NA miata rear sway endlink question

I have the FM sway bar set, ran the middle setting in the rear last year. It was too stiff and caused the car to be too tail happy for my prefrences (with the stock end links).

I bought adjustable end links so this year I could run the softest setting in the rear (stocks will not reach).

It was tough to wrestle, but I got it there loosely. I am concerned with the extreme angles the endlinks have to work at, and how close they are to the spring. See picture.

The endlinks are not tightened, the suspension is not loaded. Is this much deflection okay with the urethane bushings? I understand the advantage of the adjustable links is to remove preload, but there is no way I can figure to get the lateral preload to be removed due to the placement of the control arm link bracket and the distance to the furthest (softest) setting. I'm worried I will trash these bushings if I snug down the bolts and run it.

This last picture shows how close the links come to the spring.

The entire sway needs to be removed to install these links at the softest setting as it is too close to the spring to install the bolt.

I may default back to the middle setting so I don't trash the bushings and D/C the bar for autocrosses, it just seems like a waste to buy the bar and links with good reviews and not use them.

Thanks for looking, any advice appreciated.

I know nothing of miata suspension but what if you just put the end link on the inside of the bar instead of the outside. I can't imagine it would cause any problems but like I said, ive never worked on a miata. Any pics of it with the rear on the ground and suspension compressed?

Yep, that bushing won't be too happy in that orientation. Is it possible to return those and get some adjustable rod end links? They will live much better in that sort of environment. Have you tried no rear sway bar? Not sure about the road racers but in autocross most of the fast guys don't use a rear bar.

I don't have a great answer for you regarding the deflection, but I can tell you that I had the same bar with the same Racing Beat links on my '96. They were hard to install and adjust and they had similar deflection. I switched to a set of rod end style links that I bought from Mazdaspeed. They were easy to install and adjust, but were so noisy that I couldn't stand them. They didn't stay on the car very long. I wasn't able to find a better solution but that was few years ago so there may be another choice now. I'm pretty sure that the Racing Beat links were back on the car when I sold it. Just my $0.02...

Since no one else has posted it yet - and I was very doubtful of it myself until I tried it - you don't need a rear bar on a Miata. 8)

petegossett wrote: Since no one else has posted it yet - and I was very doubtful of it myself until I tried it - you don't need a rear bar on a Miata. 8)

I had mentioned it. :)

Woody, Are you sure it was the endlinks? I had those same endlinks, and didn't notice any extra noise at all. I used them on the front of my car('94 EStock autocrosser) with the racing beat hollow bar and a stock 99 bar and didn't hear any extra noise, even with the stock exhaust.

These were the noisy ones:

It's a Moss photo, but I bought them through Mazdaspeed.

Yep, same ones I had. Weird.

Rod end ball joints will wear very quickly. They may not make noise immediately, but will be rattletraps within a year. A good example of a race car part that's not suitable for street use.

Unfortunately, there's not much you can do about a long-term solution for NA end links. Mazda didn't leave us any options for mounting, and when you go for a different angle than stock on aftermarket bars you end up with a lot of bushing deflection. The NB uses a big single tab which allows the use of ball joints, which is the best option. But short of either welding a tab on to your NA lower arms or swapping out NB arms, you're stuck with what we have. Luckily, it has proven to work over the long term, even if it is displeasing to consider.

I appreciate all the replies.

petegossett wrote: Since no one else has posted it yet - and I was very doubtful of it myself until I tried it - you don't need a rear bar on a Miata. 8)

I found my autocross times are indeed faster with no sway, but objectively I like the feel of a rear bar better.

I figured a "softer stiffer" bar would be a good compromise.

Keith Tanner wrote: Rod end ball joints will wear very quickly. They may not make noise immediately, but will be rattletraps within a year. A good example of a race car part that's not suitable for street use. Unfortunately, there's not much you can do about a long-term solution for NA end links. Mazda didn't leave us any options for mounting, and when you go for a different angle than stock on aftermarket bars you end up with a lot of bushing deflection. The NB uses a big single tab which allows the use of ball joints, which is the best option. But short of either welding a tab on to your NA lower arms or swapping out NB arms, you're stuck with what we have. "Luckily, it has proven to work over the long term, even if it is displeasing to consider."

To clarify; my options are to use rod links,or use a NB setup?

I think if that is the case, I will go back to the stock bar. Unfortunately the bushings are shot, so I will need new ones.

Your options are to use what you have - which is a proven functional setup, despite how it looks - or to use something else. NB setup involves welding and rod ends have a lifespan measured in months.

Keith Tanner wrote: Your options are to use what you have - which is a proven functional setup, despite how it looks - or to use something else. NB setup involves welding and rod ends have a lifespan measured in months.

I'm sorry, maybe I'm reading too much into this, to clarify; you are saying that the racing beat urethane bushings can function at the forward (softest) setting without getting destroyed in a short time? If so I will just snug down the bolts and run it. That would be great, I just assumed the bushings would get trashed at the angle.

Thanks again for the replies.

They do seem to survive that treatment.

^That is what I found.