Since when have our rear sway bar end links plastic?

[te72]

Was poking around under my car a couple weeks back and noticed this. The end links of our rear sway bars are made of plastic. Hard plastic, but still plastic... just seems odd to me. Granted, I don't think the rear sway bar is put under nearly as much stress as the front, but... anyone else find this strange?

 

[Supracentral]

They have always been plastic on 89+ cars.

 

[hvyman]

I think there is metal and plastic. Like all metal front and rear and all palstic and mis matched. Unless it was just front and rear difference and im trippin?

 

[Supracentral]

The pre-89 cars have metal ones in the rear. In 89+ they switched to plastic to keep the tabs from breaking off on the suspension.

 

[hvyman]

That makes sense.

 

[OfnaRcR4]

This is why you should get the endlinks from driftmotion

 

[ValgeKotkas]

Too pricey, easyer to build them yourself.

 

[mkiiichip]

Anyone had the plastic ones fail?

 

[roadboy]

mines are still on there...still up to spec

 

[Supracentral]

Anyone had the plastic ones fail?

I've probably owned a combined 3/4 of a million miles worth of 89+ MKIII's over the years. (Current MKII = 250,000+) - I've never broken one. EVER.

(I have broken them on the MKIV's though... The 95 hardtop with the Tein suspension seems to be really hard on them.)

 

[IJ.]

pre89>post89>garbage rattly noisy heim links....

 

[jstricker]

pre89>post89>garbage rattly noisy heim links....

Key word there is "garbage". Get good teflon Heim links and you don't have rattling or garbage (but you do have a lighter wallet).

John Stricker
Russell, KS

 

[te72]

Anyone had the plastic ones fail?

Can't say I ever have, but I don't track my car either. I've probably spent more time off roading in mine than on a track...

 

[Poodles]

Yep, instead of Toyota beafing up the arms and the tabs, they used plastic endlinks that would hopefully break before the tabs. One of the only questionable things Toyota did on these cars...

 

[te72]

So, good thing to replace when I stick the Tanabe's on there then?

 

[becauseican]

If you are running any aftermarket sway bars it is a good idea to upgrade the end links.....but that will increase the load on the lower mounting tabs causing them to break. Good thing BIC Performance has weld on reinforcement tabs to compliment our HD Teflon lined adjustable end links. They are on sale now, PM me for details.

 

[te72]

Haha, Randy's quick on the draw... Thanks for the info guys.

 

[spiller]

also, the plastic links are a major PITA to remove once the allen key fastener seizes. i had to grind one off when i swapped over to whiteline bars. i have some BIC links with tabs here ready to go in. Begs my next question for randy, what torque setting to you recommend for the teflon links Randy? I'd hate to pop the joint on instal...

 

[Poodles]

The metal ones suffer the same issue if you have underbody rust...

 

[SupraClaou]

Never had an issue with the plastic ones...though the front and-links have to deal with more load and stress than the rear ones.
I got Tanabe sways with aftermarket end links now and the low mounting tab looks good. Only rusted tabs could fail...
And YES, the plastic's fastener allen bolt is a PITA to remove! Did it..know it.