RV6 rear sway bar + billet endlink noise

[ttccnn49]

Hi all,

I had my RV6 swaybar installed with rv6 endlink. the whole setup looks solid... and sounds very solid as well.

When I driving slow in the community and in the parking lot, I would hear all sort of squeaking and clacking from rear. My wife keeps asking me if my car is broken... once I drive over 40mph, I dont hear any weird sound. (may still be there, but other sound is loud enough lol)

Is this because of the billet endlink? it looks to me like metal to metal contact without any damping.

Thanks in advance

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[ctechauto]

Normal and expected. Any solid joint (heim/rose or solid bearing/bushing) will introduce additional NVH compared to a greased ball joint or rubber bushing. The trade-off is increased articulation, increased durability, increased feedback and 'directness' to the driver.

 

[Two Step Performance]

I can confirm this is typical.

 

[ttccnn49]

Thanks to both of you. Would it be less noise if I use the stock endlink?

 

[coolnick]

Yes, it would be zero noise if you used the stock endlinks. Just to be sure, you might want to get under there and check that the bolts holding the bar to the chassis have not come loose. Mine got loose a few days after initial installation and was making an occasional noise like you describe. After fully torquing them the second time, they haven't come loose again and it's been about 10k miles since.

 

[AspecR]

Hi all,

I had my RV6 swaybar installed with rv6 endlink. the whole setup looks solid... and sounds very solid as well.

When I driving slow in the community and in the parking lot, I would hear all sort of squeaking and clacking from rear. My wife keeps asking me if my car is broken... once I drive over 40mph, I dont hear any weird sound. (may still be there, but other sound is loud enough lol)

Is this because of the billet endlink? it looks to me like metal to metal contact without any damping.

Thanks in advance

You sir have entered the wonderful world of spherical bearings/rose joints/heim joints, this is normal with those components.

 

[V3N0M_VZL4]

Double check the torque specs, and add a little bit of loctite medium "blue" in the thread if possible.

 

[2025-Si]

Question - how did you torque under load? I just installed my rear sway bar while the car was on jack stands. When I went for a test drive immediately after installing, there was a huge clunk when I exited the driveway, and I heard occasional clunking as well. Did some research and I see that I should have torqued everything down under load, but I can't figure out how to get under the car when it's sitting on the ground as is. I torqued everything to 28 ft lb when on the jack stands and wonder if it changed when I released it back down onto the ground one side at a time.

Edit: if I drove one side up onto a curb to get space to slide under the car (the right front and rear tires on the curb) - would that cause any imbalance when torquing down the bolts?

 

[Superhatch]

Question - how did you torque under load? I just installed my rear sway bar while the car was on jack stands. When I went for a test drive immediately after installing, there was a huge clunk when I exited the driveway, and I heard occasional clunking as well. Did some research and I see that I should have torqued everything down under load, but I can't figure out how to get under the car when it's sitting on the ground as is. I torqued everything to 28 ft lb when on the jack stands and wonder if it changed when I released it back down onto the ground one side at a time.

You want to use a second jack and raise up your lower control arm/compress the spring to the normal height when on the ground. A measurement from lug to fender when on the ground is what I normally use. You can also lower the car onto something like a jack or the like. Make sure the car is supported in other areas before tightening.

 

[2025-Si]

You want to use a second jack and raise up your lower control arm/compress the spring to the normal height when on the ground. A measurement from lug to fender when on the ground is what I normally use. You can also lower the car onto something like a jack or the like. Make sure the car is supported in other areas before tightening.

Hey, thanks for the quick reply. I just had a thought - if I drove one side of the car up onto a curb to get space to slide under the car, would that be ok?

 

[Superhatch]

Hey, thanks for the quick reply. I just had a thought - if I drove one side of the car up onto a curb to get space to slide under the car, would that be ok?

That would be one way to do it. Ideally you are not loosening and tightening things under a car without the car supported and secured in some way, i.e. jacks, lift, etc.

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