Rear Sway Bar Links

[VGKBlackhawks]

I noticed that my 5 month old sway bar links are looking rugged. It looks like there is too much pressure being placed on them. Could it be the way the Total Chaos links are set up? The King shocks too long? The shop that did the lift initially had limit straps on the suspension that were comically short. Those are gone, but there must still be an issue...

Any ideas?

 

[Dieselchessy]

I don’t play around with lots of lift on these, but it seems to me that you can’t just add longer links. You need to lift the sway bar up off the axle as well otherwise it seems to bind up the sway bar when drooped.

 

[UnderFire]

You're running good shocks, take the sway bars off and throw em in the trash.

Sent from my JSN-L23 using Tapatalk

 

[4runnerfiend]

Humm.. I ran 2nd gen rear sway bar links for a long time with no issues. eventually when I went with Rokmen rear lower links (control arms) the longer sway bar links were making contact so I just removed the entire rear sway bar. I have not looked back after removing them. The new lower links with firmer suspension and I'm happy with the amount of body roll. Everyone has different onions on this topic though.

have you tried longer sway bar links?

Amazon.com: Proforged 113-10144 Rear Sway Bar End Link: Automotive

 

[nobb]

I think you just overtorqued them too much. It's really difficult to get the torque right on any swaybar bushing because of the way elastomer compresses. Best bet is to get these tight enough so they don't clank around, but not so tight such that you're over-stressing the material. I used some Moog links on another vehicle and I believe the instructions they gave was to tighten enough such that just as you start to see the bushing become deformed (starts expanding), you stop.

 

[VernySanders]

Seems like they're really tight that nut is far down. Go to advance auto and buy some energy suspension bushings they sell them there for like 10 bucks. They are the same bushings you get in the kit from energy suspension but local and comes with like 8 of them, polyurethane. Then they wont crack like that rubber did

 

[4Runner4Leon]

Maybe it's just your photo, but I think you have bigger issues than overcompressing the rubber.

The threaded portion is bent from the end link body, which is why the rubber is collapsed at an angle. And it also looks like the end link body is at a large angle relative to the horizontal portion of the body U-bracket that it goes through. That angle should be close to 90 deg, as shown below (not fully tightened, but you get the idea):

With your severe angle, it can be expected that torquing the nut will bend the threaded portion of the end link.

I think you need to step back and look at the geometry, and figure out how to make the end link body be close to 90 deg relative to the bracket. I'm guessing you need much longer end links with your 3" lift. Do both sided look the same?

 

[VGKBlackhawks]

Maybe it's just your photo, but I think you have bigger issues than overcompressing the rubber.

The threaded portion is bent from the end link body, which is why the rubber is collapsed at an angle. And it also looks like the end link body is at a large angle relative to the horizontal portion of the body U-bracket that it goes through. That angle should be close to 90 deg, as shown below (not fully tightened, but you get the idea):

With your severe angle, it can be expected that torquing the nut will bend the threaded portion of the end link.

I think you need to step back and look at the geometry, and figure out how to make the end link body be close to 90 deg relative to the bracket. I'm guessing you need much longer end links with your 3" lift. Do both sided look the same?

I see the bend now. The driver side is bent, but not as severely.

 

[VGKBlackhawks]

Humm.. I ran 2nd gen rear sway bar links for a long time with no issues. eventually when I went with Rokmen rear lower links (control arms) the longer sway bar links were making contact so I just removed the entire rear sway bar. I have not looked back after removing them. The new lower links with firmer suspension and I'm happy with the amount of body roll. Everyone has different onions on this topic though.

have you tried longer sway bar links?

Amazon.com: Proforged 113-10144 Rear Sway Bar End Link: Automotive

I may give that a shot. Thank you.

 

[Andy in Pa]

Maybe it's just your photo, but I think you have bigger issues than overcompressing the rubber.

The threaded portion is bent from the end link body, which is why the rubber is collapsed at an angle. And it also looks like the end link body is at a large angle relative to the horizontal portion of the body U-bracket that it goes through. That angle should be close to 90 deg, as shown below (not fully tightened, but you get the idea):

With your severe angle, it can be expected that torquing the nut will bend the threaded portion of the end link.

I think you need to step back and look at the geometry, and figure out how to make the end link body be close to 90 deg relative to the bracket. I'm guessing you need much longer end links with your 3" lift. Do both sided look the same?

You have an extra sway bar washer in there, you know that right? Should be washer/bushing-FRAME-bushing/washer.

