Another group buy time, Adjustable sway bar links

[rs4pro3]

The stock front link is steel on steel stock, but the rear does have a rubber sleeve around where the rear bar. So you'd may notice some more noise in the rear. My car is basically track prepped so I wouldn't be one to ask about the noise. I just had a customer wanting to keep there car daily driver friendly and had heard that solid spherical joints will sometimes start clicking over time. So he asked if I had other type ball joints that may eliminate this so I found these.
The spherical rod ends themselves are replaceable(and available from many different retailers), life span depends on the road conditions in your area, use etc.. Mine have been on the car for over a year with no problems, but there is no snow around here.

[T.Dot E30]

Thanks for the insight.

I'll go with the solid ones, ill be paypal'ing you the money this evening when i get home from work.

Thank you.

[Axxe]

Will they work at stock height?

[rs4pro3]

yes, they have 1-2 inches of length adjustment to work with stock or lowered cars. The e30m3/ix front links, however are different for different lowering heights.

[JGood]

I mean no disrespect with this, and hope somebody can prove me wrong...

Using "adjustment" holes on aftermarket bars changes the leverage point, making it harder to flex the bar.

Using adjustable endlinks keeps the same leverage point, but swivels the entire bar either up or down. I don't see how this, or the resulting angle of the endlink, would effect overall leverage to gain "stiffness".

That said, if I can be proven wrong, mark me down for a set because I can't afford swaybars right now!

[rs4pro3]

Yes changing the mounting point on the bar changes the leverage acting on the bar. Changing the hole the link mounts to on the bar alters the angle between the sway bar and the sway link. If you change this angle you can effectively stiffen or soften the sway bar. Basically when ever the suspension compresses on one side, it will push the sway bar link upwards, this in returns pushes the sway bar, and the other end of the sway bar tries to pull upwards on the non compressed side. If the angle between the sway link and sway bar is 90 degree, then all the forces are being directly applied to the sway bar. If you change this angle by either altering the length of the link, or the mounting location of the link, now instead of all the forces being directly on the sway bar they are now acting in multiple directions trying to move the sway bar in more then one direction. Since there is less force being transmited to the sway bar, it's effectly less effective. This ignors the mounting angle between the control arm and the sway bar link as that changes threw out the suspension travel.
Here is a picture of an extreme example of my 88 325is ussing m3 sway links and being lowered. The suspension is loaded in this picture.

When ever the suspension compresses it will pull the sway bar both upwards and backwards. You can see the bushing started to develop some cracks at the top from this pulling in multiple directions.

In this picture new adjustable links have been installed, as you can see the angle is closer to 90 between the sway bar and the link, which makes the sway bar a lot more effective.
Both these pictures are from an extreme example and is harder to see under different suspension setups.

[Mike@PureMS]

It's true that a different length sway bar link can have an effect on the overall stiffness, but it's minimal and virtually negligible. The difference in angle is maybe 5*, of which you're taking only the right angle component of the difference. This force component is virtually none since you're again only taking the right angle measurement value of it. Draw yourself a force diagram and you'll see that the resultant force from the angle difference is minimal. Ideally you want the sway link to be perfectly perpendicular to the sway bar, so you get maximum responsiveness. WIth each small movement of the strut, it's transmitted directly to the rotation of the sway bar, not trying to pull or push it which just flexes the bushing.

Moving the mounting hole location results in a MUCH more drastic change as you're changing the distance of the torque lever arm. Like using a 6" lug wrench instead of a 7" or 8" long lug wrench. The longer the arm, the easier it is to loosen a lug bolt.

Again, adjustable links are a great item to have for corner balancing, but they aren't going to make your 20mm sway feel like a 22mm bar.

[rs4pro3]

correct, they won't make a drastic difference. But can make it so one doesn't have to upgrade to after market sway bars, which most in my opinion are way to large for an e30 if the rest of the car is setup correctly.

[rs4pro3]

Here is the current list of those that have exressed interst and or paid for there links already
1. T.Dot E30-stock e30 front and rear, normal links-Paid
2. e30_325es-stock e30 front and rear, normal links-paid
3. nando-ix front
4. browntown-m3 front, stock rear , Nylon links-Paid
5. peerless-stock e30 front and rear-Paid
6. dp2275-m3 front, stock rear, normal links-Paid

[browntown]

^^ That must be a hint for me to put my money where my mouth is, PM sent.

[Dave]

correct, they won't make a drastic difference. But can make it so one doesn't have to upgrade to after market sway bars, which most in my opinion are way to large for an e30 if the rest of the car is setup correctly.

Bingo, boys and girls.

[golde30]

awesome product here. i bought a set last time for e30 m3 style front links. bump for an awesome seller.

[rs4pro3]

bump

[nando]

I'll try to get measurements of my links within the next couple days, if the weather holds up anyway.

[rs4pro3]

bump 1 week left