Pfadt end links popping?

[Berean]

Ok, here's the set up:

I had Pfadt end links and sway bars installed by the local Chevy dealer about 800 miles (2 months) ago.

Last week when I drove the car, I noticed a "pop" sound every now and then which sounded like it came from the right rear. It got worse as I drove the car for a couple of hours, and by the time I got it home, the "pop" was a fairly constant "popping" sound.

I checked the rear sway bar to see if the bolts were loose which was an issue noted in another thread. All the sway bar and end link bolts appear to be tight.

Below are pics of the end links. They were NOT articulated at this much of an angle right after install. I know for certain, because I checked to make sure they were installed correctly and compared the install with the Pfadt install picture.

So, I think the popping sound is from the end links binding due to being over articulated. However, I'm no expert at suspension components, so I'd like some opinions, especially Pfadt's opinion of course.

If the end links are over articulated, and need to be readjusted, what would have caused that after 800 miles since all the bolts appear to be tight?

If they do need readjusted, I may try it myself. Is it as simple as unbolting them and reinstalling, or is there a specific way these need to be installed, i.e. on a lift etc?

Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

[Michael_Js]

I had the issue of many of the bolts on the Pfadt components coming loose. Even after everything was tightened, I still have lots of suspension noise going over bumps...

[PQ]

I think that angling you see is not uncommon. Mine are still the OEM links, but are not far off the angle you have there.

I'd look more to see if the problem lies elsewhere.

What do the other ends look like?

[Cam 427]

I have the same end links with LSR sway bars... no problems. Have you checked the sway bar bushing mount bolts?

[CamaroSS8491]

Ive had the same issue after a couple days of driving. I too am getting it on the passenger rear side. I ended up calling Pfadt to see if this was normal and basically what I was told is the bolts needed to be retightend. Because the bolts are so close to the frame its hard to get a torque wrench in there to get the required 45 lbs of torgue. So I will be hopefully taking the car back tomorrow to have them retighten all the bolts on the rear sway bar.

[TCao]

One of the potential causes of the popping noises could be the spherical bearing housings hitting the head of the socket head bolts. The quick fix is to reach around the rear wheels and turn the body of the endlinks so they look like the pic below. The rear wheels only move up and down in one plane (more or less, unlike the front wheels which also turn) so the endlinks orientation should not change. The other potential cause would be loose fasteners. The provided nuts are nylock type so they may not be properly tightened if the prevailing torque (to overcome the additional friction from the nylon locking element to turn them) are not taken into account. HTH.

[Rob@WretchedMS]

Be 100% sure the bolts are tight, give them a little extra to be sure. especially the right upper
Be 100% sure the lock nuts are tight, if any one of those are loose it can make noise.

[axis]

Do you have any other suspension mods?

[PfadtRacing]

Originally Posted by Berean

Ok, here's the set up:

I had Pfadt end links and sway bars installed by the local Chevy dealer about 800 miles (2 months) ago.

Last week when I drove the car, I noticed a "pop" sound every now and then which sounded like it came from the right rear. It got worse as I drove the car for a couple of hours, and by the time I got it home, the "pop" was a fairly constant "popping" sound.

I checked the rear sway bar to see if the bolts were loose which was an issue noted in another thread. All the sway bar and end link bolts appear to be tight.

Below are pics of the end links. They were NOT articulated at this much of an angle right after install. I know for certain, because I checked to make sure they were installed correctly and compared the install with the Pfadt install picture.

So, I think the popping sound is from the end links binding due to being over articulated. However, I'm no expert at suspension components, so I'd like some opinions, especially Pfadt's opinion of course.

If the end links are over articulated, and need to be readjusted, what would have caused that after 800 miles since all the bolts appear to be tight?

If they do need readjusted, I may try it myself. Is it as simple as unbolting them and reinstalling, or is there a specific way these need to be installed, i.e. on a lift etc?

Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

Hi Berean,

There is a couple things here. First, the rate on our bars are high, and as a result, they require adequate torque. We have diagnosed noise complaints down to endlinks and chassis brackets being tight, but not to spec. The chassis brackets will not all be able to be torqued with a wrench, we understand that. But it is imperative that this be done to the best of your ability.

Second, The endlink hardware on the other hand, CAN be torqued with a wrench, and we have found this to be the source of most "noise" issues. It is because of this, that we are now requiring installers to torque these fasteners to 33 lb-ft. This will be enough torque to overcome any potential slipping as before, but will give more overhead to not everyone's torque wrenches being the same.

Do us a flavor and make sure this is done to spec, on the endlinks, and then also tighten down the chassis fasteners.

Please do not hesitate to give us a call, and if there is still noise after you do what was mentioned above, there is something else.

[CamaroSS8491]

Originally Posted by CamaroSS8491

Ive had the same issue after a couple days of driving. I too am getting it on the passenger rear side. I ended up calling Pfadt to see if this was normal and basically what I was told is the bolts needed to be retightend. Because the bolts are so close to the frame its hard to get a torque wrench in there to get the required 45 lbs of torgue. So I will be hopefully taking the car back tomorrow to have them retighten all the bolts on the rear sway bar.

Just an update I took mine back to the guys that installed my suspension they re-tightened the end links each one turned about 1/4 turn. End result is that the noise is gone and its driving great.....

[JProberts]

Great to hear

[Dr Jkel]

good to know it was more of an install than a product problem

[Berean]

Right rear end link nut was a little loose. Tightened up, and no more popping.