I picked up some Urethane sway bar end links from Summit Racing this week to install on my Xa. They need a little modifiation to fit so I'll work on that this weekend. I'll post a couple of pics when it's done. They also sell some 15/16" sway bar mount bushings that should be a nice fit, those are next....
ken

 

just a quick question, whats the benfit putting those in?

 

absolutely nothing with a stock sway bar......upgraded sway bar is different....the solid endlinks make it alittle more stiffer so under extreme hard cornering there is no flex in the endlinks or the sway bar....stock....its so flemsy they arent worth it till you go to a thicker bar

 

Not true.... Urethane end link bushings replace the soft rubber bushings which allow some movement of the suspension before the swaybar begins to work. The urethane swaybar mounts eliminate the flex in the stock rubber bushings. By installing the urethane bushings in the mounts and end links the swaybar becomes MUCH more effective and you may find you don't need to spend the $$ on larger sway bars.

As a side note, the stock Xa sway bar is nearly 1" in dia.--- that's pretty beefy for a small car.

I recently installed some on my modified BMW 320is and noticed a large increase in swaybar effectiveness. I expect the same benefit on my Xa. I have solid end links with rod ends installed on my mini van which make it even more effective, there just isn't room for rod ends on a Xa.
ken

 

did you get grease with them? How much were they?

 

The end links don't need grease and they cost about $15 for the kit but it needs modification to fit.

The sway bar mount bushings need grease and I will buy the set with grease fittings already installed. They are also about $15 for a pair.

ken

 

thats what i thought

 

What kind of modifications are you having to do to it??????

 

The center sleeve needs shortend a bit and the urethane bushings need shortend also. The factory links are only about 3" from bar to frame and there isn't much clearance between the link and upper frame.

I have them modified now, I just need to get it to work and install them on the drive on lift. I think installation will be easier with the suspension loaded rather than jacked up and the suspension hanging.

ken

 

so making the swaybar closer to the control arm will help with control? :? Just checking.

 

No, making it closer does not help. Taking the slop out and firming up the mounts helps a lot. I shotend the sleeve bucause the kit was too long. I also had to buy a couple of bolt a little shorter than what was included in the kit.

ken

 

I finally got a chance to put my Xa on a lift today and installed the end links. It's too wet and stormy to test them out, not enough grip on the roads....

I also fabed a lower chassis brace to replace those cheezey factory tubular braces. For about $8 in materials I built a brace that is stronger than the aftermarket braces that sell for $200! Damn, talk about mark up!! I used .090" wall 3/4" square tubing for most of it. The mounting points are made from 1.25" dia. round tubing so the bolts are recessed. It barely reduces ground clearance by .5" at the mounting points.

I took some pics and will post them on my website when they get developed.

Now I'm thinking of how I can strengthen the rear suspension mounts.....

ken

 

Now the rear will be tough....i do agree

 

i want to see your brace!!!!!!!!

 

Yes, the back suspension will be tougher. I'm thinking of boxing the lower side of the pivot mounts and building a brace from side to side and fwd to the subframes.

For those of you that would like Urethane end links- Call Summit Racing and order the link kit with the 1" spacer tube. The "inside" urethane bushings need shortend to about .400" in height (not counting the little locator lip). The point is to end up with a center to center length close to the stock end links. When you install them just snug them up fairly tight.

After driving the car this evening it seems more stable when changing lanes and on initial entry into a corner but again the weather sucks so I could not push it much.

Pics will be coming...

ken

 

Just a quick update:

It is a beautiful day so I ducked out of work and went for a drive through the hills of "cow country" for an hour or so.....

The new end links and chassis brace definately tighten up the feeling of my Xa when slamming corners. I can easily exceede the corner speeds of my modified BMW 320is. Now, if I only had 50% more power to accelerate out of the corners, this car could become a GREAT corner carver.

ken

 

too bad you are both wrong isn't it?

 

uh....

something with a twist beam rear suspension out cornering a bmw?

you must have way better tires on the scion

 

Sorry Mr. Perfect......can I beg for forgiveness

 

to see someone learn is thanks enough!