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      03-01-2019, 01:39 PM   #1
Anthony1s
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Dinan Front Swaybar Hitting Control Arm

From what my mechanic was telling me, this will only happen when the car is on a lift. We lifted the car up and down and it hits there, but there is no binding. Does anyone else's Dinan bar hit the control arm??

I had him install the coilovers at the same time, but height is adjusted already and it's been corner balanced. Only thing left to do is alignment, but I don't think that will affect the swaybar hitting.

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      03-01-2019, 01:46 PM   #2
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Maybe try adjusting (shorten) the length of your SB links ?
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      03-01-2019, 01:51 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by M2MGM View Post
Maybe try adjusting (shorten) the length of your SB links ?
From the picture, looks like that's about as short as they go. Looks like 2 threads left on them.
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      03-01-2019, 02:33 PM   #4
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Are Dinan not warranty friendly in the US? So you can request resolution of the problem from Dinan.

But, from the picture, you need to go softer: So either of the two mounting holes closer to the control arm.

Who makes those swaybar links btw?

Last edited by M Fifty; 03-01-2019 at 02:35 PM.. Reason: Links. They too long the bar will hit.
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      03-01-2019, 02:39 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by M Fifty View Post
Are Dinan not warranty friendly in the US? So you can request resolution of the problem from Dinan.

But, from the picture, you need to go softer: So either of the two mounting holes closer to the control arm.

Who makes those swaybar links btw?
I emailed Dinan two weeks ago about a different issue and never heard back from them. I don't have much hope to hear from them if I email about this, unless I set aside time to call them, which I can try to do Monday.

The stiffness is set to what is recommended in the installation instructions.

The links and bars came from Dinan, as part of their sway bar kit. And I ordered directly from Dinan.

Edit: just realized they are open now. I'll give them a call. Maybe Dinan sent me the wrong links.
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      03-01-2019, 06:30 PM   #6
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Maybe the bracket height for the link on the KWs is different (lower) from stock ? In any event, if it were mine, I wouldn’t worry about it, if it only interferes under full droop...but that’s just me.
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      03-02-2019, 01:56 PM   #7
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I would be a bit concerned too although if all is good during suspension compression maybe this is normal. Only way to know if contact Dinan. I have tried emailing them before and they suck at responding. Best bet is to call.
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      03-02-2019, 02:58 PM   #8
M Fifty
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If the item is made for the car, why are there a couple extra mounting points beyond recommended?

It's as if it were designed for an entirely different car...

Last edited by M Fifty; 03-03-2019 at 04:22 AM.. Reason: Autocorrect
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      03-02-2019, 03:07 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by M Fifty View Post
If they item is made for the car, why are there a couple extra mounting points beyond recommended?

It's as if it were designed for an entirely different car...
those are how you adjust sway bars. pretty much every sway bar for every car has them to adjust stiffness
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      03-03-2019, 04:21 AM   #10
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I know. But, in this case, there's too much...
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      03-03-2019, 07:19 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Anthony1s View Post
From what my mechanic was telling me, this will only happen when the car is on a lift. We lifted the car up and down and it hits there, but there is no binding. Does anyone else's Dinan bar hit the control arm??

I had him install the coilovers at the same time, but height is adjusted already and it's been corner balanced. Only thing left to do is alignment, but I don't think that will affect the swaybar hitting.

[img]
View post on imgur.com
[/img]
Same issue here with Dinan front bar and KW's, with stock struts it clears but close. The KW front strut bodies are a bit shorter I believe hence the clearance issue. Despite shortening the Dinan Endlinks it will still hit, you'd have to source a shorter Endlink by about 1-2"...I had an extra set of GC Endlinks and they were a bit shorter but still too long. As an alternative I thought about just cutting and modifying the Dinan endlink and re-threading one end, Endlinks are kind of pricey!

One other thought would be that the Dinan sway bar brackets where the bolts go through are slightly elongated, allowing the installer to adjust the bar a bit more frontward or back to the rear of the car , you could make sure they pushed it fully forward toward the front bumper ....but still full forward it will just barely hit.

Once the car is on the ground it didn't seem to interfere as it pulls the bar up, at full droop (which your car won't see during normal operation as you know) it only then becomes a problem. I still need to correct it none-the-less.

Good luck to you sir.
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      03-03-2019, 11:15 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jetbill View Post
Same issue here with Dinan front bar and KW's, with stock struts it clears but close. The KW front strut bodies are a bit shorter I believe hence the clearance issue. Despite shortening the Dinan Endlinks it will still hit, you'd have to source a shorter Endlink by about 1-2"...I had an extra set of GC Endlinks and they were a bit shorter but still too long. As an alternative I thought about just cutting and modifying the Dinan endlink and re-threading one end, Endlinks are kind of pricey!

