I have a few questions for you guys...

When you got the bars installed, was removing the suspension (shock + springs) necessary at all? What was involved in the installation?

The reason why I ask is because I have a set of coilovers that I have my heart set on--and I would like to run the Hotchkis Sway bars.

Now, let's pretend that I had both parts sitting in front of me...which would you personally get installed first and why...I'm confused, and i don't want to make installing a certain part before or after another screw up the suspension work that I just installed...

I am pretty sure I can tackle the coilovers myself--but would have to take it to possibly longo for the sway bars...I was thinking, Sway bars at longo, take her home, and throw on the coilovers...main question is--will self installing coilovers mess with the front sway bars that just got installed?

What would you guys do?

Thanks a million.

or what about vice versa sway bars first then coilovers

Ok, I have the sway bar set and coilovers.

the front subassembly must be lowered in order to remove the factory sway and have the hotchkis bar installed. if you have a lift and air tools, it takes about two hours to install the front bar. the rear bar takes all of 15 minutes.

total time install for coilovers is about 45 minutes, and that includes taking off the front wheels. and that was by myself.

any questions, come see me at the El Toro meet.

I forgot to add:

I originally installed Spy springs in my xB the week I bought it. The sway bars were installed in november(?) when they were released and bought thru the group buy. And then I put the coilovers in 1 1/2 weeks ago when I bought them from Ken (NCP31).

If I had the sways and coilovers at the same time, I would get them installed at the same time. That is, if you have access to a lift. If not, find a shop to install your bars and do the coilovers yourself. A dealership will charge you some insane rate of 4-5 hours for the sway bar install! It only takes two hours!

I forgot to add:

I originally installed Spy springs in my xB the week I bought it. The sway bars were installed in november(?) when they were released and bought thru the group buy. And then I put the coilovers in 1 1/2 weeks ago when I bought them from Ken (NCP31).

If I had the sways and coilovers at the same time, I would get them installed at the same time. That is, if you have access to a lift. If not, find a shop to install your bars and do the coilovers yourself. A dealership will charge you some insane rate of 4-5 hours for the sway bar install! It only takes two hours!

not to hi-jack a thread .... but what are you doing w/ the spy's????? btw, i didn't get a chance to tell ya last sat (busy workin on the lights) but the coilovers dropped the box nicely ..... man i need to make more :cry:

Wow Squirrel, good job on the sways...talk about handy!

JDMxB, I had Longo install mine (---not a big tool guy) anyways, it was quite a day, Squirrel makes it sound like a cake walk and like he has been installing them for some time.

When Longo did it, it took them more than five hours! They had to put my xB up a couple of times and do an alignment after because it was tracking or something...I'm very glad they did. Mad props to the crew over there for being thorough! My cherryBox drove straight and had an even more solid feel than before so even though it took a while I am glad that they took their time and not slap them on so, I wouldn't have to come back with any problems...

Verone kept checking on it and telling me it's still up there and the frame is off of it...I wish he would have let me see!

It all sounded pretty serious with the frame separated from the body, engine, etc...

Don't know about the coilovers, I'm jealous...but, that would be what I would get and just skip the springs...Are you going for a mad drop?

Al.Truistic
aB

Ok, I have the sway bar set and coilovers.

the front subassembly must be lowered in order to remove the factory sway and have the hotchkis bar installed. if you have a lift and air tools, it takes about two hours to install the front bar. the rear bar takes all of 15 minutes.

total time install for coilovers is about 45 minutes, and that includes taking off the front wheels. and that was by myself.

any questions, come see me at the El Toro meet.

I forgot to add:

I originally installed Spy springs in my xB the week I bought it. The sway bars were installed in november(?) when they were released and bought thru the group buy. And then I put the coilovers in 1 1/2 weeks ago when I bought them from Ken (NCP31).

If I had the sways and coilovers at the same time, I would get them installed at the same time. That is, if you have access to a lift. If not, find a shop to install your bars and do the coilovers yourself. A dealership will charge you some insane rate of 4-5 hours for the sway bar install! It only takes two hours!

Thanks a lot Squirrel--that seems to be exactly the answer I'm looking for.

Looks like i'm taking the sway set when I get them or I may just do what Al truistic did and buy them from longo as well as have them install it...V told me that they still charge only 2 hours, no matter how long it would really take, he also told me about your story Al..haha, crazy.

Seeing as how I don't have access to a lift OR air tools...i'll have the sways installed FIRST, then go ahead and do the coilovers myself. Hopefully that won't mess anything up!

Thanks fellas.

Yeah, V didn't charge more than two housrs for the install of the sways...I figure they worked longer than that so I got a pretty good deal...

Enjoy the ride!

Al.Truistic
aB


Looks like i'm taking the sway set when I get them or I may just do what Al truistic did and buy them from longo as well as have them install it...V told me that they still charge only 2 hours, no matter how long it would really take, he also told me about your story Al..haha, crazy.

Seeing as how I don't have access to a lift OR air tools...i'll have the sways installed FIRST, then go ahead and do the coilovers myself. Hopefully that won't mess anything up!

Thanks fellas.

That install took foreverrrrrrrrrrrrr. We had 2 techs on it. When we put the sways on our xA (Rich's new project car) the car drove soo much better.

well, I've been wrenching on cars for over 21 years now, off and on. hard to believe I'm 39, but I act like I'm 18! I did the sway install on my matrix also. spring swaps are generally the same since most are macs up front, and some variation in back. scions are easy and the rears are the easiest I've ever worked on. spring compressors are needed to remove the factory springs from the shocks. I didn't need them when I took off the Spy equipped struts when I installed the coilovers.

you guys can check out my xB at El Toro. just look for the secret squirrel bobblehead that'll be on the dash.

it rides sooooooooooooooo much better now. now its time to get rid of the kuhmo tires and slap on some parada spec-2s or neo-gens!