victorofhavoc
Autocross Champion
- Location
- Kansas City
Hi all, I recently replaced the endlinks on my car and wanted to share a quick review.
Originally I installed an ST rear sway bar with the stock endlinks, and at first everything was great. After a few months, however, my rear end started to make very faint clunking noises on very sudden single wheel deflection (driving over a manhole cover for example). I suspected the rear endlinks were toast, so I took them off the car, and didn't notice any signs of wear. I reinstalled them, and the clunking/clonking sounds were still there. I chased all sorts of other rear suspension components down, and the finally decided to just try new endlinks. New enlinks in, no more rear end noise!
I also noticed some pretty dramatic difference in my tire pressure settings on track. When stock, I had to run 34 front and 42-44 rear in order to fight understeer. With the ST rear bar, I had to run 34/40 (all else being equal). Once the endlinks went in, at 34/40 the car felt like a drift machine. The rear end was everywhere and the car was oversteering. I slowly dropped it down to 34/36 and the car was more neutral. With it being more neutral, I was able to fine tune it a bit more and get down to a 33front/34rear final setting, which gave me the most neutral handling at higher and medium speeds, while still allowing me to force oversteer in slower/tighter corners by trail braking later.
On the street, they have been dead silent. No weird clonking, no squeaking, no thumping. Occasionally, I do get a spring bind noise, and I believe it's due to the end link hitting the coil on the 034 rear springs. There are some marks on the springs near this area (facing the endlink), to go along with this theory. This only happens when coming down the driveway in reverse and going over the curb at an angle.
So far, these endlinks have made a pretty significant difference in performance, and I'd even say comfort. The rear end feels like it's wandering less, when only one rear wheel hits a bump, compared to stock with just a sway bar.
It's only a bonus that they were one of the cheapest options, as well
!
Originally I installed an ST rear sway bar with the stock endlinks, and at first everything was great. After a few months, however, my rear end started to make very faint clunking noises on very sudden single wheel deflection (driving over a manhole cover for example). I suspected the rear endlinks were toast, so I took them off the car, and didn't notice any signs of wear. I reinstalled them, and the clunking/clonking sounds were still there. I chased all sorts of other rear suspension components down, and the finally decided to just try new endlinks. New enlinks in, no more rear end noise!
I also noticed some pretty dramatic difference in my tire pressure settings on track. When stock, I had to run 34 front and 42-44 rear in order to fight understeer. With the ST rear bar, I had to run 34/40 (all else being equal). Once the endlinks went in, at 34/40 the car felt like a drift machine. The rear end was everywhere and the car was oversteering. I slowly dropped it down to 34/36 and the car was more neutral. With it being more neutral, I was able to fine tune it a bit more and get down to a 33front/34rear final setting, which gave me the most neutral handling at higher and medium speeds, while still allowing me to force oversteer in slower/tighter corners by trail braking later.
On the street, they have been dead silent. No weird clonking, no squeaking, no thumping. Occasionally, I do get a spring bind noise, and I believe it's due to the end link hitting the coil on the 034 rear springs. There are some marks on the springs near this area (facing the endlink), to go along with this theory. This only happens when coming down the driveway in reverse and going over the curb at an angle.
So far, these endlinks have made a pretty significant difference in performance, and I'd even say comfort. The rear end feels like it's wandering less, when only one rear wheel hits a bump, compared to stock with just a sway bar.
It's only a bonus that they were one of the cheapest options, as well
!
