[yandreev3]

...just be aware that once you start adding different mods that affect the same system, you have to expect custom setups...

I call BS on this. Not that your wrong, but I think if this is correct, and this sway bar cannot be used in both setting with lowering springs, then CS (or all applicable manufacturers) have failed in their design.

Lowering springs and a sway bar do not justify a 'custom setup'. More often than not, they are installed together, and should've been designed as such.
Corksport themselves make some of the lowest springs available, so you're telling me, their sway bar will not work with their springs? They have even said in another thread; they found no reason to replace the factory end links.

Either the original poster here is slammed beyond any reasonable ride height (which they're not, just saw they are on Eibach springs, which is a moderate drop), or something else is wrong.

Sure would love to hear from CS here.

If you've seen the swaybar, and where it goes, you'll understand his point. It's not cocksports problem, it's actually an issue with the mazda setup. I failed to notice in the posters pictures that he was lowered. When you're lowered, the swaybar bangs on the underside of the car.

 

[chris_top_her]

I call BS on this. Not that your wrong, but I think if this is correct, and this sway bar cannot be used in both setting with lowering springs, then CS (or all applicable manufacturers) have failed in their design.

Lowering springs and a sway bar do not justify a 'custom setup'. More often than not, they are installed together, and should've been designed as such.
Corksport themselves make some of the lowest springs available, so you're telling me, their sway bar will not work with their springs? They have even said in another thread; they found no reason to replace the factory end links.

Either the original poster here is slammed beyond any reasonable ride height (which they're not, just saw they are on Eibach springs, which is a moderate drop), or something else is wrong.

Sure would love to hear from CS here.

No, they have not failed in their design. They have designed the product to work with an OEM setup. How can they design it to work with the tens of different lowering solutions now and future?? That being said, it would make sense for these vendors (all of them, because none of them do) to mention the issue with lowering or a non OEM set up, since many just buy and bolt. The length of the end link needed varies directly with the amount of drop (or lift), AND the length of the arms on the bar being used. Just like my Autoexe adjustable endlinks; as manufactured, they do not work properly with the C/S bar and H&R springs. However, if I had Auto exe springs, and sway bar I would have not needed to modify them. Modding cars isn't always just bolt this part on and go, especially when you mix different brands. And as far as the c/s spring comment, yes you are correct. I've mentioned that to C/S myself when I was sorting out my endlink issue. I detailed what I did and I pointed that out about their springs. I don't know if they still do, but at first they were sending bars out with a sticker over the second hole for that reason. In fact, they sent me a bar with longer arms than the original one I had. I prefer that over them making it one setting, and not having the option to adjust further later after you get the appropriate equipment. On the other hand, if you are changing equipment on your car that directly affects how you car safely handles, you better understand what you are doing.

 

[Mikef5000]

If you've seen the swaybar, and where it goes, you'll understand his point. It's not cocksports problem, it's actually an issue with the mazda setup

If this is in fact the case, it is absolutely corksports problem. the factory sway bar doesn't bang the car if you're lowered... only corksports does. They need to at least clarify (that you can't go to the stiff mode), if not fix this.

In any case, I know CS tests their products, and I'm sure they tested this bar with their lowering springs. They went through the trouble of making and including billet brackets, if the endlinks were known to be a problem, they would have made and included those as well... Right?!


EDIT (after reading the above post). I'm coming across sounding like a jerk, and I'm not meaning too. I'm genuinely speaking from past experience, and from future necessity... I'm looking to order sway bars soon.

Here's my deal. Lowering springs aren't custom. There may be 5 brands available (other cars have 50 brands available), but the ride height is all within what, 1" form each other?! You're speak like we're custom welding rock-crawler suspension here or notching frames and running bags. Aftermarket sway bars should work with aftermarket springs. Period. Custom setups are different. Standard, off-the-shelf, lowering springs, are all standard enough.

My point will always come back to simply this: if Corksports rear sway bar doesn't work with Corksports lowering springs... they've failed.

