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the difference between "race" and "tuner" parts - TRG vs. agency power

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Old 07-05-2006, 01:19 AM
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karlooz
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Default the difference between "race" and "tuner" parts - TRG vs. agency power

here are adjustible front swaybar links from TRG and agency power. the agency power heim joints are puny and kept braking. the TRG parts (i'm using gt2 swaybar links) are engineered rather than just put together. the TRG links give better range of motion and don't bind. at max lock the agency power links tightened up and tended to brake right at max lock. even though vividracing promptly sent me replacements, after my third set of heim joints, i was done with agency power... at least with their front sway bar links.
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Old 07-05-2006, 07:43 AM
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jkb
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Originally Posted by karlooz
here are adjustible front swaybar links from TRG and agency power. the agency power heim joints are puny and kept braking. the TRG parts (i'm using gt2 swaybar links) are engineered rather than just put together. the TRG links give better range of motion and don't bind. at max lock the agency power links tightened up and tended to brake right at max lock. even though vividracing promptly sent me replacements, after my third set of heim joints, i was done with agency power... at least with their front sway bar links.
hey dude... can i stop by for a few minutes and hear your GHL?
Old 07-05-2006, 11:05 AM
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JimB
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Carlos,
I had to laugh a little bit at your post. I purchased my first drop links from TRG. I broke them both in one weekend. Obviously that have improved them greatly since then.
Jim
Old 07-05-2006, 12:29 PM
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karlooz
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Originally Posted by JimB
Carlos,
I had to laugh a little bit at your post. I purchased my first drop links from TRG. I broke them both in one weekend. Obviously that have improved them greatly since then.
Jim
lol, i remember you telling me that the TRG parts are consumables. i had a look at them in person before i bought them and i was impressed by the the size of the joint 5/8"-3/8" vs. 3/8"-1/4". the conical machined spacers are a nice touch too. they increased rotation by 15~20 degrees and no longer bind. which drop links do you use? ERP?
Old 07-05-2006, 12:34 PM
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karlooz
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Originally Posted by jkb
hey dude... can i stop by for a few minutes and hear your GHL?

sorry, GHL's are long gone. i have fabspeed now
Old 07-05-2006, 12:41 PM
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Originally Posted by karlooz
sorry, GHL's are long gone. i have fabspeed now
can i ask you why you switched?
Old 07-05-2006, 01:05 PM
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Originally Posted by karlooz
lol, i remember you telling me that the TRG parts are consumables. i had a look at them in person before i bought them and i was impressed by the the size of the joint 5/8"-3/8" vs. 3/8"-1/4". the conical machined spacers are a nice touch too. they increased rotation by 15~20 degrees and no longer bind. which drop links do you use? ERP?
To be fair to TRG, the second set they sent were very strong and lasted a long time. I'm pretty sure I have ERPs now.

I've stopped using heim joints from any of these companies including Porsche Motorsports. We found a local company that will sell to my mechanic that has heim joints many times stronger than what comes on the suspension components and for a fraction the cost. I assume they are intended for industrial use.
Jim
Old 07-05-2006, 01:56 PM
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evolvedaz
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Carlos... Haven't I helped you by sending you extra heims for free and the updated beefy ones? We have sold TONS and TONS of these and we have not seen this problem elsewhere. If the links are not at the correct length, it is possible to have to much torsion on them and that is why the heims can break.
Old 07-05-2006, 02:09 PM
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Originally Posted by jkb
can i ask you why you switched?

the GHLs sounded wimpy, almost stock sounding. i went with GHL loud and they were only marginally louder. i double checked with GHL and they confirmed that they sent me the "loud" version.

fabspeeds are louder than the GHL but not necessarily a better sound... they are on par. PSE, on the other hand, is the BEST sound and volume.
Old 07-05-2006, 02:26 PM
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karlooz
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Originally Posted by vividracing
Carlos... Haven't I helped you by sending you extra heims for free and the updated beefy ones? We have sold TONS and TONS of these and we have not seen this problem elsewhere. If the links are not at the correct length, it is possible to have to much torsion on them and that is why the heims can break.

hey dan,

yes you have been VERY helpful with the replacements. the one's in the picture ARE the beefy ones and they are still way smaller than the TRG ones. as you can see from the pics the shaft diameter is not beefy enough. the problem is when the links are at full lock, they bind then bend then finally break. there isn't enough range of motion. also, you need a stack of spacers between the hub carrier and the heim joint. without the spacers the angles the drop links are subjected too are even worse.

i have tried the links short, long and everywhere in between. defintely short is the worst scenario, there isn't enough range of motion. long is ok but the joints still bind.

the agency power links have broken 6 times and i was done with them. i am a good enough wrench to know how to install them properly. thanks for the help.
Old 07-05-2006, 03:19 PM
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Carlos, I agree 1000%. FWIW, there are a couple of stock/sprint/oval car chassis companies that that will custom make any suspension link/component you want at about 1/10th the cost, of course it's not spray painted blue, but they are NASCAR spec. I'll get you their contact info.
Chris
Old 07-05-2006, 03:59 PM
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I know what you mean Karlooz. I had a couple of customers that bought them only to have the same thing happen I did tell Vivid Racing back in the day but not sure they took note of it. It seems to bind and the curved ones do help somewhat with the geometry with some of the different sway bars....
Old 07-07-2006, 02:05 PM
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Originally Posted by karlooz
the GHLs sounded wimpy, almost stock sounding. i went with GHL loud and they were only marginally louder. i double checked with GHL and they confirmed that they sent me the "loud" version.

fabspeeds are louder than the GHL but not necessarily a better sound... they are on par. PSE, on the other hand, is the BEST sound and volume.
I have FabSpeed installed by the PO. They sound great, but do you have a problem clamping them to the stock pipe using the stock clamps? I can pull my mufflers off without loosening the clamps. Is there an aftermarket clamp I can use?
Old 07-07-2006, 02:09 PM
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Originally Posted by C4S Surgeon
Carlos, I agree 1000%. FWIW, there are a couple of stock/sprint/oval car chassis companies that that will custom make any suspension link/component you want at about 1/10th the cost, of course it's not spray painted blue, but they are NASCAR spec. I'll get you their contact info.
Chris
Here's a great place:

http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Search...x?keyword=heim
Old 07-07-2006, 02:45 PM
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karlooz
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ya sharky, even though vividracing (dan) has been REALLY good about replacements, i just don't want to replace them anymore.. well... at least as frequent.

Originally Posted by sharkster
I know what you mean Karlooz. I had a couple of customers that bought them only to have the same thing happen I did tell Vivid Racing back in the day but not sure they took note of it. It seems to bind and the curved ones do help somewhat with the geometry with some of the different sway bars....


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