[gundal]

I think stock endlinks in the rear are robust enough, even for RB bar. I have had RB rear bar for about 8 months with many autoX events. It's still rock solid with no noise whatsoever.

Just make sure the bushings are properly sized compared to stock one (meaning that bushings stick out a bit from the bracket). Compared to other RB owners, I got a bushings that fit better supposedly. If not, shim the bushing, and tighten everything to high end of the spec. You should be good to go.

 

[zimmerDN]

So if all it requires is torquing the end links properly. Then why can't Progress come out with the recommended torque spec so everyone can enjoy their sway bar without worries?

 

[rubyred3]

well, nobody is really SURE its the endlinks. I suspect that overtorquing the endlinks might be bad as well, as this might cause them to bind up. It is also possibly related to the bushings, shimming my bushings helped get ride of mine. Also, I tend to think that the modified progress V1 bar (hose clamps+tubing) is a quieter way of preventing side to side motion than the hard stops on the V2 bar. Its probably a bunch of different clunks, as opposed to one thing being the same source for every case.

 

[SportWagN]

I bet it is your endlinks. Energy suspension gave me large endlinks with their bushings for the sway bar!!

 

[cali_axela]

It's the endlinks. My RB bars were clunking when torqued to spec, I just tightened the endlinks as much as I could (within reason) and have had absolutely no clunking problems since. I suggest everyone just tries tightening the endlinks a little more, it'll probably fix all your clunks.

 

[Spaz218]

I have the eibach rear sway bar and I always have the clunking noise...Very Loud. It only seems to happen going over any bumps. I try to tighten it up every couple of months. even to this day I can not belevie that the rear sway bar would make that much noise.
At first, it sounded like maybe my exhuast pipe snapped in half somewhere in the middle of the pipeing and the exhuast hangers were just baning the 2 parts of the pipe together....
But I took my car in for Inspection at the dealership...and I even explained to the guy that I think the exhuast is cracked or completely seperated...
an hour later....Passed inspection...no issues with the exhuast.
I need to get under there and tighten it up again....But the Eibach bar is very Loud!
Everyone in the neighborhood looks when I go over a bump....

 

[cali_axela]

[quote author=Spaz218 link=topic=74272.msg1584870#msg1584870 date=1185380275]
I have the eibach rear sway bar and I always have the clunking noise...Very Loud. It only seems to happen going over any bumps. I try to tighten it up every couple of months. even to this day I can not belevie that the rear sway bar would make that much noise.
At first, it sounded like maybe my exhuast pipe snapped in half somewhere in the middle of the pipeing and the exhuast hangers were just baning the 2 parts of the pipe together....
But I took my car in for Inspection at the dealership...and I even explained to the guy that I think the exhuast is cracked or completely seperated...
an hour later....Passed inspection...no issues with the exhuast.
I need to get under there and tighten it up again....But the Eibach bar is very Loud!
Everyone in the neighborhood looks when I go over a bump....
[/quote]

That sounds pretty bad, my noise from the loose endlink was never THAT bad. It sounds like maybe one of your endlinks is actually broken. Also, check out your upper shock mounts, they might not be tight too.

 

[zimmerDN]

How do you guys use a torque wrench when tightening the end links? You need to insert the allen key in center of the bolt to prevent the bolt from spinning. So how do you fit the socket over it? I had to use a open-end wrench along with the allen key which means I didn't use the torque wrench.

 

[rubyred3]

something called a crowfoot extension, I'd never heard of it either until someone pointed it out to me:

http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Standard-SA...-tool-tools_W0QQitemZ7721082839QQcmdZViewItem

 

[GGS4D]

I installed one last weekend on my '07, no clunk. I have an air compressor and 1/2 impact wrench. It seemed to me that I had to hit it with a lot of "juice" to get them to seat well. Not sure I could have done that with a hand wrench. You might run it to a muffler/shock shop and have them zap those end links with an air impact wrench. You can hear the difference when a bolt seats well, it sort of rings.

 

[zimmerDN]

Yeah well you still need to counter the turning of the bolt with the allen key. The only way I conceived of doing it is by having the allen key resting on other parts of the car as torque is applied to the nut. When I am done, I needed to turn the nut back just enough so the tension on the allen key resting/pushing against the car will be released so the key will fall back out.

 

[GGS4D]

[quote author=zimmerDN link=topic=74272.msg1665301#msg1665301 date=1187912732]
Yeah well you still need to counter the turning of the bolt with the allen key. The only way I conceived of doing it is by having the allen key resting on other parts of the car as torque is applied to the nut. When I am done, I needed to turn the nut back just enough so the tension on the allen key resting/pushing against the car will be released so the key will fall back out.
[/quote]

That's the beauty of an air impact wrench, the "impact" will snug it down without having to hold the allen wrench by hand. It really works! I have banged on a lot of bolts, used to wrench for a living. I could have never gotten it that tight by using hand tools.

 

[azazel1024]

But impact wrenchs generally over tighten bolts in my experience. I would only ever use one on a very high torque bolt or to quickly tighten something down and do the final torque with a torque wrench, like a crank bolt or an axel nut I might use an impact wrench on.
-Matt

 

[GGS4D]

You need some experience and judgement to use one. They also have adjustable torque settings on some. Yes, you can do a lot of damage with one if you are not careful, but that is also the power of why they work so well for this task. They work, I use them, perfect tool for the end links. No clunk.

 

[mz3frs]

The endlink nuts are pretty beefy; I wouldn't be worried about hurting them with the impact wrench, so long as a measure of caution is exercised. Hopefully, they should never have to come off, so no worries there.

 

[GGS4D]

The impact wrench I have is capable of removal too. Already off and on once when I played with adjustment holes.