GR86 End links / Drop links after lowering

[GRistopher]

Apologies if there's already a thread about this, but sometimes when going over bumps I'm getting a bit of a clunk. To me it sounds like the ARB knocking underneath.
I haven't heard anyone else mention it and I'm not lowered a crazy amount. Does anyone have any experience with this?
I'm currently lowered on KW V1s and on the standard drop links .

Here's a pic of the ride height.

 

[mackie]

My HKS coilovers came with shorter drop links but it’ll depend on the specific design if they’re needed or not. Are there any witness marks on the lower arms?

 

[GRistopher]

I'm hoping to check soon. I had to put my car fiddling plans on hold after an injury but I'm pretty much back to full fitness now.

 

[ninjin]

Could also be the drop link not being tight w enough.

 

[GRistopher]

I think the clunking might be from the spring perch. It appears that the grub screw isn't really doing much so I think it's the spring twisting round when it's on full lock. I tightened it up, but I think the threads aren't holding up - the spring perch is plastic. It's better, but still sometimes a little clunking.

I noticed the helper springs are also basically useless at this ride height. This is on axle stands so full droop and they're still compressed.

I couldn't find any witness marks for interference but took pictures of both the front and back ARB end links. What do you think about these angles?

Rear (loaded)

Front (on stands)

Also, I realised that my front pads don't have loads of meat left on them.
I did half a track day this time last year, in the damp and was careful only to do a couple of flying laps each time. I guess it's true what they say about the stock pads being no good for track work .

the disks are fine so i think i will just pads this time around. Looks like the BBK will have to be next time around.

 

[mackie]

Bit of an odd design to not have spring preload and ride height be independently adjustable, especially with helper springs in play.

For comparison the HKS ones have the lower hub flange portion threaded. The kit only uses helpers on the rear though.

Above is my drop links, they look slightly shorter but if there’s no marks and everything is tight I doubt that’s the issue.

 

[qajteq]

Hey,
Had same “problem”, sounds like binding from roll bars, but also I’ve been told the KW coilovers are on the loud side which is expected.

If you want to improve the clunking, consider shorter rear anti roll bar end links as well as fronts.

For rears, there isn’t much of an option. If you don’t want to introduce more noise, choose these:

Nagisa Auto Sagemasu Low-Down Adjustable Stabilizer Link Rear - GR86 ZN8 - RHDJapan

Nagisa Auto Sagemasu Low-Down Adjustable Stabilizer Link Rear - GR86 ZN8. Buy direct with global shipping to your door from Osaka, Japan. We speak English and all email queries are responded to promptly!

www.rhdjapan.com

They retain rubber bushing but will fix rear geometry.

If you don’t mind extra noise, then revolution have GR86 specific product:

Revolution Rear Short Stabilizer Link - GR86 ZN8 - RHDJapan

Revolution Rear Short Stabilizer Link - GR86 ZN8. Buy direct with global shipping to your door from Osaka, Japan. We speak English and all email queries are responded to promptly!

www.rhdjapan.com

This needs to be combined with:

Revolution Rear Stabilizer Position Adjuster Set - BRZ ZD8 GR86 ZN8 - RHDJapan

Revolution Rear Stabilizer Position Adjuster Set - BRZ ZD8 GR86 ZN8. Buy direct with global shipping to your door from Osaka, Japan. We speak English and all email queries are responded to promptly!

www.rhdjapan.com

I have BRZ (slightly different mounting for rear roll bar) and this is how it looked without revolution end links (it looks a little different for the GR86)

In my case, it was even difficult to tighten the end links as they’ve been preloaded already. No issues with revolution end links, except it’s all metal so transmits more NVH.

For fronts you can use anything that works for first gen as mountings are the same. Consider hardrace as it’s cheap and available in EU.

 

[GRistopher]

Thanks a lot.

 

[Mr_Hansen]

@GRistopher did you ever end up installing shorter endlinks in the rear, or did you resolve your clunking noises another way?
I'm trying to determine if I need new rear lower control arms abd end links, when I order the same KW V1, or if I can keep the stock components with the new coilovers instead.
Looking for a relatively modest drop of around 1 inch (20 - 25 mm).

RLCA's would actually be for removing the camber gained from lowering to match the 1.5 degrees og camber I have in the front with camber bolts, as my setup wouldn't be aggressive enough to need additional camber in the rear to clear the fenders.
I just want the balance to be close to stock, and not be compromising handling in any way. It's a daily, but is driven hard and will do the odd trackday once a year.

@qajteq what is your opinion, since I see that you have both RLCA's and endlinks?

 

[GRistopher]

@GRistopher did you ever end up installing shorter endlinks in the rear, or did you resolve your clunking noises another way?
I'm trying to determine if I need new rear lower control arms abd end links, when I order the same KW V1, or if I can keep the stock components with the new coilovers instead.
Looking for a relatively modest drop of around 1 inch (20 - 25 mm).

RLCA's would actually be for removing the camber gained from lowering to match the 1.5 degrees og camber I have in the front with camber bolts, as my setup wouldn't be aggressive enough to need additional camber in the rear to clear the fenders.
I just want the balance to be close to stock, and not be compromising handling in any way. It's a daily, but is driven hard and will do the odd trackday once a year.

@qajteq what is your opinion, since I see that you have both RLCA's and endlinks?

I haven't yet. And still get a bit of clunking- mainly from the front on full lock. The car isnt a daily so I've just been avoiding full lock and it doesn't happen much.

Something to bear in mind with the KWV1 which I wasn't really aware of is that the ride height adjustment can't be changed without increasing the pre-load. If you want to have a specific ride height but also want to Have the corner weighting set up properly adjusting the single spring perch will change both.

