Gen 2: Build your own endlinks

gorillamel

Lockers Installed
Founding Member
Location
Idaho!
This original idea came from mfredieu on TNX. But, since I did it myself and made my own modifications, I figured I will post it up on here for the rest of you.

I added a lift to my X but forgot to change out my front sway bar endlinks. Eventually they were torqued for so long that they began to deteriorate and fall off the bar. Since I do not have a Titan Swap and I drive my X as if it were a race car in town, I figured I should keep the front sway bar.

Here's what I did:

Rather than go through McMaster-Carr, I went to a local store (Tacoma Screw) and bought the parts. Bill was a wee bit more expensive than I planned. Oh well, I just tell myself at least I kept my business local, haha!

Here is the McMaster-Carr product info:
$22.32 = 6072K34/2 11.16 EA --> (4= Self-Lube Bronze Race Ball Joint Rod End 1/2"-20 RH Thread Female Shank with RH Thread Stud; 42= Self-Lube Bronze Race Ball Joint Rod End 1/2"-20 RH Thread Female Shank with Lh Thread Stud)
$23.68 = 6072K14/2 11.84 EA --> (4= Self-Lube Bronze Race Ball Joint Rod End Linkage, 1/2"-20 RH Thrd Male Shank W/RH Thrd Stud; 42= Self-Lube Bronze Race Ball Joint Rod End Linkage, 1/2"-20 RH Thrd Male Shank W/Lh Thrd Stud)
$12.00 = Hardware (4 1/2-20 Nylon-Insert Hex Locknuts, 2 1/2-20 Hex Nuts, 8 1/2 Washers)
$62.00 = Total (including $5 shipping from McMaster Carr)
IMG_20101002_190704.jpg


Here are the pics:
pu3ubaha.jpg

All the parts I used. Tacoma did not have the male parts with the ball bearing threads attached. So we came up with a modified plan to make my own.

navanuqu.jpg

Old endlink (bottom) w/ two halves of new.

4a7a6ynu.jpg

Had to drill the sway bar holes to make room for the new screws (1/2"-20) and had to clean out the pass side mount hole (plugged up with yuckiness) with the drill.

anumy4us.jpg

Final product

I'll need to go get locking nuts or use some loctite to prevent those top ones from falling off. But what I have on there should do for now since I torqued the crap out of them.

Took about 1.5-2h simply because my X is old and worn and it took some manpower to remove some stuff. PB blaster might be helpful, too.
 

civicjoe

lone wolf mod
Founding Member
Location
Nevada
Great work there Mel! I probably should have drilled out the holes for the prg ones but I eventually got them in!


Sent from the Nighthog mobile command unit.
 

J Everett

Suspension Lift
Founding Member
Location
Houma, LA
Great job, Mel!



Would this help with the steering play that the Xterras usually have?


Nope. Not at all. Only ways to tighten that up are to make sure the rack is bolted down solidly, check that the tie rod ends and ball joints are not worn and that the U-joints in the steering input shaft are not loose. If you still have play after that, then the rack and pinion is probably worn, but the chances of that are minimal. Now, first gen Xterras have a lot more steering play because they have a recirculating ball steering box instead of a rack and pinion, and the swaybar and endlinks won't fix that either.
 
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