Very quick opinions...

Getting a new USDM 22mm Sway bar and wanted to do the d-brackets and endlinks...

Is it best to stick w/OEM Rear Endlinks? Dare I ask how the Blox adjustable rear end links perform? ($hit, i know I'm going to take heat for that) I couldn't help but ask at that price range...

Quick thoughts on aftermarket d-brackets as opposed to OEM?

Car= '95 DB7 RS

Thanks peeps!!!

 

Use OEM end links. You can use your original end links if you want. The way the adjustable type bolts up (end link way offset to the side of the arm) just doesn't sit very well with me. IMHO it's better to have the end of the bar directly in line with the end link so the forces translate directly along the end link, as opposed to off to the side where the bar puts a torque load on the bolt. I believe you only need to get the bushings that go in the ends of the ITR bar to use them with your original end links.

 

As Patrick had mentioned, OEM endlinks are the best way to go. Hardrace sells OEM style endlinks for slightly more than what OEM endlinks cost, if you want to go with a better bushing. I have heard too many complaints with the Heim-joint endlinks as they tend to make lots of noise.

As far as aftermarket d-brackets, they are going to do the same thing as OEM. There's really no added functionality.

 

All OEM parts with es bushings would be a good way to go.


I have had blox endlinks for a little while and they seem to be ok, but it's only a 13mm sway bar. I would prefer oem but these will do for now.

 

I have ES greasable bushings on my ITR bar, but IMHO it's not really worth it. I'll probably be switching to OEM ITR bushings in the near future.

 

Blue/Jason/P-

Thanks for hitting all my main points. I appreciate your guys' help as usual.

Cheers.

 

I've got blox adjustables, don't bother with them.

Mine need to be replaced and they only about a year old.

I've got ES sway bar bushings, with and have no problems.
I only got them becuase I was broke and they were cheeper then OEM. lol

 

Thanks 98!

PS- You get those kappas in the Vic?

 

I used to have the OEM ITR endlinks for my 22mm rear bar. I wasn't even near slammed and I noticed they were basically binding. I decided to pick up a set of Function7 spherical adjustable endlinks and have been very happy with them. Have had them on the car for atleast 3 years now with ~90 Autox events on them and probably ~20+k miles. Never any issues. They work well with my Function7 LCAs as I can choose to use the 3 mounting points on the arm with these endlinks. As opposed to only 1 with the OEM endlinks since they are fixed

 

No problem.

No, not yet Haven't got them yet.

They may be here today/tomorow, and the deck on friday. May be installing them on friday night, but most likely saturday.

To above, and rattling with them? I want to get some, but the rattling of my blox's drive me nuts.

 

When you mount up the ITR bar on a non-R with non-R LCA's, the end links do appear to tilt forward a good bit when the car is lifted up off the ground, since the ITR bar sits closer to the subframe than the original sway bar with those offset mounting brackets. However when the car sits on the ground and the LCA's rotate upwards, the ITR bar ends also rotate upwards, pulling the end links closer to a vertical (desired) orientation.

*edit* Also the end links will be closer to vertical the lower the car is. */edit*

I've had my ITR bar with Koni shocks and H&R Sport springs, GC's, and currently OEM ITR rear springs with Koni perch on the lowest setting, and I have no problems at all using my OEM GS-R end links.

I used to have a pic of my end link and sway bar end with the car sitting on the ground but apparently I do not. I keep meaning to take a pic when the car is up on the alignment rack and I can get underneath the rear but I keep forgetting.

 

mmm I distinctly remember having the exact opposite effect of what you are saying. When the car was up off the ground, the endlinks were closer to vertical and not binding. When the car was on the ground, the links would then be at quite an extreme angle basically binding.

Unfortunately I don't have any close up pics of my old endlinks...


^crappy pics but you can barely see that the endlink is more towards vertical and not binding. You can see there is a bit of a gap between the flat faced part of the endlink and the swaybar. When the car was on the ground, the edge of the flat faced part got real close to the bar, because it was tilted upwards and out(or it towards the center of the car depending how you're looking at it).

I believe I still have my old endlinks, IIRC the bushings on them actually kept their form and you can see the angle at which they sat.

BTW took these pics while I was switching out those crappy Blox LCA's for the Function7's...

 

I dunno man, I've had an ITR bar/Beaks with OEM end links since 2003 I think, with OEM LCA's until a couple years ago and now with F7 LCA's, and my end links have always been near vertical with the car on the ground. Every time my car is on a 4-post lift I get underneath and check them.

 

lets see some pics man, i got the asr setup with the itr sway on my teg, f7 lcas and using there f7 endlinks and they dont sit near vertical. ill post a pic, maybe i did something wrong

 

use the oem ones and replace the rubber bushings

 

not sure if you ran OEMs on the F7s but the blox arms for that year had the sway bar hole in the wrong location. not sure if that was part of your issue or not.

 

BINGO!! When you use LCA's with the end link mount hole in the wrong place (i.e. in the middle of the arm vs. along the top edge with OEM), then OEM end links will most definitely lean forward when the car is on the ground.

 

i went to the F7 heim joint endlinks and ****ing hate them. maybe its me, as i installed them wrong maybe not, but they sit off make a helluva lotta noise and arent worth it at all to me. im going back to itr bushings and oem endlinks soon

 

i have blox endlinks, 2 years old now and they make no noise at all. i occasionally dab some brake caliper grease on them maybe once every 6 months. still silent and still move 100% freely.

 

Wow... can't say I would have thought blox would held up that long!!!

 

on a second car now. been through 3 winters and here in MD that means salt salt and more salt. they are a little corroded but like i said, dab or brake caliper grease every 6 months and im golden.