 

Yea, they did on endlinks.

 

i just replaced my endlinks in my trans am. I went to the dealer and they where white poly bushings. Only on the front though. The rears are a hard compound rubber.

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1989 pontiac firebird
bright red exterior(just repainted)
grey interior
5 spd
305 TBI (stock)
WS.6 formula wheels
3.73 posi rear end
http://members.aol.com/j007golden/Mikey89.html
-------------------------
1985 trans am
factory bright yellow
4 wheel disks
16 inch wheels
305 TPI
power antenna and mirrors
t tops

 

The endlinks on my '87 WS6 Formula are red, and I would bet that they are original. When I bought it last year it had 42K miles and was a one owner car with the stock exhaust and plugs/wires!

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87 Formula 350 13.94@96.67
98 Z28 1LE 13.15@107.59
1LE Owners Association

 

in the 5 thirdgens I've had, which cover various different years and options, I have yet to see red endlinks. Endlinks are easy to change and poly hardware is cheap at the parts stores. I got a set for $4 each. Unless someone has documented proof that their car came with red bushings stock, I'd say they were changed.

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Drew
The lone Thirdgenner of the Apocalypse
predatorman@hotmail.com
My Website
87 Iroc
91 Formula 14.3@98mph
91 RS Convertible
91 Firebird V6Sold
92 S10FOR SALE!
98 Grand Am GT

 

My car was purchased new in Scottsdale in 86 and when i rebuilt the front end a few years back, i saw it had red endlink bushings. None of the bushings were changed before my rebuild.

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-Justin-
T-Top '86 5.0L LG4 700R4 WS6
T-Top '92 5.0L TBI 700R4
My '86 Firebird Homepage
The F-body Model Kit Pictoral Archive (updated 9/18/00)

There can be only one!!

[This message has been edited by Justins86bird (edited February 24, 2001).]

 

Based on my experience, I can conclude the red end link bushings are stock. This is based on the fact that ALL the following cars I've owned (some which I bought new) had them.

1) 1986 Z28
2) 1987 IROC-Z Convertible
3) 1987 IROC-Z 350
4) 1987 IROC-Z 305/5-spd
5) 1987 Z28 Convertible (red) - still own
6) 1987 Z28 Convertible (blue)
7) 1987 IROC-Z 305/auto - still own

While most of these cars were built in Van Nuys, some (the convertibles) were not. Therefore, I think we can rule out discrepancies between assembly plants.

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Willie

Supercharged 1987 305 IROC-Z, Daily-Driver, Emissions-Legal.
Paxton (6-psig): 12.57 @ 111 mph.
Paxton (6-psig) & 50-hp nitrous: 12.04 @ 114 mph.
ATI D1SC (10-psig): ?

http://willie.camaro-firebird.org/

1987 "20th Anniversary Commemorative Edition" Z28 Convertible -- Super Chevy Show Class Winner, 1998.

[This message has been edited by Willie (edited February 24, 2001).]

 

That's really weird... why would GM do endlinks in red but nothing else? doesn't make much sense.

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Drew
The lone Thirdgenner of the Apocalypse
predatorman@hotmail.com
My Website
87 Iroc
91 Formula 14.3@98mph
91 RS Convertible
91 Firebird V6Sold
92 S10FOR SALE!
98 Grand Am GT

 

I'm putting a 36mm front stablizer bar on my 85 IROC, so I ordered several parts: The bushings for both the front (GM 14094389) and rear (GM 10037104) stablizer bars (24 mm) are black and are obviously rubber. The endlinks (GM 10221779) are white and certainly not rubber. What's up with this?

Onefine8T9, were the part numbers different for your endlinks?

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I forgot where but i have seen mention of many Ws6 cars for example recieving poly bushings.
My 87 Trans am had them (red)
the 87 was a total pile of junk, half the bushings were cracked and missing, believe me, they were stock on that car

[This message has been edited by Pablo (edited February 24, 2001).]

 

JAMESC...i am not exactly sure on the part number. I just went to the dealer and told the guy at the parts counter i need front and rear sway bar endlinks for an 85 trans am WS.6, i got exactly what u said. the rears are rubber and the fronts are white poly bushings. I have no idea why but there must be a reason.

 

Onefine8T9,

I ordered for the 1LE version and received white grommets for both front and rear endlinks, although the stabilizer bushings are rubber.

JamesC

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[This message has been edited by JamesC (edited February 25, 2001).]

 

jamesC, im not exaclty sure but i think 1Le might be a step up from WS.6 or maybe optional equipment for WS.6 cars so u might have got all poly bushings on 1LE but on WS.6 only the fronts got polys and rears where rubber. Thats the only reason i can justify that.

 

wait, i think i may have misunderstood the last thing u said. The front endlinks are white polys and the rears are rubber. Is that what u got? thats what i got but i ordered mine for WS.6, it might be different for 1le. I hope i cleared myself up a little bit

 

Onefine8T9,

You were right the first time--white poly endlinks all the way around. Rubber sway bar bushings front and rear.

JamesC

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ok i gotcha