PROGRESS rear sway - Honda Prelude Forum

T-Bohn · 09-02-2003, 11:04 PM

Well I found out what the knocking was finally in the rear of my car. The right side upper endlink is loose and knocks, this has been the source of noise that i have had since the first week with the bar. I thought that it was the left upper control arm and jsut planned on getting it replaced when I did the shocks and springs but today with people to shake the car and look and listen we found it. Anyone else with a bad end link ?? I wil call Progress tom and see what they have to say.

Jacques · 09-02-2003, 11:54 PM

Haven't had any issues with mine. Retorqued and anti-seized the endlinks after the first week I had it on, and it's doing fine so far.

fatrat29 · 09-03-2003, 04:43 PM

Mine was fine until I moved it to the middle setting from the front one. Now I've got this hugely annoying knocking, primarily from the passenger side, but progressing to the drivers as well. I went to check and adjust everything and I can't find my wheel lock key. Called up mcguard and ordered a new one, so as soon as I get that I'll try and get under there again. Checking clearance and endlinks. Anything else I should check? Whats the torque on the endlinks? Thanks

Artifex · 09-03-2003, 09:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by T-Bohn
Well I found out what the knocking was finally in the rear of my car. The right side upper endlink is loose and knocks, this has been the source of noise that i have had since the first week with the bar. I thought that it was the left upper control arm and jsut planned on getting it replaced when I did the shocks and springs but today with people to shake the car and look and listen we found it. Anyone else with a bad end link ?? I wil call Progress tom and see what they have to say.

Loose how? If the car is at rest, can you feel play in the endlink?

I have the same knocking sound, and I am wondering if it is coming from the endlink. I always assumed it was the shock knock or cross brace flex....

Now I am going to check.

vtecspd · 09-03-2003, 09:33 PM

I had similar knocking sounds to but resolved it by re-setting the endlinks. Since I switch shock/spring combo between ax events and regular street driving I disconnect the bar to make the job easier. One time I did not load up the rear suspension and just hooked up the endlinks with the suspension at full drop. then the rear sway knocked like a son of a gun. I went back and loosen it up and loaded up the suspension then attached the endlinks, the correct way and so far; quite as a mouse.

Jacques · 09-03-2003, 09:37 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by fatrat29
Whats the torque on the endlinks?

I don't recall when I put anti-seize and retightened them. If I find the instructions (I don't know if it gave torque specs on it), I'll post it for you.

T-Bohn · 09-03-2003, 10:45 PM

the noise is coming from the spherical bearing in the end link the little swivel bearing knocks in the link it's self. The noise has been since the very beginning. the long bolt that goes through is tight as are everything else it is the little swivel it's self that knocks. Christ I have checked everything so many times I jsut thought that a upper bushing went out and I would catch it on a shock swap soon.

Hey jsut check my email and got this
Gene-

The looseness in the endlink is the result of wear in the teflon lining. This type of wear will occur much faster in a street driven car as opposed to a race-car, due to much more mileage over rough surfaces. As soon as some wear occurs, noise occurs. That is the reason we recommend the spherical bearing end-link kit as a competition only part. This does not necessarily mean the part has failed. If the play is less than about .015-.020 inches, you have some usable life left. Unfortunately, there is no warranty on the end-link kit, because it is a competition only part. The good news is that we sell replacement spherical bearing rod ends for only $12.00 each. You may call us at 1-800-905-6687 and order them - they are almost always on the shelf.

Thank you for choosing Progress

Well I will be on the phone in the morning. I asked it they could create a core exchange program because I will never take this off my car I am so in love with this bar and the changes it made to my car. Maybe if a few of us bug him on this we could get some sort of exchange going on these I expect ot wear out a few more of these in the future

Joon525 · 09-04-2003, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by vtecspd
I went back and loosen it up and loaded up the suspension then attached the endlinks, the correct way and so far; quite as a mouse.

