Turner Sway Bars Installed!! + Reinforcement

[i2ichal2dZ4M]

After a year, I finally found a local shop I could trust to reinforce my front sway bar mounts to install my Turner sway bars I'm sure many of us have read reviews about how great an upgrade sway bars are, but I want to point out a couple important things to members considering this mod.

I thought I did pretty extensive research myself, but I still ran into some new findings. I will cover all important aspects when installing sway bars below.

1) E46 M3 sway bars are direct fit to our cars, both F+R (I have yet hear of any manufactures bars not fitting, I may be wrong.)

2) Aftermarket sway bars have lead to front sway bar bolts being ripped out from the frame. It is highly recommended that one gets these weak points reinforced. I have attached images.

3) Rear sway bars require aftermarket end-links. OEM end-links are pressed in and can not be used on aftermarket bars.

4) When buying rear end-links, make sure they are short enough. I bought Fall-Line F+R end-links and the rears are a bit too long for me to run the "softer" setting. The sway bar would not clear camber arms. I am currently running rear in the "stiffer" setting that gives it plenty of clearance. I read that Turners/Hotchkis work as well as UUC (for e36) work, but don't take my word for it.

If anybody has questions or looking for a competent shop in SoCal/626 feel free to message me.

[racerbruce]

Wowie -
In pic 2, were the threaded studs ripped out by the force of the new Turner swaybar, or intentionally removed as part of the plate installation?

[i2ichal2dZ4M]

Originally Posted by racerbruce

Wowie -
In pic 2, were the threaded studs ripped out by the force of the new Turner swaybar, or intentionally removed as part of the plate installation?

Pic #1 and #2 were from another members thread, but yes they were ripped out of the frame from aftermarket sway bars. My pictures #3-#5 show the preventive steps I went ahead with when I installed my sways.

[GuidoK]

Originally Posted by i2ichal2dZ4M

3) Rear sway bars require aftermarket end-links. OEM end-links are pressed in and can not be used on aftermarket bars.

This is not true:



OEM end link on aftermarket rear sway bar. (as per instruction on for example H&R swaybars)
But getting an aftermarket link also works of course (and adjustable ones let you dial out any pretention). The softest adjustment is indeed usually making contact with either the lower control arm or the driveshaft when the suspension is in full droop.

[Vanne]

Mate, nice job re-enforcing that sway bar mount, that looks bloody tops mate

Also, I have Ground Control Race sways on mine, and both front and rear needed modification. The rear more so. (yet to install the rear for this reason, that and after moving house, ive lost one of the rubber mounts)

[3002 tii]

Nice that's pretty much how mine looked