Hi
I need help in the correct installation of Billstein droplinks. I'm posting here because I think that there are more Turbo owners with damptronics installed Here's my situation, I have a 07 C4S and had the damptronics installed and subsequently H and R sway bars. After the sway bar install, the car has started making clunking noises even when I am driving straight on relatively even pavement.

Here is my question, are the droplinks supposed to attach to the "inboard" side of the swaybar, ie inside out OR are they supposed to attach the the "outboard" side. In other words, if I am looking straight at the wheel well, should I see the ball joint facing me or should I see the nut and bolt as seen here? I have included pictures of my right front wheel.

 

for the sake of comparison, I am posting a picture of another well known 6speeder, Cannga's car. Although he has upgraded droplinks, they are clearly installed going "outside in". Ironically, it is the same installer. This is his right wheel.

Can- thank you for the Pm's
David

 

you can have a helper turn the steering wheel side to side and watch to see which way has less binding (front wheels in the air). That is what I did when I installed mine. It ended up being the opposite of stock (inboard vs outboard) when using the stock front sway

 

so basically you're saying that it is not critical if they are inboard v. outboard. My installer essentially said the same thing but these noises are driving me crazy...

 

Last week I noticed my Bilstein front drop links were bent and making loud clunking noises. I'm not sure how that happened. I ordered some adjustable Tarett Engineering replacements and they work great - no clunking and my lap times this weekend were the fastest I've ever turned. We shortened them up compared to the Damptronic drop links to account for lowered ride height and Bilstein told me they have now redesigned their current drop link compared to the ones I received a year ago. (I don't know what the difference between the two is though.) If you compare the link diameters in the two photos above, you can clearly see the difference between Bilstein oem and Tarett aftermarket and Bilstein is basically a steel rod while Tarett is machined aluminum. You might want to call Bilstein warranty in California and see if you have the old version or new and, just as a thought, you might connect them to the softest setting on your sways to see if that eliminates the clunking. If so, that would suggest in my mind that the links are too long in the medium or stiff settings for your car's lowered profile which is causing the front sway to preload and that's what causes the noise. An adjustable link would likely solve that problem. Not sure if any of this is applicable in your case but hope if gives you something to think about and consider. Best,

 

Thanks. I checked the droplinks and one was loose which was resulting in the clunking noise. According to my installer, the billstein will not honor the warranty with non billstein droplinks. I'll have to call billstein and see if they will send me the new ones. Then again, the car is not making strange noises and maybe I should leave it alone.

 

well, there is an optimal orientation. One way will lead to binding and potential failure of the link. The other way should be fine. I just can't remember which way mine ended up - I just know it was opposite orientation than stock

 

I have mine installed the way Todd from AWE recommended, :

The tab/shock assembly is angled slightly, not vertical, so with the end link installed from the rear like on your car, it "over arcs" when turning the steering wheel and stresses the bond between the plastic and metal.
When installed from the front, the end is on the "down" side of the tab and it is not stressed when turning.

 

that's a nice diagram^