AWR endlink review [Archive]

livelyjay

04-09-2006, 03:10 PM

One of my stock end links bent during a hit and run, so I decided to buy some AWR since they are beefier and about the same price as stock per side. I ordered them from **********, and when they arrived all the parts were not included. This was not the fault of **********, but AWR. The metal spacers were not included with my order. Thankfully ********** got right on it and I got the spacers a few days later.

I had a shop do the installation since I couldn't get the stock endlinks off myself. I picked up my car and noticed they clunk pretty bad even with the rubber washers installed and some extra rubber grommets I had them put in as well. The spacers were not installed at this time, because I did not have them and I needed to get these installed asap.

I just took off my wheels this morning and attempted to put the spacers in myself. I noticed the shaft of the eye bolt was rubbing against strut mount on both sides. Even with the spacers in place, this would still be a problem.

Do they work? Definitely. The sway bar seems to respond better than stock, but this may be a placebo affect. Is the design good? Not really. The bolts they come with are waaaaaay tooooo loooooong. The section that is not threaded is too long as well, which prevents them from being tightened up enough. To me they could have been designed a bit more carefully so they could be installed without having to worry about clunking and rubbing against other parts of the car.

EmRidMSP

04-10-2006, 01:18 PM

That's a damned awful shame. I've had nothing but great experience with AWR, but those problems sound inherent to the design. I was planning on ordering them eventually, too. Deuces.

livelyjay

04-10-2006, 01:26 PM

It's the bolt that connects the end link to the strut mount and sway bar that is a bad design. Some spacers (better than the ones I got after I complained to **********) should be incorporated. It would move the rod end away from the strut and sway bar, allow the hardware to be tightened down completely, and prevent any clunking.

With the way the shop installed them, I'm going to have to drop the strut out or cut off the end of the bolt to get the top bolt out. I'm stopping by HomeDepot today to see if I can find a better bolt or some sort of spacer to put in there to get the rod end away from the other hardware.

Another point I'd like to make, is the length. I have no idea if the length of the end link will affect the performance of the sway bar, but they are definitely longer than the stock end links.

gen1pro

04-12-2006, 08:34 AM

Do you have pics of this b/c I just ordered some and I want to see what to look out for.

livelyjay

04-12-2006, 08:47 AM

Do you have pics of this b/c I just ordered some and I want to see what to look out for.
Pics of what in paticular? I probably won't be able to get any pictures anytime soon because my fiance has the camera and she's up in NY this week.

IF, and that's a HUGE if, I can get to it this afternoon, I may try and cut off the extra bolt and install the spacers from AWR and the washers I bought from HomeDepot.

I say IF because I am driving to NY this weekend, and preparing to move from VA to NY next week. It's going to be a busy few days.

spacemonkey

04-12-2006, 08:56 AM

livelyjay

04-12-2006, 09:07 AM

Your not really going to notice a huge difference until you play with the loads.

I have fornt and rears and I took the frotn out so it will have stock feeling. So now im adjusting the load on the sway bar via rear. More oversteer or more understeer.
I can't actually tell the difference. I drove my roommates (stock MSP)around the block taking corners pretty fast, then drove mine with the AWR end links. I haven't played with the loading, both end links are set to the same length, and are shorted as much as possible, which I think is still longer than stock.

Since it's a neutral setting, the bar should react the same in both directions right? The purpose of load is to pre-load one side right, the side you're not sitting on?