Connecting rods play a vital role in vehicle comfort and safety and due to their location and design are subject to strong external forces meaning replacement is often required. Steering and suspension experts SWAG have engineered high quality replacement solutions for the aftermarket.

Located low down and close to the road connecting rods are vulnerable to damage and corrosion. Both joints are completely exposed to water and road debris and can sustain serious damage. In particular rubber boots can be affected by flying road debris and this makes it easier for water and dirt to find its way into the joints. Consequently, the protective grease will be washed out and the ball pin oxidises. As a result of this, the roughened ball surface increases wear to the plastic ball cup, which leads to the joint moving around and causing noise.

SWAG supplies a range of high quality replacement connecting rods. For example SWAG Part No. 50 79 0004 is designed to fit VW, Seat and Ford, applications and is engineered to avoid many of the common problems which connecting rods have to face.

The component features a high performance rubber compound to ensure the required flexibility of the rubber bellow, which is perfectly shaped to fit the joint system at each angle and is resistant to grease. To complement this, the locking rings are specifically designed for this application, in order to support the sealing characteristics of the rubber boot.

High performance grease ensures a perfect lubrication of the ball cup and the ball pin. This means the whole system is protected from corrosion and can therefore offer a long a reliable service life.

SWAG also point out that connecting roads can also be damaged by the use of unsuitable tools when fitting. Also contact between the rubber bellows and  aggressive liquids such as brake fluid, or contact with other parts through an accident impact can also cause damage to the rubber bellows. This in turn can lead to premature failure of the connecting rod.

For these reasons the condition of connecting rods needs to be checked on a regular basis with high quality replacements fitted where required. SWAG also recommends that when replacing a connecting rod the technician should always refer to the manufacturers’ fitting instructions.