The most simple solution (if this is all accurate) is that Corksport should make and offer adjustable end links. Throw in a note (on their website) saying they're required to run this swaybar with lowering springs, and boom. Done.

 

[yandreev3]

If you've seen the swaybar, and where it goes, you'll understand his point. It's not cocksports problem, it's actually an issue with the mazda setup

If this is in fact the case, it is absolutely corksports problem. the factory sway bar doesn't bang the car if you're lowered... only corksports does. They need to at least clarify (that you can't go to the stiff mode), if not fix this.

In any case, I know CS tests their products, and I'm sure they tested this bar with their lowering springs. They went through the trouble of making and including billet brackets, if the endlinks were known to be a problem, they would have made and included those as well... Right?!


EDIT (after reading the above post). I'm coming across sounding like a jerk, and I'm not meaning too. I'm genuinely speaking from past experience, and from future necessity... I'm looking to order sway bars soon.

Here's my deal. Lowering springs aren't custom. There may be 5 brands available (other cars have 50 brands available), but the ride height is all within what, 1" form each other?! You're speak like we're custom welding rock-crawler suspension here or notching frames and running bags. Aftermarket sway bars should work with aftermarket springs. Period. Custom setups are different. Standard, off-the-shelf, lowering springs, are all standard enough.

My point will always come back to simply this: if Corksports rear sway bar doesn't work with Corksports lowering springs... they've failed.

The most simple solution (if this is all accurate) is that Corksport should make and offer adjustable end links. Throw in a note (on their website) saying they're required to run this swaybar with lowering springs, and boom. Done.

You're comparing two different things. The cs swaybar doesn't bang on the first setting if it's lowered. It only bangs on the stiffer setting. If you could adjust the stock swaybar, then it'll most likely bang too.

 

[gsk3rd]

@Spencer@CorkSport Have you guys seen this thread.

 

[Brett@CorkSport]

Thanks for the tag. There are a few things going on here and it seems they all have been addressed.

We did design the bar with a STOCK setup in mind, as we first design almost all our parts. With that in mind, we have tested it on our cars with OUR lowering springs and not had an issue, on the furthest out setting. We recommend the outermost position in our instructions.

Yes as @chris_top_her has mentioned "I don't know if they still do, but at first they were sending bars out with a sticker over the second hole for that reason."
We did send the bars out in the past with a sticker over the second hole warning that it might cause issues with different setups.

Most of the time when lowering the issues isn't the bar, it's the endlink. People think the bar is the issue though because that is what they changed, but the truth is that changing the bar and lowering the height at the same time adjusts the geometry to much and thus the endlink is usually what is required to be lengthened or shortened.

I'll ask my manager if we can put a note on the listing just warning people about lowering the car.

THANKS!

EDIT: My manager suggests submitting a warranty ticket here: https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form?EQBCT=6250031a739844adaddfd91666d9c770
about the problem. He says the engineers might be interested in looking into it.

 

[gsk3rd]

SO what causes the bar is slam around in the back when I am already on the lowest setting? Installed it last night and went for a drive the neighborhood and it was slamming anytime I turned. I am going to get back under the car here in a few minutes but I am open to suggestions.

edit: also not lowered.

 

[gsk3rd]

I am so annoyed right now. I have tried everything to get the bushings to sit up against the welded ring but everytime I put the bracket on the studs it shifts one over. It looks just like the OP's images. Putting the end links on does nothing to solve this problem. I hate to think CS did something wrong in the construction but I have tried this many ways and the result is the same. Any help is appreciated.

 

[sgbrown]

CS swaybar

I am so annoyed right now. I have tried everything to get the bushings to sit up against the welded ring but everytime I put the bracket on the studs it shifts one over. It looks just like the OP's images. Putting the end links on does nothing to solve this problem. I hate to think CS did something wrong in the construction but I have tried this many ways and the result is the same. Any help is appreciated.

