End link and height question

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End link and height question

Postby dindin » Fri Jun 30, 2017 12:37 pm

Just got my front end together and the end links look crooked,especially on the passenger side. don't know if this is normal?

Also ride height seems kinda high, maybe this will settle once I get it on the road again?/ just looking for some opinions.

left endlink.jpg


link.jpg


height 1.jpg


height 2.jpg






Thanks Al
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Re: End link and height question

Postby cjbiagi » Fri Jun 30, 2017 2:34 pm

I think the ride height may be contributing to the angles. It also looks like the brackets on the lower control arm for the end links are not parallel to the hole on the sway bar? Are they bent? Maybe it's just a illusion. If you have not done a alignment yet be aware that the control arm is going to move in or out and this will also affect the angle of the links.
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Re: End link and height question

Postby dindin » Fri Jun 30, 2017 3:05 pm

Yep its an illusion The holes look parallel to each other from what I can see, I will measure them up to be sure ..the holes are way off though.

I was wondering if the control arms moved when doing an alignment, I thought it just moved the ball joints, do the end links need to be loose when aligning the front end??

Al
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Re: End link and height question

Postby cjbiagi » Fri Jun 30, 2017 5:55 pm

The lower control arm will move in and out and front to rear when doing a alignment. Since the brackets for the sway bar are welded to the lower control arm they are going to move as well. The links will pivot but I suppose it wouldn't hurt to have them loose.
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Re: End link and height question

Postby cosvega76 » Sat Jul 01, 2017 6:43 am

Al,

Is that the ride height you will be running, or is the car still on stands? That ride height is probably a couple of inches above the factory height. Normally, the lower control arms would be nearly parallel to the ground, so that would affect the angle of the sway bar link.


Chuck
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Re: End link and height question

Postby dindin » Sat Jul 01, 2017 11:34 am

Looked at it again and its not an illusion!! :lol: The ears on the control arm mounting are are not really parallel to the sway bar flat spot, But they are not bent are anything..

Its at ride height without any jack stands at all...Maybe the weight of the bumper, hood and rest of nose with bring it down a little bit??
The springs are original ones but the weird thing is that when I jack it from under the control are the springs do not compress at all..

Gonna play with the alignment some and see if it changes things, maybe thats why the control arm is not parallel to the ground either..Next step is to buy an alignment tool.. :D

Thanks guys,

Al
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Re: End link and height question

Postby cjbiagi » Sun Jul 02, 2017 10:57 am

Are you sure the springs are indexed and seated properly in the control arm?
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Re: End link and height question

Postby Monza Harry » Mon Jul 03, 2017 12:39 am

Al I think that getting your car to ride height will help determine if there is anything wrong or not. To check with the parts you have off just find some ballast and safely balance it up front until she is sitting right, water bottles will let you fine tune the last little bit. Could those sway bar brackets have been added (incorrectly), perhaps causing this [or part of this] possible situation? Harry P.S. that front bumper is around #100 complete, hood another +/- #30 so yes that will make a big difference in ride height, most of that is in front of the bumper so having a larger effect.
Last edited by Monza Harry on Mon Jul 03, 2017 6:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: End link and height question

Postby cjbiagi » Mon Jul 03, 2017 9:14 am

As I look back on your pics I see the control arm angles are way off the way the car is sitting. The lower control arm should be parallel to the ground. The upper arm should be slightly angled, no where near what it is now. As the ride height comes down these angles will correct themselves. You need to get all the weight on the car and see where it sits. How did the car sit before you started this project? Any old pics of it?
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Re: End link and height question

Postby dindin » Mon Jul 03, 2017 10:12 am

Took a look over the weekend, ..

Chuck got it pretty darn close, when I measured the center of the wheel opening to the floor its about 2" higher than in the rear.

I installed spring according to assembly guide, the spring would not even sit properly when I tried it other ways..I also measured the front left and right side off the floor and its pretty even,.

Hopefully when I install everything and move it around it will be level..

I did not take any pictures before, but the wheel gap was a little high in the front compared to the rear..Maybe the rear is sagging some also.

Harry, I don't think I installed the sway bar or brackets wrong per say, but I need to remove them until I get the ride hight correct weight thing sorted out>>So I did do it wrong I guess :x :lol:

Anyway here an better angle showing what it looks like, nowhere near parallel, also the alignment looks way off.

front angle.jpg


Thanks Al
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Re: End link and height question

Postby dindin » Mon Jul 03, 2017 11:13 am

Just thinking,

I also have the interior removed, , not to mention factory catalytic converter I removed..I wonder how that will affect height.

Al
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Re: End link and height question

Postby cjbiagi » Mon Jul 03, 2017 12:10 pm

Did you change the control arm bushings? If you did and you used rubber ones it's important not to tighten any of the control arm bolts until the car is at ride height. If they get tightened with the ride height off it will put the rubber in the bushing into a bind or twist and can affect the ride height, not to mention probably destroying the rubber prematurely.
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Re: End link and height question

Postby dindin » Mon Jul 03, 2017 12:30 pm

Yes I did change bushings on the control arm and I left bushing bolts loose,

I though just the engine and tranny weight was all that was needed to get front sway bar stuff tightened up..Live and learn I guess.. :oops:

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Re: End link and height question

Postby cjbiagi » Mon Jul 03, 2017 2:07 pm

I would leave everything loose until you have everything together to allow everything to "settle" before tightening everything up. The lower control arm bolts will need to be loosened again when you do a alignment.
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Re: End link and height question

Postby 74_Vega_GT » Tue Jul 04, 2017 7:54 am

cjbiagi wrote:Did you change the control arm bushings? If you did and you used rubber ones it's important not to tighten any of the control arm bolts until the car is at ride height. If they get tightened with the ride height off it will put the rubber in the bushing into a bind or twist and can affect the ride height, not to mention probably destroying the rubber prematurely.

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