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Front sway bar end link sleeve size? Stock vs. Energy suspension different sizes?
So I went to install my Energy Suspension sway bar end links on the Formula today and Found the sleeve is a different size than the stock ones. And with the car on the ramps I cannot get the bushings on the sway bar end as there isn't enough clearance here. Are one of these the wrong size, will the Energy Suspension ones work if I have it on a lift/flat or jack it up? Is the 2 5/8" sleeve the wrong one? Energy suspension part number was 9.8117G which was supposed to fit based on Rock Auto's find the part deal.
Last edited by Crusader; Feb 9, 2019 at 05:20 PM.
Reason: Add part number
Re: Front sway bar end link sleeve size? Stock vs. Energy suspension different sizes?
The other question, jacking up the front end to take load off of the a arms - installing the Energy Suspension pieces then lowering it back down. Would that work or just damage something / trash the new bushings?
Re: Front sway bar end link sleeve size? Stock vs. Energy suspension different sizes?
The jack up and load thing makes no difference to sway bar parts. Do whatever you need to, to get them installed.
Ideally you want the end links to hold the end sections of the sway bar pretty much level when it's just sitting still on level ground. That in turn will depend on your particular car's ride height. Just looking something up in a book doesn't guarantee the best fit in this case.
Seems like in most of these cars, they want to be about 2 - 2¼" long. 2-5/8" sounds too long to me for most of em. Not least because, most 30 yr old cars have springs that either sag from just old age and decrepitude, or have been deliberately lowered.
Re: Front sway bar end link sleeve size? Stock vs. Energy suspension different sizes?
Originally Posted by sofakingdom
The jack up and load thing makes no difference to sway bar parts. Do whatever you need to, to get them installed.
Ideally you want the end links to hold the end sections of the sway bar pretty much level when it's just sitting still on level ground. That in turn will depend on your particular car's ride height. Just looking something up in a book doesn't guarantee the best fit in this case.
Seems like in most of these cars, they want to be about 2 - 2¼" long. 2-5/8" sounds too long to me for most of em. Not least because, most 30 yr old cars have springs that either sag from just old age and decrepitude, or have been deliberately lowered.
'
as always, Sofa is correct, the sway bar should wind up level. so after the car settles over time, and any ride height adjustment mods are done, the sway bar should be sitting as close to level as possible. my cars geometry is very different than stock, so I basically cut pieces of pipe to act as spacers/sleeves on all 4 of my endlinks.
Re: Front sway bar end link sleeve size? Stock vs. Energy suspension different sizes?
Thanks for the feedback guys. I ended up going to Autozone and grabbing a pair of the cheapest Value Craft rubber bushing end links they had in stock (less than $9 for both with tax) and pulled the stock length 2 1/4" sleeves to use with the rest of the nice Energy Suspension hardware. I think the sway bar is as level as it is going to be at this point - still waiting for the test drive as the car hasn't been out of the garage in almost two weeks since the inclined driveway (garage is at the bottom) is covered in snow and ice (a rarity in my corner of Washington). The first suspension upgrade for the Formula - born out of necessity as all but two of the stock end link bushings were basically gone...
