ipd endlinks

[jblackburn]

One thing that is perhaps overlooked, the IPD versions will last far longer than the other choices. I have had OEM fail in 90 days.

Were they installed correctly as I mentioned above? If not, they WILL fail prematurely.

When you put on the endlinks, make sure that you stick a jack under the control arm and pump it up to ride height BEFORE tightening the bolts down. Otherwise, they can and will fail earlier than their expected lifespan.

I had OEM's last 3 years/50K. Once I started driving around DC frequently, the next set died in a year and a half (30K).

[KlubMarcus]

Once I started driving around DC frequently, the next set died in a year and a half (30K).

That's because they were bearing the extra weight of over-taxation, bureaucracy, and over-regulation. I don't even like driving through DC.

[erikv11]

...
When you put on the endlinks, make sure that you stick a jack under the control arm and pump it up to ride height BEFORE tightening the bolts down. Otherwise, they can and will fail earlier than their expected lifespan.

Somebody give that man a shot of PBBlaster - he's getting rusty!!

Those instructions are important for installing control arms, but not for endlinks. Just put the end links on, don't mangle their boots on the ball joints, and bolt them up to proper (rather tight!) torque spec.

[jblackburn]

Works for end links too

Otherwise they'll rattle or not torque down properly - the bolts will "grab to torque" giving a false reading if you use a torque wrench.

[erikv11]

OK the endlink mount needs to be seated like any part you install, I see your point, but you can do that by just pulling on the sway bar or otherwise paying attention. Jacking up the control arm might do it too, but it doesn't seem worth the effort.

Anyway, loose end links are going to be noisy (clunky), not mysteriously, prematurely failing. I have had the endlinks disconnected and reconnected at least a dozen times and never used a jack, and except for an early set of scan-tech links failing at maybe 20k (live and learn), I haven't seen any wear problems. Bringing the arm to ride height isn't compulsory like it is for the control arms, where the bushings *will* fail if it isn't done right.

So it may work, but this is a myth that although harmless shouldn't be propagated. IMHO.

[Wrenchinjoe]

When I spoke to the IPD rep, I asked him if raising the control arms to ride height was necessary when installing their endlinks, and he said that it was not. The 17mm nuts simply have to be tight (which implies properly seated as Erik posted). The IPD rep emphasized NOT using air tools though, the balljoints will spin in their sockets and become damaged. No problem there, I don't have a compressor