Are adjustable drop links just terrible?

Several months ago, I installed Feal 441 coil overs and set the ride height to the GT3 ride height. In the process, I had to find and install adjustable front drop links, because the factory links were way too long. I first tried an "off brand" that had pretty good reviews but when I received them, I could tell they were poorly made. So I decided to go big and spend for the @Tarett Engineering drop links. I have had the links off and on more than a dozen times trying to get the links to be quiet. I finally got the left link in phase and silent, but the right side link still creaks and groans on turns and slow undulations. I first called Tarett and spoke with a very helpful tech named "Matt", who gave me some tests to run to isolate the noise at the link. He told me that if the noise was indeed in the link, they would replace the link ends � perhaps they were damaged or faulty. I unweighted the suspension and turned the wheel left and right: same groaning noise. Still unweighted, I disconnected the right side link and turned the wheel side to side: no groaning noise. I put the car back on the ground (weighted, link disconnected): no noise. Reattached the link: noise returns. Since then I called @Tarett Engineering every day for a week � no answer. Left four voicemails. Emailed them twice. Completed their "contact us" form on their website. No response, no call back... crickets. I don't want to just dish on a supplier of otherwise excellent (if expensive) parts, but I'm at a loss. Does anyone here 1) have any tricks for silencing consistently creaky drop links, or 2) have an "in" with Tarett or otherwise know how to reach them? This has been a bad experience. I didn't want to call out the vendor in the title of my post, but this is both a bad product experience and a bad vendor experience. I would love to have them change my opinion.

I hope its not the norm. I think as of the new year(or maybe last summer) Ira (previous owner) retired and handed over the buisness. I cant remember the details but i have not seen any other complaints. Maybe they r away for a few days. Over christmas they were away for 2 weeks and didnt have any notification on their site. I didnt get an alert emaul till after i had bought a few items. I say keep trying to get a hold if them.

I'm sorry to hear that. I've always found their customer service to be stellar, even when I was calling them multiple times per day with different questions. I must have hogged all of their goodwill... I also agree with trying to work with them. This is very unlike them, and I think there is a reasonable explanation for radio silence. If you absolutely need those rod ends soon, you could always order the appropriate ones from a distributor of FK or Aurora bearings.

Thanks. I they had gone to LuftWater (something like that?) but that was a couple of weeks ago before my outreach efforts. I'll keep trying. and thanks for the reference to the other link end vendors. Hopefully Tarett will resurface.

Quotes source post: 20589899

So with both wheels unweighted the link should have no tension on it. I don't understand what part of it would be making noise.

Quotes source post: 20589899

Not sure how plastic/Teflon-lined rod-ends could make "groans creaks" like that. sounds more like a rubber bushing type noise maybe..? I'd spray liberally the sway bar bushings with some plastic rubber protector like Armor All. It will lubricate (&preserve) the bushing/joint taking any groan bushing noise away. Try to get it right in the bushing. Maybe push the sway bar a little out of the bushing and see if its clean or gummed up, clean & spray that area heavy. See if that changes the noise. Doubtful the rod end can make that type of noise, but maybe try if all else fails, too liberally spray the rod ends plastic Teflon parts with Armor All. See if that changes anything... You sure the sway bar bushings are the correct size for the bar..? Just some stuff to try if ya want... jmo

I�ve had nothing but excellent service from Tarrett. No issues with their sway bars or drop links. Did you lubricate the id of the sway bar bushing?

Never had any problems with Tarret products or service over the years. Heard ownership just changed but I havent seen any issues in service so far in 2026. Been in contact with them a few times this year on refresh items and they were responsive. I have run the Tarret GT3 Sway bars and Tarret drop links for over 15 years and have had no problems. I just replaced the bushings on the sway bars which are the OE 996 GT3 bushings. Drop links are in fine shape and functioning properly.

Thanks for these tips. I'll try the bushing lube trick but it certainly seems isolated in the right end link after the diagnostic tests I ran. Will report back.

I am a bit more inclined to suspect the groaning may be coming from the coil overs, specifically the springs rubbing against the top or bottom perches as you turn the steering wheel. On my car, I have installed a set of "thrust sheets: between the perch and the spring, https://3dmmotorsport.com/collection...-thrust-sheets Tarett's always been good to me. There was email from them in recent history about the founders retiring, and I am not sure whether that has had any impact on their daily business ops. Good luck!

following as i'll be doing a similar set up.

I've followed all the advice I've gotten from RL and from the very limited guidance I've gotten from @Tarett Engineering and it sure seems to me that the noise is coming from the top end of the right side drop link. Here's a video where I am reproducing the sound: https://drive.proton.me/urls/0SN0FH684C#2LgJdLueM2R6 For reference, the car is on a 4-post rack with the suspension loaded. Splash guard is off because I was checking the sway bar bushings, which are fine. Just flexing the right end link by hand reproduces the groaning/creaking noise at the right end link. The left link is totally fine. It seems to me that this is the result of a flaw in the right side end link itself. The top ball is binding in the link end (eye). If I can find a replacement link end I can just do that, but for the price I paid for these drop links I feel like I shouldn't have to. If I were Tarett, I'd want to make this right and replace what appears to be a faulty component. This noise has persisted for months since I first installed the links and I'm have no luck getting @Tarett Engineering to answer the phone or respond to email, let alone fix the problem. Nice looking (and expensive) parts but my customer service experience has been very poor. I'm not just tagging them here to $hitpost on them. I have emailed them and called them at least a dozen times and to date, I've had one actual conversation with them and only one email response. I will be disinclined to order parts from them in the future. Congratulations to those who have had better customer service experiences with them.

Posting back for a quick update. Probably unrelated but I did just get a call back from their support team. They are sending new link rod ends to swap out under warranty. Credit to Tarett for making good on it, but the timeliness needs improvement.

Quick update: Tarett sent me replacement rod ends for the adjustable drop links. After pulling the offending drop link and replacing the ends whaddya know??? Quiet! As I had suspected after extensive experimentation, the noise was indeed the upper link end on the right side. Thanks to Tarett for making good on the part (no charge) even though it took a long time to get the issue resolved. They must have just had a bad batch of ends from a supplier. The 996 is finally a joy to drive again!