Has anyone with Tarett rear droplinks ever see a bend like this? I have my stock drop links, should put them back on?

This was after 1 track event.

 

Hi,

The bending is probably caused by the way your drop link was installed: the drop link should go straight up and down, in parallel to direction of movement of the coilover, and not at angle as in your picture. When it's at an angle the force from the coilover acts sideways and could have caused that bending. I mentioned this very issue and had a picture in the other suspension thread - let me look for it.

I would think it's best to switch the position of the 2 cone washers: the thin one should be on the left side, and the thick one on the right side, in your picture. Tarett might be able to supply you with a replacement bolt also. Hope this helps.





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Ira should be able to supply you with a replacement rod ends and a smaller cone, but I agree with Can's assessment, I think your cones should be smaller (Ira should have these too) and there is too much torsion against the drop link. It should be in the same travel direction as the damper.

 

A couple other things come to mind also:

1. I don't know if this means anything, but I've noticed on these drop links with bent rod end, the finish of the rod end has a shinny golden/copper tint, seemingly very different from mine. When you talk with Ira, you might want to bring this up - has there been a change in the alloy they are made of?

2. A second thing that WILL cause bent drop link, and sometimes even sheared off the coilover's mounting point, is frozen sway bar. The GMG bars come with urethane bushing, and a lot of people don't know that, unlike stock rubber bushing, after-market urethane bushing must be lubricated occasionally with Synthetic Grease (Super Lube from ebay).

The way to test is to completely disconnect both drop links from sway bar, and then try to swing the bar yourself; it should move freely. When I checked mine it was nearly frozen in place; I lubricated it once and since have switched back to the stock rubber bushing for peace of mind. The urethane bushing does make the car feel a little, but noticeably, firmer.

In picture below, black bar and black rubber bushing are stock, blue bar and red urethane bushing are GMG. The Super Lube Synthetic Grease could be purchased from ebay.

 

Gotta get the geometry right, these will bind and bend.....at the wrong time.
Have a good race shop set it up. Trg makes a nice prebent link that is tough as nails, but noisy as hell.

 

Thx Can, I did notice the sway bar was very tight when I put the links on, I tried a lubricant but still wasn't free moving. Didn't think to use old bushing but will do so now. Talked to Ira yesterday, putting stock links back on until he send me new bolts and will swap washers to get it in line with shock. Always a learning experience and huge thanks to this forum for help.

 

Wow, 2 threads in 2 days about bent suspension components after a track day. If you're going to track your car you really need to have a LEGIT race shop set the car up for you. There are tons of "porsche shops", but few actual shops that know how to set cars up for track work. There is no amount of "spirited" street driving that will come close to duplicating the stresses a car faces on the track.

As I said in the other thread, the best use of your money would also be to hire a real Pro and let them do some data laps and set the car up for you. You will be much faster and a lot sooner.

 

Coaching is nice but this is suspension binding, this would happen in the green group just as easily. Proper toe links, dog bones will help you correct the geometry/alignment in a lowered car.

 

You are very welcome. One other reason that I change back to rubber bushing is that while the rear bushing is easy to lubricate, the front one I don't know how to get to it - I think you have to take off that bottom plastic tray and even then it might be difficult getting there (Chris is it true?). In fact I had to have my tuner Lucent change the front bushing for me - the rear is extremely easy.

A frozen sway bar, coupled with the hard setting of sway bar that you were using, would definitely contribute to the bending.

For lubricant, I've read different things so not sure, but I believe that while you could use either SYNTHETIC or PETROLEUM based grease for polyurethane bushing, you should use only the synthetic stuff, ie the Super Lube on ebay I quoted above, for the stock Rubber bushing,

For those new to this topic, remember that after-market suspension components are not maintenance free. This bushing is one good example, but these other links with metallic (heim) joints also have to be inspected for wear and tear - they do wear. The inspection could be every couple of years for street use, and more frequently for track obviously. A little more work but in return, car handles with aggressiveness and that's why people still do it.

 

Winnilaker, it would be very interesting to take this chance to ask Ira about the color difference I observed: grayish and dull for my old one, and shinny/golden for the 2 new ones that are bending. Something might have changed - alloy, supply company, whatever. Although I believe in your car the angle of installation is the main culprit, if the rod end is softer and *also* contributes to the bending, then it's also a factor. It's good customers' feedback for Ira, I think.

I could ask too but as mine is not bending, he might think I am a troublemaker trying to stir up the pot and I don't want to have that reputation, anymore .

 

Can,
Will ask Ira about color. So before I put stock droplinks back in, I was playing with angles. Even with the small washer, there is still angle using that stiff setting on the sway bar. Is there any reason I couldn't put the bottom droplink on the other side, i.e. rear side of that bracket? If I did that and used the small washer, I can achieve perfect alignment with the shock.


Also, I relubed the bushing, but the bar was moving ok, so I don't think that was the problem.

 

Sure, you could try all different implementations, following the 2 rules:
1. First priority: Force should all be in same direction. Drop link should be straight along lines of force vector in all 3 dimensions. If at all possible don't make it point sideway in any of the 3 dimensions.
2. Second priority: My tuner Lucent mentioned this once in passing, which makes a lot of sense intuitively: if possible, make the point where the force originates (the mounting point on coilover in this case) as close as possible to the point that it acts on (in this case the drop link). In other words, assume condition 1 above is satisfied, you would prefer to have the short washer in your picture because it shortens this distance. Let me know if I don't make any sense at all LOL then I draw a picture.

I too have been under the car trying all different ways of connecting; reversing left link right link, reversing direction of the link. It *is* hard working on your back looking up - automotive version of Michelangelo . No fun when the wrench drop on your face either - that's how bad I am.

Lastly, if you swing it to the other side, be careful because the toe control arm is on the other side. The long bolt may not clear it, and you will have to ask Ira for a shorter bolt and 2 thin cone washer.

 

I'm spoiled, I have a Bendpak 4 post car lift in my garage. Makes working on my cars easy, plus its winter storage for the turbo.

Talked to Ira, the silver vs gold is just a coating. New parts on their way, will start playing around next week with things. Thanks again

 

Bendpak 4, eh?

Poor, poor pitiful me: