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Old 12-09-2006, 07:54 PM
  #161  
daveh
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I honestly don't know the price yet since I'm waiting to settle the bill when he finishes some other work for me. Give him a call.
Old 12-10-2006, 06:58 AM
  #162  
jmckuhen
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Originally Posted by daveh
I honestly don't know the price yet since I'm waiting to settle the bill when he finishes some other work for me. Give him a call.
I'll do that on Monday, thanks
Old 12-11-2006, 03:09 PM
  #163  
SpoilsofWar
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If anyone has a stock front or rear link they can provide me, I am willing to pay for it plus shipping. I need one for R&D purposes. Gonna get them to a company around here that specializes in custom parts and is interested in producing a solid (yes SOLID) end link for our cars.
Old 12-15-2006, 07:42 AM
  #164  
z-u-later
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Bump . . . anyone have an update on the status of the new end links?
Old 12-15-2006, 09:11 AM
  #165  
reptile718
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Originally Posted by SpoilsofWar
If anyone has a stock front or rear link they can provide me, I am willing to pay for it plus shipping. I need one for R&D purposes. Gonna get them to a company around here that specializes in custom parts and is interested in producing a solid (yes SOLID) end link for our cars.
I threw my old ones away when I installed the replacements It might still be in my friends garbage container in his garage. I will take a look sometime this weekend and let you know. One of them is still functional but if you just need measurements and such they will work out great for you. I just want to get this project moving. I could really use some solid links
Old 12-15-2006, 09:15 AM
  #166  
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The company interested in doing the solid endlinks is Ultimate Performance. I know the guy who runs it personally, and hes the guy I'm trying to get some stock links to for measurements.

So if anyone has any sitting around, I would greatly appreciate it if you can help me with this! Lets get some SOLID end links made for our cars!
Old 12-15-2006, 09:19 AM
  #167  
reptile718
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Originally Posted by SpoilsofWar
The company interested in doing the solid endlinks is Ultimate Performance. I know the guy who runs it personally, and hes the guy I'm trying to get some stock links to for measurements.

So if anyone has any sitting around, I would greatly appreciate it if you can help me with this! Lets get some SOLID end links made for our cars!
I am on it!

