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BMW 3-Series (E90 E92) Forum > E90 / E92 / E93 3-series Technical Forums > All-Wheel-Drive (Xi / xDrive) Talk > Don't Underestimate Endlinks when Lowering



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      01-28-2013, 04:04 PM   #45
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So where is the mounting location on the stock struts, I forget? Is it on the inside of the strut near the splash guard?

Give me a time breakdown. If I'm looking at the hub on the drivers side, where is the mounting point on the strut, 12oclock, 2, 3??
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      01-28-2013, 04:39 PM   #46
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pits200 View Post
So where is the mounting location on the stock struts, I forget? Is it on the inside of the strut near the splash guard?

Give me a time breakdown. If I'm looking at the hub on the drivers side, where is the mounting point on the strut, 12oclock, 2, 3??
IIRC it points straight in along the line of the axle so I guess that is 12 o'clock? I think this is the old drivers side strut from my car:



The two pins at the bottom go into the slot in the hub, which also face directly in.
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      01-28-2013, 05:04 PM   #47
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I think the stock mount points directly inboard, towards the opposite wheel. It is centered in the strut. On the AST's it is offset like a "d".
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      01-28-2013, 06:05 PM   #48
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So I turned the wheel as far as it would go and snapped a pic. There is no interference that I could see or any signs of contact between the endlink, sway bar or any other part.

One thing I did notice is the space between the driveshaft and steering rack. It looks like the sway bar would probably be centered in this space on a stock car. It looks like on a stock car the sway bar would be angled further down than on a lowered car. Either case, the end link would be further from vertical and the sway bar further from horizontal.


Edit - I do see a slight mark before the label on the half shaft that looked like the end link scratched the dirt off. Since the car was stationary when I turned the wheel would explain the horizontal line. The good thing is that it only occurs when the wheel is close to full lock. I don't see the paint on the half shaft scratched to indicate this is a common occurance. the other good thing is the half shaft is steel and the endlink is aluminum so the endlink will wear first
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      01-30-2013, 03:58 PM   #49
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Originally Posted by UltraRacer13 View Post
I think the stock mount points directly inboard, towards the opposite wheel. It is centered in the strut. On the AST's it is offset like a "d".
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      01-30-2013, 10:51 PM   #50
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How the hell is my geometry so different than yours.

1- Are those stock end links?- they look very different than my stockers.

2- In your vid you can see the drive axel (I don't know what its called) with the bar code sticker. Mine has the sticker but that is what came into contact with my end link. Yours looks like it is so far away?? Also, go to page 2, check out my pic, not the angle of my end link. When I rotated the collar so the tab faced the front of the car this improved dramatically. But yours is even pointing to the back slightly and your endlinks are almost vertical. Is it due to the position of my sway? Do you think I need to rotate it up???

3- Going back to the load question- as long as the bar can pivot and both sides are the same won't it be unloaded? The real question is where is the optimum point to rotate it when it is unloaded and the car is on the ground. Harold says, IIRC, the mount for the endlink should be horizontal to the pivot point, or bushing. Which makes sense, at that point it would have the most leverage and play either way. How do you think yours measures with this in mind?
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      01-30-2013, 11:03 PM   #51
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Quote:
Originally Posted by critical05 View Post
So I turned the wheel as far as it would go and snapped a pic. There is no interference that I could see or any signs of contact between the endlink, sway bar or any other part.

One thing I did notice is the space between the driveshaft and steering rack. It looks like the sway bar would probably be centered in this space on a stock car. It looks like on a stock car the sway bar would be angled further down than on a lowered car. Either case, the end link would be further from vertical and the sway bar further from horizontal.


Edit - I do see a slight mark before the label on the half shaft that looked like the end link scratched the dirt off. Since the car was stationary when I turned the wheel would explain the horizontal line. The good thing is that it only occurs when the wheel is close to full lock. I don't see the paint on the half shaft scratched to indicate this is a common occurrence. the other good thing is the half shaft is steel and the endlink is aluminum so the endlink will wear first
Where your clean line on the half shaft is is exactly where my half shaft has a groove. Contrary to your wrought, it was the part that took the beating. I think mine was very close like yours, but the collar on my AST's was not orientated correctly causing just enough of an increase in that angle. I have since corrected that. You can actually see the groove in my photo on page 2.
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      01-31-2013, 05:28 AM   #52
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Ya looking at your pic now it seems your sway is rotated downwards a lot more than mine which is changing the angle of the endlink and causing contact with the axle. Now I wonder if mine is rotated upwards too much. This way the question I posed to Harold earlier about knowing the correct original orientation. Anyone with stock suspension would be a lifesaver if they took a pic of the original front bar.
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      11-01-2017, 11:25 PM   #53
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I am on H&R and Koni Yellows. Put them on in 2015. My Front is ~1.5 inches lower than stock. Strange how I didn't notice this earlier, but the ride was crap. A year or so into the new setup my front shocks went bust. For a long time I didn't know if it was the shocks or my mind. Eventually, I ordered new struts under warranty and had them replaced.