This sounds like an end link issue to me not the bar, as Spencer suggested. I would try replacing the end links either with new OEM or aftermarket. Energy Suspension has universal end links that are adjustable. However be advised that adjustable links can be noisy if they are not torqued up good. Looking at your photos,the end links look a little rough. I just cant see how the bar can move from side to side if its tight. End links arent too expensive and from my past experience have always been the culprit. Also, if a vehicle is lowered, one may require shorter (or adjustable) endlinks. Just a thought.

 

[gsk3rd]

This sounds like an end link issue to me not the bar, as Spencer suggested. I would try replacing the end links either with new OEM or aftermarket. Energy Suspension has universal end links that are adjustable. However be advised that adjustable links can be noisy if they are not torqued up good. Looking at your photos,the end links look a little rough. I just cant see how the bar can move from side to side if its tight. End links arent too expensive and from my past experience have always been the culprit. Also, if a vehicle is lowered, one may require shorter (or adjustable) endlinks. Just a thought.

Yea got it installed and so far its ok. I went through and re tightened everything and played with the end links a bit.

 

[MAZDA_PARTS_GUY]

Just gonna throw this out there. When I installed mine the first time I had it flipped upside down. Caused a bang the next day every time I went over the tiniest bump. You might want to rule that out. Corksport sometimes likes to print thier logo upsidedown....

 

[KennyT]

Just gonna throw this out there. When I installed mine the first time I had it flipped upside down. Caused a bang the next day every time I went over the tiniest bump. You might want to rule that out. Corksport sometimes likes to print thier logo upsidedown....

I just got my CorkSport RSB...How can you tell if it's upside down or not??

 

[Rherold9]

bar needs to swoop in like this

 

[CerealKiller]

Thanks for the tag. There are a few things going on here and it seems they all have been addressed.

We did design the bar with a STOCK setup in mind, as we first design almost all our parts. With that in mind, we have tested it on our cars with OUR lowering springs and not had an issue, on the furthest out setting. We recommend the outermost position in our instructions.

Yes as @chris_top_her has mentioned "I don't know if they still do, but at first they were sending bars out with a sticker over the second hole for that reason."
We did send the bars out in the past with a sticker over the second hole warning that it might cause issues with different setups.

Most of the time when lowering the issues isn't the bar, it's the endlink. People think the bar is the issue though because that is what they changed, but the truth is that changing the bar and lowering the height at the same time adjusts the geometry to much and thus the endlink is usually what is required to be lengthened or shortened.

I'll ask my manager if we can put a note on the listing just warning people about lowering the car.

THANKS!

EDIT: My manager suggests submitting a warranty ticket here: https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form?EQBCT=6250031a739844adaddfd91666d9c770
about the problem. He says the engineers might be interested in looking into it.

So...they've known about the problems with their bar for a very long time and have done nothing about it...

Plain and simple truth here... endlinks should not be installed at an angle. They should be perpendicular or the endlinks will be under added load/stress and fail early. Corksport knows that their bar is 30" long and that the OEM bar is 28". They know that their bar's mounting point is sitting one inch past the cars mounting point and that any endlink installed will be at an angle.

They also know that installing a Progress rear end sway bar worked with a suspension setup that their bar would not work with.

Let's see if they are willing to address a clear issue... this time.
CK

 

[CerealKiller]

Update: Return/refund of the Corksport RSB was approved and they agreed to waive the restocking fee, which was nice.

I'm SOL for the cost of the endlinks that were damaged and the cost of labor I incurred trying to get it all sorted out, but I expected that.

Their warranty person told me that they test fit the bar on a 2018 Mazda 3 hatchback and that the bar performed as it was supposed to. No problems or issues noticed.

I'm a little curious how they had the car setup for that testing, as their RSB will work properly with an OEM ride height and OEM endlinks, but has some problems when the car is lowered or upgraded endlinks are used. Especially if you use the stiffer setting on the bar, like I did. He did admit that the endlinks were angled during the testing at least.