They're still a great improvement over stock with only a very slight (in my book) reduction in NVH. Damping feels great. Also this weekend i was throwing the car around some very tight undulating mountain pass style roads with heavy compressions and they performed VERY well.

I guess if you want all that, with more adjustment, you need to pay more.

 

[qajteq]

@GRistopher
@qajteq what is your opinion, since I see that you have both RLCA's and endlinks?

I have BRZ so I could get away with just a revolution rear end links.

REVOLUTION REAR SHORT STABILIZER LINK TYPEB FOR SUBARU BRZ ZD8 RZD8-RSS

Brand REVOLUTION Series Name REAR SHORT STABILIZER LINK TYPEB Product Number RZD8-RSS Compatible Car SUBARU BRZ ZD8 Product Description Since the BRZ (ZD8) has a different lower arm than the GR86, the link length is 58mm for the normal GR86, which is 37mm shorter than the mass-produced one. Did...

www.blackhawkjapan.com

It is still a bit angled but no force is being applied and sway bar can move freely.
On GR86 on the other hand, there is improved version that looks following:

REVOLUTION REAR STABILIZER POSITION ADJUSTER FOR TOYOTA GR86 ZN8 RZN8-RSPA

Brand REVOLUTION Series Name REAR STABILIZER POSITION ADJUSTER Product Number RZN8-RSPA Compatible Car TOYOTA GR86 ZN8 Product Description plate that optimizes the position of the rear stabilizer. By raising the mounting position of the rear stabilizer 20mm above the stock position, the rear...

www.blackhawkjapan.com

You adjust the position of mounting brackets by going upwards and then use shorter end links:

Revolution Rear Short Stabilizer Link - GR86 ZN8 - RHDJapan

Revolution Rear Short Stabilizer Link - GR86 ZN8. Buy direct with global shipping to your door from Osaka, Japan. We speak English and all email queries are responded to promptly!

www.rhdjapan.com

These should also work if you are worried about too much of a NVH from revolution end links. Given your use case, I'd incline to revolution relocation mount kit but first I'd bought the Blitz rear end links to see how sway bar will settle with your setup. It might be that it will be short enough to remove the binding on the ARB.

Blitz Stabilink Rear Adjustable Endlinks 2008-2024 WRX / 2008-2021 STI / 2013-2024 BRZDefault Title

Buy Blitz Stabilink Rear Adjustable Endlinks 2008-2024 WRX / 2008-2021 STI / 2013-2024 BRZ, a Endlinks by Blitz, for only $204.45 at Subimods.com!

subimods.com

 

[mackie]

I’m at the OOTB height of the HKS Hipermax S (about 20mm drop) with stock arms and am at 2 degrees on the rear and 2.2 on the front and it drives great, I wouldn’t worry about running a bit more front camber to balance it out.

 

[Mr_Hansen]

Thank you for the replies!
I'm probably going to start out with stock arms and end links, and just add a bit more front camber possibly, if its doable with my current camber bolts, to balance it out.

Regarding the helper spring system on the KW V1 (and the V3 as well for that matter), I've tried to look into the differences of adjusting the height on that type of coilover vs. one with independent preload and height adjustment.
In my mind however you aren't effectively adjusting preload on the KW V1 much by adjusting height, as it's only the soft helper spring which is compressed more or less. Since this spring always seems to be fully compressed once the car is on the ground, it shouldn't affect the load on the main spring much should it? From what I can gather, it's only there to keep tension on the main spring on droop, where the spring could otherwise move, if the helper spring wasn't there.

 

[GRistopher]

Thank you for the replies!
I'm probably going to start out with stock arms and end links, and just add a bit more front camber possibly, if its doable with my current camber bolts, to balance it out.

Regarding the helper spring system on the KW V1 (and the V3 as well for that matter), I've tried to look into the differences of adjusting the height on that type of coilover vs. one with independent preload and height adjustment.
In my mind however you aren't effectively adjusting preload on the KW V1 much by adjusting height, as it's only the soft helper spring which is compressed more or less. Since this spring always seems to be fully compressed once the car is on the ground, it shouldn't affect the load on the main spring much should it? From what I can gather, it's only there to keep tension on the main spring on droop, where the spring could otherwise move, if the helper spring wasn't there.

That's true, but at my ride height, the helper spring is compressed all the time. Even on full droop.

As I said before, they still feel great, but as someone who likes to do things right, it bugs me

 

[Mr_Hansen]

I understand, and I'm afraid that I'll end up feeling the same way

But am I correct to assume that the helper spring is compressed more, the more you lower the car? If so, it surprises me that your helper spring is compressed at full droop (I saw the picture of the spring compressed as well) as your ride height doesn't seem that low.
I've seen another GR86 with the same suspension sitting way lower, so there I can see why the preload of the actual main spring would be affected then..

Did you get corner weighting done, and did it prove difficult for hem to get it right, due to the limitations you mentioned?

 

[GRistopher]

For fronts you can use anything that works for first gen as mountings are the same. Consider hardrace as it’s cheap and available in EU.

I finally got round to ordering some. Thanks for the hard race reccomendation, they were a good price. I'll keep you posted on how I get on

 

[qajteq]

I finally got round to ordering some. Thanks for the hard race reccomendation, they were a good price. I'll keep you posted on how I get on

Tip for setting the length.
Overall you want it to set it so there is free movement and enough distance for wheels to turn freely.
Meaning
If you jack up the car from front axle, set it as long as possible, that if you turn the wheel all the way in one direction, either right or left, it will stay there.

Meaning, if you don’t feel force applied to steering wheel, when there is full lock, you are good to go. I made this error and made them too short. Because the upper joint is connected to McPherson strut, once you start rotating column, you are increasing the arm, to the point, there is a binding and it’s trying to go back.