[BigGuy81]

I'm done messing around with the crappy GM links/nuts and have ordered the BMR adjustable set for the front.

Looking at BMR's instructions leaves me a bit confused and I was hoping someone here could help.

Many of the guides online diverge greatly from BMR's instructions. They say at least one of the links should be installed while the suspension is loaded, while the other can be put on while the suspension is hanging but should be adjusted after the first one is installed. See this video for what I'm talking about.

So who's right? Should I preload the suspension before install? Why can't I just set both sway bar links to the length of the OEM links and install them with the suspension unloaded?

Another thing I noticed is that the end link shafts don't align perfectly with the mounting holes when the suspension is unloaded. I have to put load on the suspension to get the shafts parallel to the holes. Does this mean I need to install the adjustable links with at least one shaft at basically an angle to the hole, or will this simply fix itself once I tighten the nuts?

[Xaxas]

When I installed them, I had to play with the jack and the rotor to make it align and fit, can't recall if I had any sort of load on the sway bar itself.

But as far as I know, if they have the same adjustments as OEM links, there should be no issue.

[BigGuy81]

Originally Posted by Xaxas

When I installed them, I had to play with the jack and the rotor to make it align and fit, can't recall if I had any sort of load on the sway bar itself.

But as far as I know, if they have the same adjustments as OEM links, there should be no issue.

I'm thinking of raising the suspension up to stock ride height with the jack and installing the links in that position.

[h018871]

Big Guy, part of the confusion comes from what sway bar you're using. OEM or aftermarket.
The aftermarket versions do not have any preload from the support bushings and the OEM do. So that adds to the complexity of the install.

Assume free floating (aftermarket) sway bar. Set lengths to match OEM and install on side one and lock jam nuts. Install on side two adjusting as necessary to achieve 'neutral' length. Lower vehicle and roll forward & back to settle suspension. Check side two to ensure it is still in the neutral position, adjust if necessary and lock jam nuts.

Installing on an OEM sway with bonded bushings is not as easy. To get the adjustable links 'exact' you will have to finagle a bit. Remove stock links and note that the sway will move up or down. The preload on the bushings is usually set to be neutral near stock ride height. You'll have to use 2 jacks, one on each knuckle to duplicate the neutral point on each side. Verify with the stock links, they'll slide into the bar and mounts easily when you're in the correct spot. Do both sides at the same time. Once that is done, set both adjustable links so that they are neutral & tighten.

Good luck

[GTO_Gregory]

I used Hotchkis sway bars on the center hole with the BMR end links set to the same length as the factory end links. I used a floor jack to get everything lined up for assembly.

[Msquared]

The whole point of adjustable end links is to eliminate preload on the swaybar. There's no guarantee of that if you just set the links to the same length as factory, or equal lengths to each other. With a free-floating bar (aftermarket), the idea is to have the car a its true resting ride height, install one link (probably use factory length for this one), and then set the length of the second link to slip in its mount with no resistance. The way to see the kind of preload I'm talking about is to put the car on wheel scales and see if there's a change in corner loads when the bar is disconnected. If there is, then the bar was preloading the suspension.

h018871 makes a good point about the factory bar with its bonded mounting bushings. That bar has preload on the end links at all heights except the natural resting point of the bar with no load on the links. That's different than the bar preloading in torsion, however, and it won't affect the corner weights of the car by itself.

[BigGuy81]

I installed these last night on my OEM bar. I didn't see any of the posts in the last day before I did it, but it seems to align with what I needed to do to get them installed.

When the suspension is unloaded, the sway bar moves up, which causes the distance to be substantially shorter than the actual end link length. In order to install the links using the same length as the OEM ones, I had to jack up the suspension.

Other than that, install was pretty easy. I still have no real idea how I'm supposed to get a torque wrench to work with the bottom nut, so I just tightened the hell out of it using a standard wrench. Definitely easier to install than the OEM since all you need to do is apply a 14mm wrench to part of the shaft to keep it from spinning.

[DFW_Muscle]

Originally Posted by h018871

Installing on an OEM sway with bonded bushings is not as easy. To get the adjustable links 'exact' you will have to finagle a bit. Remove stock links and note that the sway will move up or down. The preload on the bushings is usually set to be neutral near stock ride height. You'll have to use 2 jacks, one on each knuckle to duplicate the neutral point on each side. Verify with the stock links, they'll slide into the bar and mounts easily when you're in the correct spot. Do both sides at the same time. Once that is done, set both adjustable links so that they are neutral & tighten.

Good luck

Forgive me for not fully understanding. After removing the OEM link, shouldn't the aftermarket link be set to the same length as OEM? Then, adjust the position of the knuckles accordingly in order to ensure the new endlinks slip right in? Or are you implying the new links should not be the same length at OEM...?

[h018871]

DFW, apologies for the confusion. You are correct, with an OEM bar you want the adjustable links EXACTLY the same length as the OEM links. The only way to do that is to raise the knuckles to where the OEM links are both 'neutral' on the bar. Then set the adjustable links so they are neutral and lock everything down.

Another way to say it:
jack up car
remove wheels
remove OEM links
raise LH knuckle until the OEM link is neutral (studs slide in easy)
raise RH knuckle until the OEM link is neutral
remove OEM links
adjust new links on each side so they are neutral
tighten studs and lock nuts on new links
put wheels on, lower car
done

Ignore this if it doesn't pertain to you:
the exception is when you are lowered with an OEM bar. Then the links need to be shortened the same amount as you lowered the car. This is a lot harder to get right

[DFW_Muscle]

Originally Posted by h018871

DFW, apologies for the confusion. You are correct, with an OEM bar you want the adjustable links EXACTLY the same length as the OEM links. The only way to do that is to raise the knuckles to where the OEM links are both 'neutral' on the bar. Then set the adjustable links so they are neutral and lock everything down.

Another way to say it:
jack up car
remove wheels
remove OEM links
raise LH knuckle until the OEM link is neutral (studs slide in easy)
raise RH knuckle until the OEM link is neutral
remove OEM links
adjust new links on each side so they are neutral
tighten studs and lock nuts on new links
put wheels on, lower car
done

Ignore this if it doesn't pertain to you:
the exception is when you are lowered with an OEM bar. Then the links need to be shortened the same amount as you lowered the car. This is a lot harder to get right

OK, very good...I appreciate the reply. That's how I installed them but wanted to verify. Cheers.

[h018871]