How did you load up the suspension? I can't remember how much room we have under the 5th Gen (or 4th Gen for that matter) but I can't imagine anyone dropping the car back down and shuffling themselves under it to tighten up the endlinks due to a severe lack of space.

I'm wondering if maybe you just jacked up the lower control arm and then tightened the endlink? (repeat for other side)

vtecspd · 09-04-2003, 03:34 PM

Yes, I place the rear of the car on jack stands, loosen everything up then place two jacks under each lower control arm. My life is important to me so I just barely lift the car off the stands, like a 1/8 inch. Just in case something goes wrong the stands are there to protect me. Then re-attach the endlinks. If you jack up only one side at a time the bar will be torqued. Anotherwords, loaded on one side and loose on the other.

IMO, you need both side under the same loaded state to properly attached the endlinks.

Keith · 09-06-2003, 01:02 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Jacques

I don't recall when I put anti-seize and retightened them. If I find the instructions (I don't know if it gave torque specs on it), I'll post it for you.

James, we didn't use a torque wrench...

Don't forget that you have to adjust and tighten the endlinks...

Jacques · 09-06-2003, 03:55 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Keith

James, we didn't use a torque wrench...

Don't forget that you have to adjust and tighten the endlinks...

Didn't we talk about how much it needed to be torqued to, but we didn't know what it should be? I haven't noticed anything unusual since we retightened it, but I may check it during the install day just in case.

Artifex · 11-01-2003, 06:17 PM

Back from the dead.

Just wanted to share with everyone that I finally figured out where my knocks were coming from. The answer really surprised me.

It wasn't the rod ends, or incorrect endlink length, or loose bracket bolts, which were my three most likely possibilities. Instead, it was the upper endlink bolt on the passenger side. Apparently this bolt is not a proper fit for the endlink bolt hole in the vertical arm (WTF?). There is possible play between the bolt and the hole, which is slightly larger. In my case, the nuts were not torqued down all the way (but not overtly loose).

WTF??? I am glad I caught this, because everything looked fine really. It was not very obvious that the upper nuts weren't tight; everything looked just fine even after banging on it with a rubber hammer for a minute. Why would Progress ship bolts that are too small for the upper endlink?

I took a look at the stock upper endlink bolts when I was done. If you look, there is a little collar toward the top of the spherical end. I suspect this collar co-locates the bolt in the vertical arm hole. I have stared at the Progress docs, and no such thing appears to exist.

I am just incredibly glad I found this, because it was turning my car driving into a nightmare. So nice and quiet now.

Am I really the only person to run into this problem?

fatrat29 · 11-03-2003, 01:08 PM

My sway bar has been continually knocking. First it was on the passenger side, then I adjusted stuff and it moved to the drivers side. Adjusted the endlink lengths, the bracket positions. It still knocks , only less. I'm pretty sure I tightened everything as much as I could, but I did notice some wiggle in the sperical part of the endlink last time I looked at it. I think it's that nylon thing mentioned above.

The only time it didn't knock was when it was set on the softest setting. I think as soon as the snow melts I'm gonna put it back on the furthest forward hole, at least for the winter. Maybe that will fix it.

Dispite all these issues, I still think this bar rocks. So sweet!

Joon525 · 11-03-2003, 01:53 PM

Does anyone have a Progress that is silent? I might be ordering this item this week and just want to check before I buy.

Artifex · 11-03-2003, 02:12 PM

Mine doesn't knock anymore, although now I am wondering if it isn't a better idea to build your own endlinks. Building your own isn't that hard at all, and I can get parts that are much better quality than the ones that Progress ships.

I might be able to scan the endlink construction page that comes with the Progress endlinks. Once I have that, I can specify individual hardware pieces that are superior to the Progress stuff so others can build their own. This is all stuff you can buy at RacerPartsWholesale and McMaster-Carr. Any interest?

dchung1 · 11-03-2003, 02:19 PM

yes