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Hotchkis Sway Bars... Anyone using them??

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Old Apr 4, 2010 | 12:37 AM
  #1  
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NJBLK07GT
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Default Hotchkis Sway Bars... Anyone using them??

Is anyone out there running these bars? Looking for pros and cons if you are. Like the fact that they are adjustable for the front and rear. Any input would be welcome.

Thanks
Old Apr 5, 2010 | 12:22 PM
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I'm running them. Extremely well made set of swaybars and the adjustablility is great. They even clear my BMR relocation brackets perfectly. Some say they are too large but well balanced front to rear. I'm very happy with them.

With the soft, high range of travel Roush springs I'm running they are perfect. Nice compliant ride for my daily driver with no body roll. No "cons" to them in my book.

They were a bit harsh with stiff springs but once I swapped to the Roush springs I was very pleased.
Old Apr 5, 2010 | 05:51 PM
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I sell them.. I think they are way too damned big, but they are beautiful.

You know, I also make adjustable and hollow bars for this car (at both ends). And my sizing is more "normal". I run a 3-way 35mm front and a 3-way 22mm rear. Hotchkis is 38 and 25mm respectively. We use a very similar adjustment design. But my bars are $379/set or if you want to make them more similar in price to Hotchkis you can add adjustable endlinks as well (3 different types). Think of it this way. For similar money you get the links for free.

Seriously, Hotchkis doesn't make springs for this car. So they just get all their roll control from the bars. And that's not ideal. I'm more of a moderate spring, moderate bar kind of guy. And between my own car and the Shelby GT I autox I've gotten to mess with a number of setups, and frankly I find the Hotchkis bars to just be too big. There is a point at which bigger is no longer better.
Old Apr 5, 2010 | 06:41 PM
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how are the eibach sways
Old Apr 5, 2010 | 06:44 PM
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They aren't bad... but the rear one is not adjustable, and not hollow. I have a lot of time on Eibach bars and felt I could better (fwiw Steeda bars are also 35/22, like Eibach). Strano bars are the same size, but the rear is hollow (about 5 pounds lighter) and 3-way adjustable too.

I sell Eibach, and Hotchkis, and Steeda too... and a few others. I'm sure I built a better mousetrap.
Old Apr 6, 2010 | 03:08 PM
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Originally Posted by Sam Strano
They aren't bad... but the rear one is not adjustable, and not hollow. I have a lot of time on Eibach bars and felt I could better (fwiw Steeda bars are also 35/22, like Eibach). Strano bars are the same size, but the rear is hollow (about 5 pounds lighter) and 3-way adjustable too.

I sell Eibach, and Hotchkis, and Steeda too... and a few others. I'm sure I built a better mousetrap.
Sam,

Does a hollow 22mm bar have the same roll stiffness as a solid 22mm bar?

Dave
Old Apr 6, 2010 | 03:21 PM
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Slightly less at full soft, similiar to but just slightly stiffer than a 22 in the middle, and stiffer at full stiff.

Yes the bar is hollow (which doesn't matter as much as you think), but my bar also has less linear length, less twists and turns, which stiffens it compared to a bar shaped like a stock Ford bar. Mine is not shaped that way, which is why mine won't work on a convertible. Sorry convertible guys....
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