Sway bar preload - Question
Sway bar preload - Question
My setup:
Whiteline 24mm RSB
Whiteline rear adjustable end links
Bilstein HD + Swift sports
My question:
I setup my sway bar to the middle hole. When the car is on the ground (I have a garage pit), I adjust my end links to get no preload (basically setting them like you'd be able to screw them by hand)... I don't know if it's normal but my endlinks always end up on their shortest lenght, which I find very odd. Not sure I'm doing it the right way.
Is there someone who would share his experience regarding that end links lenght setting?
Whiteline 24mm RSB
Whiteline rear adjustable end links
Bilstein HD + Swift sports
My question:
I setup my sway bar to the middle hole. When the car is on the ground (I have a garage pit), I adjust my end links to get no preload (basically setting them like you'd be able to screw them by hand)... I don't know if it's normal but my endlinks always end up on their shortest lenght, which I find very odd. Not sure I'm doing it the right way.
Is there someone who would share his experience regarding that end links lenght setting?
Found this on bimmerforums, pretty nice and reliable way to set preload:
"With the wheels pointed straight ahead, and the driver or drivers
equivalent weight in the car, lay down on your right side and reach up
behind the drivers front tire and grab onto the drivers side link. Twist
the link one way or another, it doesn't matter yet. As you feel the link
start to get harder to turn (adding preload to the sway bar), maybe
after after 3 turns or so, stop turning. Now start turning the other
direction until the preload feels the same. Keep track of how many turns
with your fingers, it is actually pretty easy.
Lets say you have turned 6 turns between preload clockwise and the same
preload counterclockwise. You may have to go back and forth a few times
to make sure what you are feeling is consistent, but it doesn't take
long. You would then split the difference of 6 turns. In other words,
turn the link back to where you felt you were preloading the bar, and
turn back 3 turns.
This will be very very very close to zero preload."
"With the wheels pointed straight ahead, and the driver or drivers
equivalent weight in the car, lay down on your right side and reach up
behind the drivers front tire and grab onto the drivers side link. Twist
the link one way or another, it doesn't matter yet. As you feel the link
start to get harder to turn (adding preload to the sway bar), maybe
after after 3 turns or so, stop turning. Now start turning the other
direction until the preload feels the same. Keep track of how many turns
with your fingers, it is actually pretty easy.
Lets say you have turned 6 turns between preload clockwise and the same
preload counterclockwise. You may have to go back and forth a few times
to make sure what you are feeling is consistent, but it doesn't take
long. You would then split the difference of 6 turns. In other words,
turn the link back to where you felt you were preloading the bar, and
turn back 3 turns.
This will be very very very close to zero preload."
Found this on bimmerforums, pretty nice and reliable way to set preload:
"With the wheels pointed straight ahead, and the driver or drivers
equivalent weight in the car, lay down on your right side and reach up
behind the drivers front tire and grab onto the drivers side link. Twist
the link one way or another, it doesn't matter yet. As you feel the link
start to get harder to turn (adding preload to the sway bar), maybe
after after 3 turns or so, stop turning. Now start turning the other
direction until the preload feels the same. Keep track of how many turns
with your fingers, it is actually pretty easy.
Lets say you have turned 6 turns between preload clockwise and the same
preload counterclockwise. You may have to go back and forth a few times
to make sure what you are feeling is consistent, but it doesn't take
long. You would then split the difference of 6 turns. In other words,
turn the link back to where you felt you were preloading the bar, and
turn back 3 turns.
This will be very very very close to zero preload."
"With the wheels pointed straight ahead, and the driver or drivers
equivalent weight in the car, lay down on your right side and reach up
behind the drivers front tire and grab onto the drivers side link. Twist
the link one way or another, it doesn't matter yet. As you feel the link
start to get harder to turn (adding preload to the sway bar), maybe
after after 3 turns or so, stop turning. Now start turning the other
direction until the preload feels the same. Keep track of how many turns
with your fingers, it is actually pretty easy.
Lets say you have turned 6 turns between preload clockwise and the same
preload counterclockwise. You may have to go back and forth a few times
to make sure what you are feeling is consistent, but it doesn't take
long. You would then split the difference of 6 turns. In other words,
turn the link back to where you felt you were preloading the bar, and
turn back 3 turns.
This will be very very very close to zero preload."
Just want to point out that you may want to check the other side if you have both links adjustable. With spherical rod end type endlinks you will be able to feel the slight wiggle dead spot with no preload. Check and adjust the other side for the same feel. Many times the bar is slightly twisted or the car sits slightly different due to corner weighting so the bar is slightly preloaded.
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