Adjustable endlinks

[fmylife]

My '08 is lowered about 1.25" in the front with Hotchkis sway bar (also on the rear) and a set of BMR adjustable endlinks. I have to replace the top joint on the driver side link because the boot split but I was wondering something....

Since the car is lowered, should the endlinks be adjusted shorter or does stock height work fine?

 

[barspen]

I set mine to stock length and called it good. They are way more sturdy than the stock links, which was my main reason for getting them.
Interested in your feedback if you do play with the adjustment. Cant imagine you would notice much, unless you are ripping hard turns.

 

[1st usa car]

well - they are suppose to be set ---So the bars are parallel with the ground - with load

 

[SCGallo2]

well - they are suppose to be set ---So the bars are parallel with the ground - with load

I agree, but you still need to check clearances with the suspension fully loaded and unloaded. With a 1" drop up front, I believe I shortened them over an inch to make sure I had enough clearance above the suspension and steering components in full droop.

 

[fmylife]

Thanks for all of the replies! Very helpful and I'll be checking when I finally get to it.

 

[Bad Company]

The anti-roll bar while using adjustable links doesn't have to be parallel with the ground to be effective. The anti-roll bar is nothing more than a torsion bar spring that transfers weight from one side of the car to the other to control body roll. The adjustable end links that connect the bar to the car can be used to as a way to pre-load the bar left or right to move weight around in the front suspension as a method of balancing corner weights of the car. For a street driven car you want to adjust the links to the exact same length, plus you want to make sure the bushings that mount the anti-roll bar to the car are parallel to each other and the frame rails for no suspension pre-load. This will have zero effect on corner weights when the car is sitting statically on a level surface with nobody in the car as Ford designed it originally. The aftermarket end links with a spherical bearing eliminates the bushings to make the bar respond quicker to weight shifting left/right-right/left as the car body begins to roll in a turn. The factory end links bushings will deflect as weight is transferred from one side of the car to the other by the anti-roll bar, which slows the effects of the bar in transferring weight to combat body roll.

 

[Catmonkey]

The OEM end links use a ball and socket arrangement. Not as durable as the rod ends in some aftermarket pieces, but unless they're worn, they're not going to deflect like a bushing. They are likely to wear out quickly with an aftermarket bar. I don't think they need to be parallel to the ground, but rather focus on best clearance on a lowered car.

 

[Bad Company]

The OEM end links use a ball and socket arrangement. Not as durable as the rod ends in some aftermarket pieces, but unless they're worn, they're not going to deflect like a bushing. They are likely to wear out quickly with an aftermarket bar. I don't think they need to be parallel to the ground, but rather focus on best clearance on a lowered car.

Unfortunately for me I haven't seen the underside of my car in so long that I've forgotten how the factory links between the bar and strut mounts are manufactured. Someday I'll get the opportunity to crawl under it again, if old age doesn't catch up first.