I was in to the dealer for a tire rotation today and my service guy asked me if I've been airborne recently. Umm, no air, no Auto X, no significant pot holes, just normal spirited driving like we are all inclined to do from time to time. It would appear that the added stiffness gained by the Whiteline adjustable sway bars was to much for the OEM links. (Pics attached) The front ends are fine. Thanks to DPE for having Whiteline endlinks in stock!!

 

Yep you need some thing more substantial.

 

The stock endlinks are fine for the WLs. The problem is likely you have your bar mounted upside down or incorrectly. It is impossible for the bar to be in the position you show behind the rear suspension w/correct mounting. Sorry it's a hard lesson but its happened to several people.

 

Well I guess it's my bad for letting a shop that specializes in performance wheels, tires, and suspension install my bars. But even if I wasn't confident in the shop that installed them, I am confident in the dealership mechanics that pointed out the issue, and not one of the guys said "hey, that's on upside down".

Anyway, new links arriving next week.

 

What can I tell you? Here is how they should look.... on the ground and mounted in the car .....check it against your install...

 

Yea, that rear bar looks like it's upside down, I broke two endlinks like that, then switched them around and they never broke afterwards

 

Well I'll be damned! Mine aren't in the right way. . . I guess I was not ready to believe an "experienced mechanic", much less Mazda "certified Rotary Mechanics" can't figure out which end is up. . .

It appears they got the front one in correctly. I think I'll install the rear one myself this time. Thanks Spin for the photos. That's why I check in to the boards with issues. There's always someone with the right answer.
Cheers,
Dave

 

Your welcome!

 

it's good that the front ones are in properly. rear is much easier to work on.

 

Can't always trust the suspension specialists.

If they specialize in your car, they may not be familiar with the aftermarket part. If they specialize in the aftermarket part, they may not be familiar with your car. There are just too many combinations of cars and parts to expect a mechanic to recognize the right way to put it on. He probably eyeballed it.

Same thing happens regularly with both Whiteline and Hotchkis/Cobb rear bars on STi's. When put on upside down, you are almost guarunteed to "flip" it the first time you jack your car up to one side.

 

There's no credit to be given for the front one. It's a no-brainer. There is no upside down...it's a straight bar with straight arms lol.