After replacing the front struts this summer under warranty, and installing new OEM end links i nthe process, I realized my ride was HORRIBLE. Any road imperfections would mean the car would jump sideways. What surprised me was that even on its softest setting, the Koni struts were rigid beyond just a little bit of compression. I was very disappointed. No idea how I never felt this before, especially when my front struts were blown and the car sat even lower.

Long story short: I ordered adjustable end links. Set them to 13 inches (stock is 11.5), and holy crap!, the ride improved. Suspension can now do its job without interference from a pre-loaded sway bar. Instead of being rigid, it is now a lot more proper. Even my wife noticed the difference in the ride quality. Quite simply, my short end links forced the sway bar to rotate upwards. This alters the geometry of the bar in a bad way. For me, it was about 13.5 inches from the center of the wheel to the top of the wheel well.

Longer front end links are NOT AN OPTION when lowering an inch or more. They are a NECESSITY. The install is very easy, thank fully. Just do it.
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      08-23-2018, 09:58 AM   #54
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Basis swap View Post
I am on H&R and Koni Yellows. Put them on in 2015. My Front is ~1.5 inches lower than stock. Strange how I didn't notice this earlier, but the ride was crap. A year or so into the new setup my front shocks went bust. For a long time I didn't know if it was the shocks or my mind. Eventually, I ordered new struts under warranty and had them replaced.

After replacing the front struts this summer under warranty, and installing new OEM end links i nthe process, I realized my ride was HORRIBLE. Any road imperfections would mean the car would jump sideways. What surprised me was that even on its softest setting, the Koni struts were rigid beyond just a little bit of compression. I was very disappointed. No idea how I never felt this before, especially when my front struts were blown and the car sat even lower.

Long story short: I ordered adjustable end links. Set them to 13 inches (stock is 11.5), and holy crap!, the ride improved. Suspension can now do its job without interference from a pre-loaded sway bar. Instead of being rigid, it is now a lot more proper. Even my wife noticed the difference in the ride quality. Quite simply, my short end links forced the sway bar to rotate upwards. This alters the geometry of the bar in a bad way. For me, it was about 13.5 inches from the center of the wheel to the top of the wheel well.

Longer front end links are NOT AN OPTION when lowering an inch or more. They are a NECESSITY. The install is very easy, thank fully. Just do it.
Not sure if you'll see this since it's been quite some time but what brand end links did you end up going with? I have the exact same setup and tried the hotchkis adjustable which ended up being too short still and failed. Thanks!
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      08-24-2018, 04:48 AM   #55
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Quote:
Originally Posted by allcaps55 View Post
Not sure if you'll see this since it's been quite some time but what brand end links did you end up going with? I have the exact same setup and tried the hotchkis adjustable which ended up being too short still and failed. Thanks!
Turner Motorsport has a big selection that should allow you to find the right length for your application:

