Front sway bar issue.
 

OK, I put aside all personal opinions about business practices and bought the RB front sway bar. Ever since I put it on the car has a loud clunk, more noticeable when cold, when going voer bumps/dips. I can make it happen every time going over a speed bump at an angle. I've check the bar and the endlinks are tight and at proper torque, same as the clamps. I havent removed the bar yet to compare it against the stock one to see if the stoppers have moved, but I was wondering if anybody had any ideas, since Racing beat has not bothered to reply to my emails (well, except for the first one telling me the clunk wasnt normal and something needed to be fixed).

I'll be taking the bar out next weekend and shipping it back to RB for a refund if it cant be fixed by then.

do you have the RB endlinks as well or stock ones still?

I would see if adjusting the position of the swaybar endlinks (connecting to the subframe) might alter the position of the sway bar. I have the tanabe front and rear sways and have no clunks. Is RB bigger????

What kind of end links do you have? "Solid" ones like stock or Racing Beat's shouldn't clunk. Cheaper adjustable heim joints (like those found at general hardware stores) have slop in them and will make the clunking sound you describe.
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BEST SEX

I have the racing beat front and rears on my car. No clunks or noise. Using stock links.

I have the stock endlinks. I dont really do that much agressive driving on a day to day basis. My strreet driving is usually fast, but no crazy cornering or such, so I didnt beleive there was a need for the larger ones.

The RB front is bigger than the Tanabe by 2mm I beleive. Not sure though. I'm going to try removing the bar and endlinks later today and see if I can find anything that looks wrong.

Is it possible the bar is hitting the frame somewhere?

Make sure you used enough of the supplied Prothane grease on the frame mounts. Mine made some creaking noises, initially, but I added more grease and the sound went away. R.B. were not kidding regarding the lubrication instructions.

Charles

It is possible the rear links flipped back-the-front when you put the bar on. They should be facing upwards. It is easy to do.

Mr. M: Best suggestion so far for me. I'll check it out.

Charles: I followed your advice originally and used the entire pack, half and half. I noticed a creaking from my front right, same side the clunk is coming from, but it's like a spring creak.

I have also noticed that the interior of the car makes for some strange acoustic effects. Sometimes it is difficult to locate the source of a sound, as the point of origin moves as I move my head around in the cabin. I also had the same "knock" at the right-front corner. I loosened the swaybar links and frame mounts and re-tightened them. After a while the sound went away. Have those at R.B. said anything about it?

Charles

Not be email at least. Gonna try to call them later today, see if I have any luck. I'll try loosening and re-tightening everything too.

did you ever figure out what this was? My RB swaybar has started clunking oddly when going over rough patches as well.

The grease is the same grease sold at many hobby stores for as RC car diff lube. I have noticed that it has squeezed out from the side of the bushings some. I will be stopping by the local hobby store and picking up another tube of the grease this afternoon to see if that is it.

Brian

It is normal for the grease to squeeze out. That's one way you know if you used enough. I was installing the rear springs last Sat. and noticed a cross-threaded strut tower bolt on the passenger side. It was the horizontal bolt on the front side of the strut case. I cleaned the threads upon re-install and a weird noise I had originally assigned to the rear swaybar upgrade went away. Imagine that, the Japanese line worker pulled the same stunt some of my co-workers do with regard to Delta item install!!

Charles

bmc: After I re-installed the bar the third time it went away. I am inclined to think the nuts need to be torqued to the max number RB quotes, not within that range. I ahd played it safe and chosen a midpoint the other 2 times. Last time I just torqued it to the max listed and noise is gone.

Good news, Genom. I wonder if some aftermarket parts need to "break-in" much like brakes and clutches. Other than that, how are you enjoying the upgrade? I know my R.B. sways/springs are a really cool upgrade. I now have all four tires breaking loose equally and predictably. New tires, and I should get some great G-force numbers.

Charles

I had the same clunking noise after I installed my JIC coil-overs. I've been trying to track down the source of the noise and it turned out the to be the end links on the OEM sway bars. I had originally torqued them to the middle of the spec and found that the noise went away when I torqued them at 60 ft-lbs.

my 8 makes this sound when i first drive off.. only when just pulling away. all stock !...

I love the feel of the car with the stiffer bar up front. Next comes a Tanabe on the rear to help give me a little more oversteer, but just the front bar is a hell of a difference. With the Azenis ST115's the car is quiet and grips way better than the stock crap tires.

Eventually I also plan on the springs, but thats a bit farther off.

Definitely torque the sway bar endlinks and clamps to the max specs listed in the service manual. Seem's to do the trick.

I just finished the install of the R.B. sways and springs and it now handles like a go-cart. Right turns at 25 mph are so easy it is ridiculous, and that is with the factory Bridgestones. My 10 year-old son, who helped me with the rear springs said "Now when we turn left I don't feel your side of the car lift up!". I figure if a kid notices, it must be cool.

Charles

No it doesn't! Your 8 makes the standard 8 ABS brake system check when just pulling away - forward or backward, the first time you move a few feet after startup, you hear a clunk - that's the ABS system check.

Regards,
Gordon

well, I figured out what it was. The right front swaybar end link is bent. Off to the dealer in the morning to pick up a new one. Hopefully they have one in stock.

My SCCA solo2 rulebook is out in the car. Anyone know off the top of their head if modifications are allowed to install aftermarket endlinks. I'm thinking it should be ok since the endlink can is part of the swaybar, it wouldn't change the mounting location, just the size of the hole, but I'd rather find out for sure before I buy a set of Racing Beat endlinks and drill out my a-arms.

I hope you guys know that anytime you do suspension work on the RX-8 you should reset the center position for the EPS. If you don't, you may end up with more power assist in one direction than the other.

The reset can only be done with a WDS at the dealer, takes 5 minutes.

My understanding is that aftermarket endlinks are allowed, even in BS. I think there is a thread on it - https://www.rx8club.com/rx-8-racing-25/b-stock-shock-question-43227/page2/


Bw

Are you saying that installation of after-market sway bars ONLY require such a reset? I am having difficulty visualizing how a sway bar swap would affect the steering settings. :confused:

Would you educate me? Thanks.