kuah, who is "us?" SPL? sorry, nothing in your sig.

In reading the SPL endlink install instructions I also found this:
I know the stockers aren't adjustable, but is this the general procedure to prevent preload on the stockers too?

Also, for you fellow Hotchkis guys, contacted them about this and here was their response:
So four possible solutions:
1. Grease fittings with non-lithium based grease
2. Retorque bushing retainer nuts to spec and use threadlocker
3. Install without preloading endlinks
4. Get collars if you don't have'em already

Also, did everyone with the stock endlinks bend the alignment tab? My installer just inserted them into the next open hole and I'm wondering now if this is where my noise is coming from.

 

Got it. Thanks Kuah. I did not mean to imply your endlinks are the problem, only that the noise is coming from them. I wish there was a shop nearby that I could have this done. With the wheels on the ground, I do not access to the bolts and nuts. Also, the bolts are not protruding past the locknuts. Should they be? Anybody know where I can get the wheel plates that bolt on in place of wheels? This should make this and other suspension jobs easier. Thanks again Kuah.

 

i could not find the alignment tab.
Where is it located?

 

i get clunking with cuscos on, but its not the cuscos that are causing the sound, it's my Stance coilovers!!!! Clunk ftmfw!!!!

 

See step 8. Image in bottom left corner. report back if it works for u:
http://www.hotchkis.net/installation_guides/22413.pdf

 

Got mine installed and it doesn't creak. Also we didn't have to bend tabs in the front, it fits in other holes if you rotate it. Grease up the inside, outside and the sidewalls real good. Even grease up the bar and you shouldn't creak, at least not from the bushings.

 

No problem, I just wish I was local to you so I can get it setup properly for you. You can take a picture of the endlinks with the car on jackstands/wheels off. The only part necessary to do with the wheels loaded is to set the preload of the endlinks, which is not really related to the proper installation/articulation of the endlinks.

If the bolts are not protruding past the nylock, then you should use blue loctite on the bolts. Is that what is coming loose? If you do not have loctite, give us a call/email and we'll ship you a bottle. We also have some new non nylock locking nuts that we can send to you as well.

 

Yup sorry about the confusion, I represent SPL.

There is no way to adjust/prevent preload on the stock endlinks because you cannot adjust the length of the stock endlinks. So it does not matter whether you tighten up the stock endlinks in the air or with the wheels loaded. Its just a matter of luck if your suspension heights are just right to have no preload (rare) or end up with some amount of preload on the sway bar.

As for our endlinks, you want to adjust the length with the wheels loaded. Using ramps is probably easiest, and will gain you enough access to the endlinks under the car to get it tightened.

 

Thanks Kuah. I'm looking at them in the next few days and will send a picture just for clarification.

 

for some reason I dont see it
:-(

 

had some time to check the car out today. Took it to Tim at speed force racing and him and his guys check them out. They said they were installed correctly, but he could hear them clunking also.

I asked them to remove them and install the stockers again.

I didnt have my camera to take pictures, but I am done with these.

 

Sorry to hear that... if you want to send the endlinks back to us we will inspect them for play and see if this was a defective set. If they are defective we'll replace it with a new set or give you a refund.

 

snip

 

ok so my buddy help me with alignment tabs.
But i still had clunking.
Turns out clunking was coming not from sways.....
I think i have a problem with one of the control arms.

Time to go to dealership
:-(

 

I got a chance to get the car up and took a close look at the sway bar, end links, collars and brackets. Everything was good, until I pushed the swaybar from side to side. It moved about 1/4 to 1/5" laterally.

I loosened the collars, positioned the bar leaving the same distance from the endlink bolt to the shock on both sides. I then tightened the drivers collar followed by the passenger collar, making sure I kept pressure on the bar towards the drivers side.

The clunk is gone. I only touched the collars. I'll see after a couple weeks how this holds up.

 

Good to hear that you may have finally located the problem, keep us updated!

 

I'm having clunking on my SPL endlinks too. After probably 3 mths, both the front and rear started creaking.

 

I have an 2004.5

I had this before my swaybar install but it became more obvious after the Hotchkis.

I just installed new OEM end links and re-greased the bushings with mobile 1 grease, now that I see it here, I should have used some loctite while I was at it.

The old end links were still clean and greased inside the boot but had a tiny amount of play.

The new end links are OEM but compared with the ones I pulled off, they have increased the size of the ball ends and made the center bar thicker. Clearly Nissan knows these old ones are a problem if they are redesigning them.

I am now NOISE FREE!

Chris

 

Good to know! What is the part number for the new piece...just to make sure when anyone following your footsteps does not get the left-over old design.

 

I have some popping when going over the curb into my drive way with my Tanabe's but have never had any problems and they are good and tight so it doesn't bother me.