https://www.turnermotorsport.com/p-3...s-pair/?pdk=Ag

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      08-30-2018, 05:49 PM   #56
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I need end links longer than 17" for an E60 awd front swaybar application. Any ideas? H&R + Bilstein B8 struts = axle can make contact with swaybar under load
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      09-23-2018, 09:01 AM   #57
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This seems to be the most likely place for this... I had assumed when installing KW V1's and a very modest drop I'd want some adjustable end links - but when we got them on the car, to get the bar set up in the stock location the end links had to be adjusted as short as they would go, which, was same as stock. Any longer and the bar would be rotated down into the tie rod. In retrospect I wish I'd measured the relative distances from the stock struts to see if they are different - does anyone know if KW relocates the end link mount? It would make sense as they dont have to ever work with stock springs like a Koni or Bilstein strut.... and the UUC end links I bought are making a racket over speed bumps and I'd rather just replace with new stock-style.
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      09-23-2018, 02:42 PM   #58
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Quote:
Originally Posted by .RJ View Post
This seems to be the most likely place for this... I had assumed when installing KW V1's and a very modest drop I'd want some adjustable end links - but when we got them on the car, to get the bar set up in the stock location the end links had to be adjusted as short as they would go, which, was same as stock. Any longer and the bar would be rotated down into the tie rod. In retrospect I wish I'd measured the relative distances from the stock struts to see if they are different - does anyone know if KW relocates the end link mount? It would make sense as they dont have to ever work with stock springs like a Koni or Bilstein strut.... and the UUC end links I bought are making a racket over speed bumps and I'd rather just replace with new stock-style.
I'm getting some clunking up front, so maybe I do need to lengthen these... hmmm. I cant tell if its because they're too short or because they're unsealed rod ends.
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      09-26-2018, 10:36 PM   #59
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Quote:
Originally Posted by .RJ View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by .RJ View Post
This seems to be the most likely place for this... I had assumed when installing KW V1's and a very modest drop I'd want some adjustable end links - but when we got them on the car, to get the bar set up in the stock location the end links had to be adjusted as short as they would go, which, was same as stock. Any longer and the bar would be rotated down into the tie rod. In retrospect I wish I'd measured the relative distances from the stock struts to see if they are different - does anyone know if KW relocates the end link mount? It would make sense as they dont have to ever work with stock springs like a Koni or Bilstein strut.... and the UUC end links I bought are making a racket over speed bumps and I'd rather just replace with new stock-style.
I'm getting some clunking up front, so maybe I do need to lengthen these... hmmm. I cant tell if its because they're too short or because they're unsealed rod ends.
Are the adjuster nuts fully tightened? When I lengthened mine (about 14" with kink yellow and hr sports) one of the nuts to tighten the end links had come loose and it sounded like death. Everything clunked and rattled it seemed like. Maybe with the car on the ground, turn the whee so you can reach under the fender and just jiggle the endlinks. It should be pretty obvious if something is loose.
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      09-27-2018, 07:00 AM   #60
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Yeah, one of them had loosened up. But, I swapped those out for new stock-style end links and all seems fine, I dont think I really need the UUC - swaybar angle looks ok with my moderate drop on KW's.
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      10-02-2018, 01:43 AM   #61
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Quote:
Originally Posted by .RJ View Post
Yeah, one of them had loosened up. But, I swapped those out for new stock-style end links and all seems fine, I dont think I really need the UUC - swaybar angle looks ok with my moderate drop on KW's.
I have the same setup as you and was also wondering if KW relocates the end link mount. Did you notice any preload on the bar when you reinstalled the OEM endlinks on?
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      10-03-2018, 07:33 AM   #62
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cortez08 View Post
I have the same setup as you and was also wondering if KW relocates the end link mount. Did you notice any preload on the bar when you reinstalled the OEM endlinks on?
I did not. I loaded both ends of the suspension, the bar looked like it was in the right spot and level - although its a little goofy with the bar curving around the tie rod - and the end links slipped on with no preload on either end. I replaced the end links with new Meyle HD parts, seems fine to me. I'll be replacing the bar with a UUC front bar whenever it shows up, too.
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      11-13-2019, 11:59 AM   #63
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I'm lost so I think my link kits are also bad because the rubber is torn and they have a lot of play. Do you NEED adjustable or can I get OE back and it's just that OE lfietime won't last as long? I am also lowered in the summer. My coilover kit is Bilstein PSS B14 and they don't say anything about sway bar links.
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      12-23-2020, 01:52 AM   #64
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Basis swap View Post
I am on H&R and Koni Yellows. Put them on in 2015. My Front is ~1.5 inches lower than stock. Strange how I didn't notice this earlier, but the ride was crap. A year or so into the new setup my front shocks went bust. For a long time I didn't know if it was the shocks or my mind. Eventually, I ordered new struts under warranty and had them replaced.

After replacing the front struts this summer under warranty, and installing new OEM end links i nthe process, I realized my ride was HORRIBLE. Any road imperfections would mean the car would jump sideways. What surprised me was that even on its softest setting, the Koni struts were rigid beyond just a little bit of compression. I was very disappointed. No idea how I never felt this before, especially when my front struts were blown and the car sat even lower.

Long story short: I ordered adjustable end links. Set them to 13 inches (stock is 11.5), and holy crap!, the ride improved. Suspension can now do its job without interference from a pre-loaded sway bar. Instead of being rigid, it is now a lot more proper. Even my wife noticed the difference in the ride quality. Quite simply, my short end links forced the sway bar to rotate upwards. This alters the geometry of the bar in a bad way. For me, it was about 13.5 inches from the center of the wheel to the top of the wheel well.

Longer front end links are NOT AN OPTION when lowering an inch or more. They are a NECESSITY. The install is very easy, thank fully. Just do it.
what size endlinks did you go with the rear?
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      01-24-2021, 03:13 PM   #65
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Has anyone tried using E46 XI front end links? Orientation seems exactly the same but with a shorter length compared to the E9x XI end links.

I ordered some to try out to fix crashing over bumps.
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