Custom FD end link for Tri-Point sway bars (how to)
10-12-07, 03:57 PM
#1
Custom FD end link for Tri-Point sway bars (how to)
The Tri-Point sway bar end link has never made much sense to me. It has a brass adapter at the lower A arm for no good reason, allowing another axis for the link to pivot about and potentially causing the middle joint to toggle (remove it and load it axially and you will see what I mean. If you have the top link bolt tight enough this may not happen but there is wear on my top rod end suggesting that is it. I suspect they made this piece to adapt the standard rod ends to the metric mounting points. Regardless, I think it is a flawed solution and since I was designing new rear end links HERE I decided to try to improve on the design.
Old Tri-Point link
I don’t know if I just got luck or everyone has a bar that is not splined correctly as one end of mine is about ½” off from the other, making an adjustable link a requirement. The link bolt on the A arm is 10 mm and the holes on the sway arm are 7/16”. To resolve the international conflict I bushed a 12 mm rod end to 10 mm and drilled out the sway bar holes to 12 mm. A 12 mm bit is hard to find so I used a Hitachi 31/64” (12.3mm) that I found at Lowes.
You can use two male rod ends with a coupler but I wasn’t able to find such a coupler off-the-shelf so I went with two females and a stud. Below are the components you will need.
McMaster Carr
Here is how the components are assembled. The 10/12 mm bearing must be pressed into one of the rod end heim joints (I just used a vice and a little grease) so the 10 mm bolt fits correctly. One could probably have the spacers made for less but again, I was looking for an off-the-shelf solution.
Here is the link bolted up to the right side. I suspect you can only use the center 3 holes in the bar without the link interfering with the lower A arm hole (same with the original link - but perhaps the brass adapter was supposed to help with that). This can be solved by filing away some of the aluminum lip that hits the link.
Hope this helps someone out.
Alan
Old Tri-Point link
I don’t know if I just got luck or everyone has a bar that is not splined correctly as one end of mine is about ½” off from the other, making an adjustable link a requirement. The link bolt on the A arm is 10 mm and the holes on the sway arm are 7/16”. To resolve the international conflict I bushed a 12 mm rod end to 10 mm and drilled out the sway bar holes to 12 mm. A 12 mm bit is hard to find so I used a Hitachi 31/64” (12.3mm) that I found at Lowes.
You can use two male rod ends with a coupler but I wasn’t able to find such a coupler off-the-shelf so I went with two females and a stud. Below are the components you will need.
McMaster Carr
91310 A728: M12x1.75 60mm grade 10.9 screw $7.41 (pack of 10)
93275 A049: M12x1.75 50mm grade 10.9 stud $5.62 (2)
6679 K15: Bronze 10mm shaft x 15mm bearing $5.16 (2)
6682 K11: Bronze 10mm shaft x 15 mm grooved bearing $28.72 (4)
Pegasus93275 A049: M12x1.75 50mm grade 10.9 stud $5.62 (2)
6679 K15: Bronze 10mm shaft x 15mm bearing $5.16 (2)
6682 K11: Bronze 10mm shaft x 15 mm grooved bearing $28.72 (4)
3067-M12x1.75-R: Female 12mm Teflon lined rod end $115.96 (4)
MJAM-12x1.75-R: 12mm Jam nuts $4.20 (4)
SpeedwaymotorsMJAM-12x1.75-R: 12mm Jam nuts $4.20 (4)
5464108: ½” Aluminum cone spacers $7.95 (pack of 8)
boltdepot.com6886: Grade 10.9 M12x1.75 hex nuts $1.08 (2)
7744: Grade 10.9 M12 washers $0.52 (2)
Total cost = $176.627744: Grade 10.9 M12 washers $0.52 (2)
Here is how the components are assembled. The 10/12 mm bearing must be pressed into one of the rod end heim joints (I just used a vice and a little grease) so the 10 mm bolt fits correctly. One could probably have the spacers made for less but again, I was looking for an off-the-shelf solution.
Here is the link bolted up to the right side. I suspect you can only use the center 3 holes in the bar without the link interfering with the lower A arm hole (same with the original link - but perhaps the brass adapter was supposed to help with that). This can be solved by filing away some of the aluminum lip that hits the link.
Hope this helps someone out.
Alan
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