Problems installing Whiteline front end links

I'm trying to install a set of Whiteline front sway bar links on my 2002 WRX. I have the Whiteline KLC32 end link. Previously, I had had a Whiteline adjustable front sway bar installed and I've been running with the stock end links. Here are the links that I'm trying to replace:


and the way they look on the car:



My problem is that I don't seem to have room for the new links. Here's what one looks like when I try to follow the directions:


Note that I can't get the sway bar to descend to the point where I can connect it to the link, since the bar hits the lower bolt.

Reversing the bottom bolt, I can then connect the sway bar, but I'm concerned that there is very little clearance between the bar and the bottom bolt's head:



Anyone have any hints? It sure does look like this is the wrong link for my car.

Dean

 

are those wagon front endlinks ?
are you installing this with the front end on the ground or on ramps ?
have you center the bar (equal clearance on both sides) ?


My opinion
the bolts are too long
make sure they are at least grade 8 bolts
its ok to have the head on the bar side
when you tighten it you will get at least 1mm more clearance.
you may not need the additional washer between the bushing and the arm (another 1mm)

Seems to me the hardware are not original if it is i think you can do better

 

Thanks for taking a look at this.

The new endlinks should be sedan; that's what Whiteline lists them as.

I'm installing on ramps. The bar is centered. The sway bar is a Whiteline adjustable bar. It does appear to have a deeper bend in it than the original equipment, although I haven't held the original next to it to see how different it is.

I've engaged Whiteline's technical support. I'll find out how much clearance I should get when I tighten everything.

DD

 

Bump for this thread. Any updates? I've had the same problem. I've reversed both bolts and installed it this way. However my steering now feels very heavy. On scoobymods.com it says that the whiteline sway goes under the steering rack not above it like the stock one. Mine is installed just like in your pictures. Should the ends of our bars be under the steering rack?

 

For the part of the link away from the camera (attaches to sway bar), it looks like you have a spacer between the bar and the end link. Is this the case? If so, have you tried removing it or using a thinner spacer? I have these on my wagon and I had no problems installing them, but I don't remember a spacer there.
*edit* I agree that the bolts are too long. Also, if you're concerned with the sway bar movement, try rotating the bar after install to check clearance.

 

There are two very similar kits; one has spacers and 4 identical bolts, while the other has no spacers and two pair of bolts of different diameters. Whiteline insists that the one with spacers is appropriate for me (2002 WRX sedan). I do feel that I need the top spacer to get things oriented properly, but I see no room for the bottom spacers.

Truth be told, I should have gotten the ball joint type links, which Whiteline also sells. (The Perrin links are ball joint, too.) Correction - that's Hotchkiss that has joint type links.

I think that I have three options. Stick with the stock links, which seem to work well for a lot of people. Reverse the bottom bolt and go with these Whiteline links, keeping an eye out for rubbing for the first few weeks. Or buy a different set of aftermarket links. I haven't yet decided which way I'll go.

 

I have a set of Hotchkis sedan ball joint type endlinks FS
The different bolt sizes are for wagons, and the lower bolt has to be smaller - changing just the boolt wont work without having to change to the smaller bushing

waguns hold the lower joint on both sides instead of single like sedan - limited in what endlinks are available

 

Exactly. What he said. It wasn't clear to me that the distinction was sedan vs wagon, but the mounting style is exactly as described.

 

^^^ i think its centered, just the endlink is wider than stock I think the mfg try to cut corners and made one endlink for both sedan and waguhn and enduser have to sacrifice for a happy medium

And I dont think front sways come with brackets just comes with bushings

 

I'm using stock brackets. The bar is centered. Same issue to either side.

AFAIK, Whiteline brackets are only available to the rear. It's clear that my knowledge of Whiteline parts has room for improvement, of course.

DD

 

you're correct. the heavy duty mounting brackets are only for the rear. The reasoning is that the U-brackets for the front sway are mounted directly to the frame (I think). I know that they do not have a secondary mount like the rear ones do, so there is no bracket to upgrade the fronts to.

 

I only had problems when I tried to put a sedan bar onto my wagon. But, I think Dean has a sedan (?), so if he's got the wagon bar it would be too narrow, not too wide. Also, he had the stock end links fitting fine, so I don't think that's the issue. Are your end links inverted? When I put mine on, one of the bushings stuck out farther than the others. Perhaps flipping them 180degrees? If your bolts are the same size, then that might be the issue. Also, I know you said Whiteline told you to put the spacer in, but will it fit without? I'm pretty sure that would be okay to leave out and might allow enough end link movement to make it fit? As long as you have grease between the bushing and bar you should be okay.

 

Last weekend, I tried one more time to use these endlinks. Valentin got them to work on his car, but I wimped out. I just didn't like the idea of stuffing them in there. So, I've decided once and for all to just use the stock links (much as I despise having to hold a hex wrench in the end of the post while tightening).

goixiz pointed out a Hotchkis endlink that I'll consider if I try again to replace the stock links.

 

Whenever I do suspsension work, I always use jack stands, not ramps. It allows your suspension to move a little more freely. I don't know if that would help or not. I hope you can get it to work... if not I will definitely take them off your hands for some $.

 

i had this exact same problem on my 04 wrx...

the stock mounts are kinda weaksauce, but what i did was flip the bolt around, there was clearance then (so the bar could articulate).

whiteline insists that you MUST tighten everything down with the suspension "loaded"... so you can lift it to fit, but lower for final torque-down of the bolts.

 

I've found that its usually due to the ground not being completely flat. Thus I would have to keep lowering the car until the bar came back inline with the endlink. Just a matter of trying to fit underneath the car to get that in.

 

ramps or 2 plates of 2x10 or turn the wheel away fro m the car

 

My biggest concern is the head of a bolt scraping the sway bar under load. I have 22/24 adjustable front. I was trying to connect to the 22mm hole, and couldn't make it happen. I could have tried tightening the bottom bolt to see if that would pull the head in enough to make clearance, but I am just not that determined to have these links on my car.

These are the Whiteline KLC32 links. If you have a need for them, I'm happy to sell 'em.

DD

 

Do you want to install with the suspension loaded. When we did Strayen's front and rear sways, we did it with the car on jack stands. The suspension was unloaded at the time. Wouldn't you want to do the same for the endlinks?

 

did you try just flipping that bolt to go the other way? it shouldn't rub the bar after that

 

Yeah, I did. It was still too tight for my comfort.

 

Previously, I had read that they should be done loaded. I think that the important thing is for the bar to be neutral - you don't want to have to force the bar to twist.

I've changed the adjustment on both my front and rear bars (connecting the end links to different holes on the bars) several times, all on ramps. It's a piece of cake.