While I am disappointed in this particular product of CS's, I still like the company and many of their other products. Their customer service is also top notch.
CK

 

[arathol]

First, yes the side arms of the CS bar appear to be longer. So, if you use the inner (stiffer) position the ends might hit the underside of the car, especially if the car is lowered and OEM endlinks are used. However, other bars might do the same if you don't reconfigure the endlinks for proper geometry. The Progress bar will, mine did a bit on big bumps. Changing the length of the endlinks when changing ride height is something that any and all vendors selling aftermarket bars should make clear. Its necessary for proper function of the bar and for longevity of the endlinks.
Now as to the particular bar in question, I've been looking at the pictures and comparing them to OEM parts and assemblies. Something I noticed is the positioning of the upper endlink joints. On CKs car, the upper joints are attached properly if you go by the OEM assembly where the links are on the outside of the bar. However, I wonder if CorkSport is attaching the links to the inside of the bar rather than the outside? That would make up for the difference in the length of the bar and the links would be closer to vertical. This doesn't solve the arm length problem but might help some with the link geometry. If so, this is not what the instructions on the CS website say.

 

[Midnightsky228]

First, yes the side arms of the CS bar appear to be longer. So, if you use the inner (stiffer) position the ends might hit the underside of the car, especially if the car is lowered and OEM endlinks are used. However, other bars might do the same if you don't reconfigure the endlinks for proper geometry. The Progress bar will, mine did a bit on big bumps. Changing the length of the endlinks when changing ride height is something that any and all vendors selling aftermarket bars should make clear. Its necessary for proper function of the bar and for longevity of the endlinks.
Now as to the particular bar in question, I've been looking at the pictures and comparing them to OEM parts and assemblies. Something I noticed is the positioning of the upper endlink joints. On CKs car, the upper joints are attached properly if you go by the OEM assembly where the links are on the outside of the bar. However, I wonder if CorkSport is attaching the links to the inside of the bar rather than the outside? That would make up for the difference in the length of the bar and the links would be closer to vertical. This doesn't solve the arm length problem but might help some with the link geometry. If so, this is not what the instructions on the CS website say.

@arathol need a job? Corksport should hire you lol

 

[CerealKiller]

After my first DIY install job didn't go too well... I had the endlinks installed on the outside, like OEM, but had a hard time tightening the bolts properly and ended up taking it to a mechanic.

The mechanic (Freddie) noticed that the endlinks were angled, which worried him, so he put the top link on the inside of the bar and the bottom link on the outside of the car's mounting point, to get them perpendicular. This applied too much load/stress on the bar and the bolts holding the billet brackets down kept coming loose, which would cause rattling and banging as the bar slid side to side. I shared two pics of this setup and got some help from forum members about correcting it.

After installing them correctly (both links on the outside of the RSB), the endlinks were angled and they applied too much load/stress on the bottom link, which would cause it to come loose and rattle. I destroyed 2 sets (4 endlinks) trying to make this setup work. I did everything I could on my own and even got two mechanics to look at it. After the first mechanic gave up (3 attempts), the second mechanic refused to put it back on the car, after he removed it, because he said it didn't fit. He installed the Progress bar with my third new set of adjustable endlinks instead.

Anyways, moving on... shipping the bar back to CS tomorrow. At my cost..
CK

 

[CerealKiller]

FYI...Not trying to bash CS. I'm just sharing my experience with this product.

As this would have been good information to have before I made my purchase.

If there website had listed any warnings that their bar may not function properly with lowered rides or non OEM endlinks, I would accept full responsibility for the failure, but it doesn't.
CK

 

[Kiyoskia]

My Corksport RSB has been clunking ever since I installed it. On Friday, I had my car on a lift and noticed the adjustable collars were both about 1/4-inch from the brackets, so I moved them both so that they were butted up against the brackets...now most of my clunking is gone, but on some hard turns, I do get a little "pop" sound back there. I'm hoping it's not ruined end links...

Stock end links.
Car is not lowered.
All nuts tightened to 30lb-ft.
Corksport RSB & brackets w/ bushings.
Installed with Corksport logo upside-right.