end link keeps breaking

H

Hesh

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 3, 1999
Location
La Honda, CA USA
Three broken end links (right front only) in three years makes me think something other than normal wear-and-tear is contributing to failure. What else can cause end links to break or pop off?

The replacements are brand new, OEM. Are there aftermarket end links that do a better job?

Interestingly enough, the past two times it broke on the same corner (downhill, right, off-camber). Maybe I need less sticky tires? Perish the thought.

Chris
 
Figit090

Figit090

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Lifted Unicorn! '03 Jetta GLS TDI Wagon, 5spd, Candy White, Black leather.
Is this your steering link? That's scary! What happens when it breaks? Total loss of control? I'd hate to lose one on the highway.



Sent from my Moto G (5S) Plus using Tapatalk
 
H

Hesh

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 3, 1999
Location
La Honda, CA USA
It's the end link on the anti-swaybar. A steering link failure would be quite dramatic compared to the end link breaking. :eek:

End links break with a loud thunk, followed by clunking when you turn -- the end link doesn't usually completely break off, it rubs across the break points.

If you don't pay attention and keep driving, you may find yourself rotating a bit from oversteer. Not such a horrible failure mode.

Chris
 
Seatman

Seatman

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You sure your arb isn't twisted causing extra strain?

I've only ever seen them worn after a few years and that's just the bushes, never seen a broken one. Mine you, I haven't seen your driving :D
 
H

HPsenicka

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Are the shocks/dampers still doing their job?


Just thinking out loud that if the dampers are failing, that might be placing additional load on the end links.
 
Figit090

Figit090

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Hesh said:
It's the end link on the anti-swaybar. A steering link failure would be quite dramatic compared to the end link breaking. :eek:

End links break with a loud thunk, followed by clunking when you turn -- the end link doesn't usually completely break off, it rubs across the break points.

If you don't pay attention and keep driving, you may find yourself rotating a bit from oversteer. Not such a horrible failure mode.

Chris
Click to expand...
Oh ok, yeah I was concerned for a minute thanks!

Sent from my Moto G (5S) Plus using Tapatalk
 
BobnOH

BobnOH

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central Ohio
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New Beetle 2003 manual
Hesh said:
Three broken end links (right front only) in three years makes me think something other than normal wear-and-tear is contributing to failure. What else can cause end links to break or pop off?

The replacements are brand new, OEM. Are there aftermarket end links that do a better job?

Interestingly enough, the past two times it broke on the same corner (downhill, right, off-camber). Maybe I need less sticky tires? Perish the thought.

Chris
Click to expand...
Well if you've replaced with quality properly installed part, something else is definitely the culprit. I'm not familiar with the parts involved, but something else must be broke.
 
I

IndigoBlueWagon

TDIClub Enthusiast, Principal IDParts, Vendor , w/
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South of Boston
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Something's wrong. Plastic ones shouldn't be breaking. I still have the original plastic ones on my '02 Wagon at 365K miles.

How old are your struts? What's the condition or your control arm bushings? Are the sway bar bushings in good condition? Any springs broken? Is the car lowered? Not sure what it is, but something is putting unreasonable strain on the sway bar links.
 
Tdijarhead

Tdijarhead

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2003 TDI Jetta Daughters Car, 2001 TDI Beetle, Wife’s car, 2005 Golf TDI Mine, all 5 spds
When my daughter got her beetle last year the lower control arm bushings were so bad the front wheels would actually move forward or backward about an inch every time the vehicle moved. The lca’s were wallowing out the hole the big bushing was mounted in. One sway link was broken. (Plastic) Check your lca’s
 
mjydrafter

mjydrafter

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dsm, ia
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I agree these shouldn't be breaking, especially not 3 in as many years.


The sway bar is pretty simple, just the convoluted bar, the 2 end links and 2 bushings/clamps at the body-uni-body.


Switching to steel may help, but may also move the problem to the next "weak link*"


*you see what I did there...:D
 
H

Hesh

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Location
La Honda, CA USA
Good questions. It's bone stock. LCA's done less than 10k miles ago along with the sway bar bushings. There is no indication of worn anything, no lack of damping.

I would be surprised that the end links would break even if there was excessive wear. Shouldn't they survive full lean to both sides, repeatedly, every day?

If metal solves the problem, then I am guessing that plastic is not up to the task, that is all.

Thanks everyone for your ideas.
 
oilhammer

oilhammer

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outside St Louis, MO
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There are just too many to list....
Of all these cars I have seen over the years, I can only remember a handful of sway bar end links that broke. And a lot of these cars have covered some SERIOUS ground. You have something else going on here.

Some thoughts:

The links are maybe not on the correct side of the sway bar end.

The fasteners are being tightened down when the car is not at rest under its own weight, putting them in a bind.

The sway bar itself is somehow bent or distorted in some way.

The left and right links are different lengths, placing them both in a permanent bind ALL the time.
 
H

Hesh

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Joined
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Location
La Honda, CA USA
I don't see how it could be fitted incorrectly -- it only fits with the swaybar on the inside.

The nuts went on effortlessly -- everything aligned perfectly when starting the new bolts. How can anything be bent when it is so well matched?

It was on the ground, not suspended.

There is only one part, no L/R, nothing to mix up. It's an exact copy of the original end link.
 
Tdijarhead

Tdijarhead

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2003 TDI Jetta Daughters Car, 2001 TDI Beetle, Wife’s car, 2005 Golf TDI Mine, all 5 spds
We just gave you some ideas on what might be wrong. One other possibility I don’t know if anyone mentioned was cheap parts.

If everything checks out I would get two of the metal ones, install them and keep an eye on them for a while.

Especially after I took that corner you were telling about again.
 
oilhammer

oilhammer

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outside St Louis, MO
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There are just too many to list....
Hesh said:
I don't see how it could be fitted incorrectly -- it only fits with the swaybar on the inside.
The nuts went on effortlessly -- everything aligned perfectly when starting the new bolts. How can anything be bent when it is so well matched?
It was on the ground, not suspended.
There is only one part, no L/R, nothing to mix up. It's an exact copy of the original end link.
Click to expand...

I don't know how a lot of things I see happen, but they happen. I've seen someone put the #3 injector with the lift sensor in #2 cylinder's spot... and somehow get the delivery pipes attached. I've seen MAFs installed backwards. I've seen a clutch disc installed backwards. Coolant hoses backwards. Even saw an ALH get the oil filter cap back on with no filter brace fitted (the engine locked up shortly thereafter). So I never assume anything. You came here asking for help, and we are trying to offer some. :confused:
 
BobnOH

BobnOH

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central Ohio
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New Beetle 2003 manual
Hesh said:
I don't see how it could be fitted incorrectly -- it only fits with the swaybar on the inside.

The nuts went on effortlessly -- everything aligned perfectly when starting the new bolts. How can anything be bent when it is so well matched?

It was on the ground, not suspended.

There is only one part, no L/R, nothing to mix up. It's an exact copy of the original end link.
Click to expand...
What's the car?
If they sell these in plastic, guessing they're not taking much load.
We know somethings wrong, never give up.
 
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oilhammer

oilhammer

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outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
No I didn't mean they are supposed to be different lengths, I meant that if they for some reason WERE, that would place excess stress on both of them, sorry for any confusion. :p
 
H

Hesh

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 3, 1999
Location
La Honda, CA USA
I appreciate everybody's thoughts and suggestions as to what might be the problem. This is truely a *** moment where I can't understand what's going on. It's good to hear more ideas in case I've missed anything. Thanks again everyone.

*** "what the heck"
 
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