basshed

I've searched the forum pretty thoroughly so bear with this repeat. I'm new on here though have been modifying cars for many years. This is my first Mustang - it's a 2014 V6 Manual, only options are the Tech package with Sync.

So I replaced the front sway bar with a whiteline adjustable & it's adjustable links. The first trip out it was obvious the ends of the endlinks were incredibly loose which knocked the jam nuts on the adjusters loose. So it made a high pitched rattle everywhere.

Tightened everything up and it still was rattling so I had a shop tighten the endlinks. turns out I stripped one of the nuts so I bought drakes end links which have a bit more isolation. Swapped those in. Still rattles so I bought a torque wrench, looked up the torque specs which are 52 ft-lbs for the brackets on the radiator & 86 ft lbs on the endlinks. rand all bolts to spec & took a drive tonight. still have a moderate rattle on side roads & poor parking lots. No rattle on smooth asphalt or on smooth Highways at high speeds. so it's a slow cycle rattle at side road speeds... kinda like a loose endlink but it's not. They aren't loose.

Any clues? Thanks!

DocSnickers

Not a clue never had an issue myself. Maybe you got a bad one call up Whiteline and see if they can get you a replacement.

RedFire281

Did you use drive on ramps so that the suspension was fully loaded when you torqued the sway bar and end links? If not, this could be the cause of NVH. Also, did your sway bar come with lateral locks?

basshed

I don't have ramps so I got the bolts snug on the ground. I did this by turning the wheels & using a heavy socket. Not comfy but I got them tight. Then put it up on jacks enough that a torque wrench could reach & still turn. I suspect it's got something to do with that but it doesn't make sense if the car was on the ground when I set the bolts why finishing them on jacks would make a difference?

basshed

I do have lateral locks. I haven't installed them - can't hurt to do so, tho I'll do it tomorrow.

DocSnickers

Uh that could be the issue you need to take the load off the car to do it right.

RedFire281

See link. The first note in Stage 1. Swaybar Fitment says that you should ALWAYS TIGHTEN AT RIDE HEIGHT - which suggests that the suspension should be loaded. So, finishing them on jacks does seem to make a difference.

http://www.whiteline.com.au/instruct...ar_general.pdf

Hope this solves your problem.

basshed

So I bought ramps, but the car up on them tonight. Loosened everything up, pulled the k-member so I could put in the lateral locks. Retorqued everything while on the ramps despite being a totally uncomfortable affair. Started with the sway bar itself, torqued to exactly 52ft-lbs. then torqued the links to 86ft-lbs. reinstalled the k-brace, re installed all the trim pieces. Took the car out for a drive, still rattles. So I retorqued the k-brace which wasn't so good. found two figures for that one was 65ft-lbs & the other was 150. so I eased up to the 65 ft-lbs and just a smidge more. snapped two of those bolts - yes, I was being careful... the factory bolts have no forgiveness in them at all which bothers me to no end. the replacement bolts i get from fordparts take a lot more abuse. So 65 is about where it belongs. So waiting on fordparts to deliver me those bolts. Still.... I have no idea what's rattling.

RedFire281

I feel for you sir. I've read a couple of posts from folks with similar issues on their 2013 'stangs. In both cases the issue was the end link bushing. Evidently, the bushing does not wrap around the sway bar tight enough even with the proper torque; and NVH through the sway bar is really noticeable. The solution in both cases was to add a washer to the outside of the end link and torque to spec. It eliminated NVH. I would recommend you try that first and if the rattle is still there, re-install the OEM end link and see if that helps. The OEM solution may not be ideal but at least you'll be able to narrow down causes of the noise through the process of elimination. Good Luck!

basshed

Yeah, I saw that washer trick worked for others. I have washers on there after the third rebuild & that at least gets it to hold torque. even when I backed out the bolts last night they were clearly still at the torque values. My worry is with a 33mm bar the stock end links aren't anywhere strong enough to take autocross corner loads which can be pretty extreme. The mustang throws it's weight around pretty hard on stock suspension. I'd rather have the rattle than snap a endlink in the middle of a run.