JIC proactively sent me replacement rear sway-link brackets about 4 mo. ago. The had mentioned that it was a potential failure point. I was in the midst of a cross-country move, looked under my car to make sure everything was fine, and tossed the box in the garage.

Couple weeks ago, I went canyon carving on Ortega Hwy, and noticed the car seemed to be understeering on the return leg of the trip.

I've been busy, and didn't really think to investigate until this past weekend. So I jacked up the car, and voila, I was face to face with a dangling sway link.

It was then that I remembered the box that JIC had sent... opened it up, and sure enough, I had the re-designed replacements.

The replacement is pretty straight forward... you will need to go pick up a 1 1/4" open wrench... cost $9 at Pep Boys. No need to remove the damper to do the job. Don't need an impact wrech, thought I do use a rechargeable one to undo lug nuts (worth every penny just for that).

Here's what you need to do:
* Jack up the car and take off the wheels
* Detach the sway-link at the (anti)sway bar (17&15mm, iirc)
* Use the 1 1/4" wrench to loosen the lock nut for the bottom mount/eyelet on the damper body
* Unbolt the bottom mount from the suspension, and unscrew the eyelet to release the old bracket. Should be just under 7 turns. (If it's stubborn, stick a 3/8 extension through the eyelet and use your JIC wrench on one of the jam-collars and just give it a shove... once it's loose, it just finger-turns.)
* Remove the sway link from the old bracket and install on new.
* Put new bracket in, turn the eyelet to just under 7 revolutions, and tighten the locking nut with your soon-to-be-never-used 1 1/4" wrench. Use lock-tight on everything. (Line up the bracket so that the bracket-end is parallel with the corresponding side of the cutout on the suspension arm.
* Lastly, attach sway link to sway bars). Put your wheels on (130Nm).

Total job should take you about 1:30... no biggy. Seems as though everytime I swear off wrenching, something comes along that's just easy enough for me to have to do myself... no more wrenching...

This has been your friendly 6speed PSA! Next week... MBC!


Top: Redesigned Bracket
Top: Old version - broken

 

That makes me even more happy that I sent my JIC set off for an "upgrade" so to speak. While there, I had them put on the 7/10kg springs, the upgraded sway links, sway mounts, dust boot, etc. Ben at JIC has really picked up his customer service.

 

Mine had started to bend (where yours broke) and a couple of the weld had cracks. I had the upgrades put on last week also.

 

i have the upgrades .. for the rear in my trunk i need to replace it but ive been lazy n busy,,, i need to do it soon.. mine is about to go.. stephen did u get the new links upfront too?

 

Nope... just the rears.

 

BTW, Ben of JIC was always a pleasure to deal with...

 

Quick question, my pop just installed his JIC coil overs on his TT. Will there be a potential problem with his link as well or is it just yours?

If need to be replace is it gonna be all 4? What other areas should be look into b4 something goes wrong? After replacement will there still be any broken sign or it is done with?

Where can i get the link directly?

Thanks a lot.

 

Just look at the pix I posted... one is the old design, and one is the new... just make sure you have the new. Takes but a second to look under the car. This only affects the rear.

 

Does the replacement sway link come with the coil overs or is that part from the factory?

My pop's TT is a 01 so does that mean it is the old one?

 

It depends on when they were bought, honestly.

 

Well, the coil over was bought and recieved last month. Should my pop phone JIC and get the new link? At first we didn't know that JIC had these fitment issue.

 

Just look at it... it takes 5 seconds... it either looks like the old or new... very straight forward. No need to phone JIC if you've got the redesigned version.

 

I broke two sets of these. Tony at TC Design fabbed up some replacements that work great for me. It's an alternative.

www.tcdesignfab.com