It might or might not be an end link. When I broke one on my Mazda 6s I heard a noise followed by a clunking sound whenever I turned. It could just as easily be your OE dampers wearing out or a rotted out rubber exhaust mount moving or who knows what else. My advice would be to actually diagnose the issue instead of throwing parts and money at it. But I think you already came to the same conclusion

I hear ya, but at the same time, look at how many other people here and on the 370 boards are lowered and aren't experiencing problems with broken end links. If they were not $340 + installation in your case, I'd be more inclined to say go for it.

All that aside, do a thread title search for 'end-link' and 'end-links' (here and on the370.com) he is one of a few active posters who have had issues.

 

Roger that. Good discussion and good ideas, Lego.

 

teaser pick....

 

Not that y'all asked for my opinion but... In my case at least since I'm going to have the coils installed it makes sense to me to swap them out. I'm looking at it as future proofing and hopefully avoiding any issues while driving and additional downtime.

If it breaks for me I am confident it will break at speed in heavy traffic hours from home....

 

You can still drive with a broken end link. Hell, it seems like every Mazda I'm behind has broken end links hanging down.

 

That's generally true. But you haven't experienced my luck...

 

The idea for switching to adjustable endlinks is to eliminate preload on the swaybar and also to replace my bad stock endlinks. If I had a stock suspension and stock swaybars then I would definitely go with the stock endlinks.

I was able to get off a little early yesterday and headed to my friend's shop to use the alignment rack and install the rear endlinks. Installing them is definitely not something easily done without a rack; to eliminate the preload the weight of the car should be on the wheels. I'm not sure how that would be possible without a rack.

All in all it should've taken about 45 minutes to do, but my clumsy self stripped one of the bolts on one of the stock endlinks. I couldn't get it off so we had to torch the endlink off.

I forgot to take pics but my friend did get this pic with the stock endlink glowing somewhere back there.



To test things out I found an empty lot and did some sliding around. There is a noticeable difference in the rear stability - not as night and day as when I first replaced the swaybars, but I can still tell when doing figure 8s. My old endlinks could easily be moved with just their own weight, it was almost like nunchucks in my hands.

I'm sure my front endlinks are just as bad. Rex got that link to the SPLs? :P

 

I was under the admittedly vague impression that adjustable end-links needed to be installed on a rack, not a lift. The question I didn't know how to answer was what length adjustment to apply. Thanks for confirmation on that, Tony. Makes total sense to me now.

 

For those that wondered about my MXP exhaust a while back when I got it, today I had my brother pick up my MXP Y-Pipe to complete my MXP exhaust to full CATBACK !
Installing it tomorrow, and hoping the sound will get even deeper/throatier



Also, removing my Takeda short ram intakes tomorrow as they are already sold and shipping them out, I will rock the stock ones for sometime until I get the Takeda CAIs.

 

Awww-Some! Look forward to your impressions M.

 

That's a real good looking piece of exhaust hardware.

 

Yes,sirrr me too

That's what I was thinking when my brother sent me the picture.

 

SPL Endlinks INFINITI - Race Consulting Agency - PARTS | KNOWLEDGE | PASSION

That link will take you to their page but i would suggest calling and speaking with Adam (or Krystian) for the best pricing including shipping. Let him know you were talking to me (Christian) and I told you about the $210 shipped price. I'll let him know you may be calling as well, I've decided to go SPL front and rear and will be buying them today or tomorrow.

Looking forward to hearing it Mike. What made you decide to go Takeda over Stillen?

 

The fact it doesn't require cutting and all that and also better price and looks better how theres one longer filter in the middle behind the grille connecting two intake long tubes and the additional splash shield or whatever it's called

 

Looks like we'll have to find some place we can all show off our exhausts for the next meet up. I guess the park is out of the question, unless we slip the park ranger a little cash to hang out on the other side of the park.