And correct, If I had to guess, I would say the links are too short on the OP's rig.

 

[Andy in Pa]

I noticed that my 5 month old sway bar links are looking rugged. It looks like there is too much pressure being placed on them. Could it be the way the Total Chaos links are set up? The King shocks too long? The shop that did the lift initially had limit straps on the suspension that were comically short. Those are gone, but there must still be an issue...

Any ideas?

Yes, the link is too short. You have plenty of stud on the top of the link, so I would remove all hardeware from the upper link, run a hex nut all the way down to where the stud meets the link body, then put the washers/bushings back on. Should get at least a 1/2" longer just doing that.

 

[mesooohoppy]

just buy mstudts aftermarket sway end links. sure they are probably the most expensive option out there, but it totally fixed my front and rear sway bar angles.

i know some people like to complain about how 'expensive' they are, but really ive seen other aftermarket end links for different chassis command 500 bones for all 4 corners.

 

[4Runner4Leon]

You have an extra sway bar washer in there, you know that right? Should be washer/bushing-FRAME-bushing/washer. .

No, the correct factory installation is two rubber bushings and three washers (retainers). The middle washer has a boss on it that properly centers the end link in the oversized hole in the upper U-bracket.

 

[Andy in Pa]

No, the correct factory installation is two rubber bushings and three washers (retainers). The middle washer has a boss on it that properly centers the end link in the oversized hole in the upper U-bracket.

Huh, ok. Its been so long since I took mine apart I don't remember anymore.

 

[VGKBlackhawks]

I bought Mike Studt links. I'm concerned that the additional length will cause full droop issues with the shocks I bought, but maybe I'm wrong. Wish me luck.
For the record I had no idea what I was doing when I 1. bought the truck, 2. had it modified. I should have done a lot more research... *shakes fist at the next dude who rushes into a mod.

I've learned to be grossly specific with any shop doing work on my rig.

I hope you all have better luck than I did.

 

[UnderFire]

I bought Mike Studt links. I'm concerned that the additional length will cause full droop issues with the shocks I bought, but maybe I'm wrong. Wish me luck.

For the record I had no idea what I was doing when I 1. bought the truck, 2. had it modified. I should have done a lot more research... *shakes fist at the next dude who rushes into a mod.



I've learned to be grossly specific with any shop doing work on my rig.



I hope you all have better luck than I did.

Live and learn. Imagine trying to do all this before the internet existed.

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[mesooohoppy]

I bought Mike Studt links. I'm concerned that the additional length will cause full droop issues with the shocks I bought, but maybe I'm wrong. Wish me luck.
For the record I had no idea what I was doing when I 1. bought the truck, 2. had it modified. I should have done a lot more research... *shakes fist at the next dude who rushes into a mod.

I've learned to be grossly specific with any shop doing work on my rig.

I hope you all have better luck than I did.

im fairly certain his links are made for lifted trucks. his fixed my terrible sway bar angles and i have the same amount of lift as you do. send him a DM, he will help you. it just seems as if you have either installed them incorrectly, or something is binding that causes your rear end links to look like that. mine dont look all cocked like that.

start watching mtbtim's videos and do your own wrenching. you can do a lot with a simple set of tools and o rileys rental tools. if someone installed those endlinks for you, they did a shitty job.

 

[VGKBlackhawks]

Okay... I got the links. It still seems like an odd angle. I only completed one side as I wanted some opinions/help.

I also noticed that the sway bar is chaffing on the shock body. I'm not sure that these links will do anything to correct that. I left the links at the lowest adjustment as the sway bar seems really close to the LCA.

Thoughts please... Thanks in advance.

 

[mesooohoppy]

I left the links at the lowest adjustment as the sway bar seems really close to the LCA.

when i did my rear sways i made the sway bar parallel to the rear lower link (i was told by someone not on the forum that is the correct way to install). if you are lifted like me your link is way too short and you need to run it out longer. the nice part is all you have to do is undo the lower jamb nuts on both sides of the truck and run the links out.

[MENTION=98153]MStudt[/MENTION] makes these links. you should probably DM him this thread and he will take care of you.

 

[4Runner4Leon]

The bigger issue is your links are seriously tilted in/out, which will not change with the link length. I believe mine are nearly vertical in/out.

Is that an OEM sway bar in there? Are both end links tilted inward (implying that the sway bar is too short for the body mounts), or is one tilted in and one tilted out (implying that the sway bar is shifted to one side)?