One other thought would be that the Dinan sway bar brackets where the bolts go through are slightly elongated, allowing the installer to adjust the bar a bit more frontward or back to the rear of the car , you could make sure they pushed it fully forward toward the front bumper ....but still full forward it will just barely hit.

Once the car is on the ground it didn't seem to interfere as it pulls the bar up, at full droop (which your car won't see during normal operation as you know) it only then becomes a problem. I still need to correct it none-the-less.

Good luck to you sir.
Thank you for your input and for the tip about the slotted bushing brackets. I'll let my mechanic know tomorrow.

I'm thinking about making some custom ones now. Could be as simple/cheap as getting a metal tube at home depot, cutting it to length, threading it, and putting in the existing pieces from the Dinan links. Like this...



Image from here:
http://uucmotorwerks.com/html_techti..._bar_links.htm
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      03-03-2019, 01:01 PM   #13
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Another idea would be to make a bracket to increase the mounting point height on the shock body.
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      03-08-2019, 03:56 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Anthony1s View Post
Another idea would be to make a bracket to increase the mounting point height on the shock body.
Update on this!?
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      03-08-2019, 04:25 PM   #15
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Dinan sent me the correct links. The KW's are the issue, as M2MGM speculated. My mechanic and I compared the bracket height to the stock shocks and the KW's is lower.
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      08-24-2020, 08:39 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Anthony1s View Post
From what my mechanic was telling me, this will only happen when the car is on a lift. We lifted the car up and down and it hits there, but there is no binding. Does anyone else's Dinan bar hit the control arm??

I had him install the coilovers at the same time, but height is adjusted already and it's been corner balanced. Only thing left to do is alignment, but I don't think that will affect the swaybar hitting.

[img]
View post on imgur.com
[/img]
So it was interesting in reading this. Carbahn, a shop owned by Steve Dinan also modified the links(Shortened and rethreaded )since I have M Performance coilovers. Problem solved.

It was also a good thing I brought it there since the techs that were originally from Dinan were hired by Steve. They had a machine shop as well.
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      08-24-2020, 10:00 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Racer59 View Post
So it was interesting in reading this. Carbahn, a shop owned by Steve Dinan also modified the links(Shortened and rethreaded )since I have M Performance coilovers. Problem solved.
Good to know. Thanks. I'll have to check out Carbahn for replacements sometime.
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      08-25-2020, 09:11 AM   #18
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I know I'm late to this and glad you got it figured out. The mounting point on shock body is different for almost every aftermarket, I had to get much shorter ones for my MCS 2WNR setup. My SPL front end links are 10.4" to 11.5" compared to the 11.4" to 12.9" standard length.
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      08-25-2020, 10:33 AM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ebisu8 View Post
I know I'm late to this and glad you got it figured out. The mounting point on shock body is different for almost every aftermarket, I had to get much shorter ones for my MCS 2WNR setup. My SPL front end links are 10.4" to 11.5" compared to the 11.4" to 12.9" standard length.
Interesting. The dinan ones, at shortest settings, are 13 1/4" from end to end, and 12" from center of the bolts.

Actually, are you sure that's the SPL measurement? Their website says they are 11.4 - 12.9"
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      08-25-2020, 12:39 PM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Anthony1s View Post
Interesting. The dinan ones, at shortest settings, are 13 1/4" from end to end, and 12" from center of the bolts.

Actually, are you sure that's the SPL measurement? Their website says they are 11.4 - 12.9"
Yes I am sure, I worked with SPL to get a proper end link, tha'ts the best part about working with them. You tell them what you have, provide the measurments and you get the right length from the start.

Just as I mentioned in my post, almost all aftermarket coilovers have a different mounting positing for the top end of the end link. You also have a unique situation for yourself with both KW AND and aftermarket sway bar, in your case, Dinan.

Having experience with these kinds of things over the years, I have a pretty good understanding of what needs to be done in order to avoid some issues that may come up. Regardless, you've got your situation sorted out with Dinan. I didn't even use the Dinan endlink on my e92M, they assume that you use a stock shock with their lowering spring setup.
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      08-27-2020, 04:16 AM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ebisu8 View Post
Just as I mentioned in my post, almost all aftermarket coilovers have a different mounting positing for the top end of the end link. You also have a unique situation for yourself with both KW AND and aftermarket sway bar, in your case, Dinan.
When I measured my MCS mount points I'm pretty sure it was close to oem.

I'm also running the 2WNR and SPL's. You sure the links needed to be shortened? I would need to double check but remember mine about 5mm from each end on full short.

EDIT: You are correct.

Measuring from the carrier to the center of the link on the damper body is OEM 145mm and the MCS is 130mm. So there is a difference of 15mm. The stock end link is 315mm centers meaning the new link should be 300mm. The SPL link can be shortned to this but leaves approx 10mm adjustability. Hope this helps someone else.
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Last edited by MR RIZK; 08-27-2020 at 05:32 AM..
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