Luis - Head first in trash can

I would not charge you anything either but maybe a discount on a set or two
Old 12-15-2006, 09:22 AM
  #168  
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Originally Posted by z-u-later
Bump . . . anyone have an update on the status of the new end links?
As I mentioned above, TCDesign's end links are ready and on my car. I'm going to bring my car by his shop next Friday to have him take a look at them on the Z since he purely went from the dimensions of the stock end links. He may be shortening the spacer washers on the fronts because the end link sits somewhat close to the shock. Other than that, they are very sturdy with high quality bearings that are silent! They will surely stand up to the track abuse that I will subject them to. Give them a call.
Old 12-15-2006, 09:46 AM
  #169  
z-u-later
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Give us a review on these new end links after your track run. Otherwise, are you hearing any clunking noice?
Old 12-22-2006, 04:23 PM
  #170  
daveh
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Here are some pics. Notice the high quality teflon bearing. The whole thing is very sturdy.
He also made me a folding tow hook.
Attached Thumbnails End Links?-img_5401.jpg   End Links?-img_5402.jpg   End Links?-img_5403.jpg  
Old 12-30-2006, 07:04 AM
  #171  
MoodDude
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Guys - more good info for you.
I went to VIR a few weeks ago and the weather was great for testing and tuning. I wanted to see what difference in the car with changing the overall length of the end-link. So I spent all day Saturday learning the track and not changing a thing on the car. Then on Sunday I ran one half of the day with the front end-links at the stock length (~3.5") then the other half of the day at a longer length (4.5"). I also connected to the same point on my sway bars so that would not influence the results. There was a noticable difference in the amount of understear the car, on the longer length the car felt more neutral, yet when I went to the stock length - the car did not want to turn in at the same speed.
This is good information as it looks you can fine tune your sway bar settings with an adjustable end-link!
Old 01-01-2007, 10:07 PM
  #172  
Cloud
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Originally Posted by reptile718
I replaced my front end links on the 03 last week with the updated 04 and up ones. Clunk immediately went away and I noticed a stiffer front suspension. Comparing the old to new the old ones where extremely loose around the ball joint, I could move the bolts in any direction without effort, the new ones where stiff and a lot harder to move with no play in the ball joint area. Also the rubber seal was worn on each end and I could see a lot of rust forming. I believe this item should be listed under the maintenance section of the owners manual Still I have to give some credit to the OEM links, my Z has over 70k, daily driven through bad NC roads, running a lowered stiffer suspension with wider 19" rims, no front strut bar and on top of all that a short time ago when I first got the rims I accidentally landed in a huge pothole cracking one rim in the front right down the middle. The noise only started recently after a trip to the Tail of the Dragon in the mountains for a little fun, it started as a faint pop then around every turn quickly became louder and louder. As stated before if your Z has a similar noise front or rear I would find the end links and wiggle them back and forth to see if they are loose or check the bolts to make sure they are tight. Another problem I encountered was the exhaust pipe hitting a crossmember. This can also cause a clanking noise around turns or bumps. Very noticeable if your under the Z. I have a creak noise on my rear suspension which has not gone away even after replacing springs, shocks and sways. All bolts are tight and I do not believe it is end link related or axle click b/c I had the click then made Nissan perform the repair according to the TSB on it. Is this what you are hearing? If so I have heard of some people curing the sound by tightening their spare tire ****. I did this with no luck but I believe it might be the upper gaskets on the rear shocks, when replacing the old shocks I noticed that the gaskets where paper thin, it was late and I installed the shocks without them. Maybe the metal to metal contact might be making the noise. I will order the parts soon and keep you guys updated. Good luck with your clunk, creak, click or rattle
What is these gaskets you're talking about? do you have a pic of it?
Old 01-01-2007, 10:16 PM
  #173  
Endless Shock
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Originally Posted by Cloud
What is these gaskets you're talking about? do you have a pic of it?
Those ""gaskets" he is talking about are paper like material between the rear upper mount and the mounting location itself... I dont use mine... Now, metal to metal contact is determined by the mount itself... Stock = hard rubber mounts... Coilover = pillowball or hard rubber mounts... I think I have them laying around somewhere in the garage... Ill take a pic for you...
Old 01-01-2007, 10:21 PM
  #174  
Cloud
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I have the HKS hipermax RS installed so that means I don't need to use the paper like material from the OEM shocks right?
Old 01-01-2007, 10:37 PM
  #175  
Endless Shock
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From my experience it doesnt make a difference, Its all up to you... Just make sure the nuts are on tightly... I have actually drilled the stock bolts out and replaced them with some "beefier bolts and nuts"...
Old 01-02-2007, 12:43 PM
  #176  
z-u-later
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Originally Posted by MoodDude
Guys - more good info for you.
I went to VIR a few weeks ago and the weather was great for testing and tuning. I wanted to see what difference in the car with changing the overall length of the end-link. So I spent all day Saturday learning the track and not changing a thing on the car. Then on Sunday I ran one half of the day with the front end-links at the stock length (~3.5") then the other half of the day at a longer length (4.5"). I also connected to the same point on my sway bars so that would not influence the results. There was a noticable difference in the amount of understear the car, on the longer length the car felt more neutral, yet when I went to the stock length - the car did not want to turn in at the same speed.
This is good information as it looks you can fine tune your sway bar settings with an adjustable end-link!
So, from your experiment, you concluded that the longer the end link is (longer setting than stock length), the better it handles? This is good information to know on adjustable end links.
Old 01-02-2007, 05:21 PM
  #177  
MoodDude
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Originally Posted by z-u-later
So, from your experiment, you concluded that the longer the end link is (longer setting than stock length), the better it handles? This is good information to know on adjustable end links.
This is not to say that the longer it is the better it will handle. What I am saying is that you can tune your wieght transfer simply by lengthing or shortening the end-links. So, you can find a sweet spot by lengthing and shortening the end-links - try it.
Old 01-03-2007, 05:59 AM
  #178  
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keep in mind, as MoodDood said, it's going to vary from car to car, based on your alignment settings (both camber and toe), tire pressure, tire size/, wheel offset, exact swaybar type (brand), spring rates, damper rates, cross weights, etc. Even your driving style has a huge effect in the changes your car needs, and how each change affects overall performance.

In other words, these adjustments are going to be different for everyone, and while the more track oriented guys can certainly benefit from having an adjustable endlink, it is by no means a magic recipe for better handling in and of itself - but it does give the user another thing to adjustt, and allows for more fine tuning, should you or your car need it/want it.
Old 01-05-2007, 11:33 AM
  #179  
Cloud
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Do you guys think I should get the powergrid end links? I'm really fed up of the knocking/popping sounds from the rear.
Old 01-05-2007, 12:45 PM
  #180  
MoodDude
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My belief is that if you are having a stock end link fail - something else is going on. I would investigate the problem before I invest in anything! I would guess that your sway bar is either not rotating freely or it is moving laterally.


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