Simple question.
Best sway bar?

I've searched, but there weren't really any ride-quality comparisons.

 

It's all subjective, I think. People are going to usually tell you theirs is the best b/c it's what they have. Unless they've actually had multiple bars.

I think Hotchkis is the thickest though. I just installed the rear bar on my tC yesterday (have yet to do the front of the set). I can't really give a real review or anything yet b/c I haven't REALLY driven it to find out. Waiting to get my new tires on, Friday.

But I can assure you, the difference in thickness and weight between the Hotchkis and the OEM is ridiculous. Even the front Hotchkis bar is thicker and heavier than the OEM rear bar.

 

I have used both the TRD rear and the Hotchkis rear only and the Hotchkis is much stiffer. Whether or not you need the stiffness is up to you, but there is no reason to scoff at the TRD bar. It is a definite improvement over stock and is great for daily driving. The Hotchkis being much stiffer will affect the ride quality over uneven pavement like speed bumps and driveway entrances more than the TRD, but is better suited if you plan to AutoX or open track your car.

 

hotchki's is the extreme route.. it is indeed the thickest one.. but all in all i would suggest getting the Progress one.

btw, i have the hotchki's.

 

ive had TRD,hotchkis,PROGRESS
i think PROGRESS is by far the best, but then again they are one of my partial sponsors....

but the Hotchkis wasnt that bad either

 

I got the Progress and I'm pretty happy with.

 

Im just asking why u change to hotchkis sways instead of the TRD sway?I just bought mine an havent installed it yet..

 

I went with the Hotchkis because I went with the hotchkis springs as well. I figured keep them the same since hotchkis does a lot of testing on their products, and I love the feel. Hotchkis has the TVS1 kit which gives you both springs and sway bars. Not like I race, but I love to ____ off the girlfriend and take turns faster then her Cavalier can !!!

 

I plan on doing quite a few track days with my car and after using the TRD setup I found the rear was not stiff enough for it. There was too much body roll in the transitions and it took too long for the car to recover so I felt the Hotchkis setup would be better suited for me. I havent been to the track with the new bars yet, but based on my experience so far with the Hotchkis setup on the softest setting, the car stays much flatter and transitions much quicker. Im going to leave it on the softest setting for my first track session to see how the car rotates before I start dialing in more stiffness. I dont want to have a car that wants to oversteer readily.

Heres a writeup I did of my last track day with the TRD parts:

https://www.scionlife.com/forums/vie...low+fuel+tires

 

I went with progress since

A. It's cheap.
B. It's perfectly balanced...not too stiff, but I can get life-throttle oversteer when I need it.
C. Hotckis is expensive...and you don't need a front sway.
D. Toyota thinks their competent enough to do the suspension on all of their pro celeb tC's and their pace car.


Now if only I can get a sponsorship...

 

get off your a** and find a sponsor,they aint just gonna come to you

 

Thanks for getting back at me about the sway bars an stuff glad u made it easier for me,,Later on i might go w/hotchkis when i get going w/track racing i'll see u someday on the track wat u say im still a working process..

 

Where's the cheapest place to get the Progress sway bar?

 

I'd say we have one of the better prices.

$184 shipped to your door.
http://www.dezod.com/pd_progress_rear_sway.cfm

 

yes Joe, you do, as far as customer price goes......

 

Why thank you!

We are also an Authorized dealer for Progess. Meaning full warranty support through the manufacturer. I just purchased a Progress rear sway for my tC and it showed up earlier today. So I can safely say I greatly appreciate the Progress line.

 

hmmmm i see, after reading through that whole forum rite there, i still dont have a clue on what to get for sway bars. Im sorta leaning towards the hotchkis side right now but dont know wassup yet

 

PROGRESS is one of those underdogs, IMO
but awesome stuff

 

One of the ONLY reasons I went with Progress over Hotchkis was that the Progress rear sway bar came with new, adjustable, end links.
As I understand it, Hotchkis does not. This has led some, not all, but some people to have some problems with damaging/breaking read end links.
Also, again only -some- people have had issues with their front Hotchkis sway bar rubbing.

Both are great companies, both have had great reviews. In a linear progression of street to sport setups, i'd probably say TRD, Progress, Hotchkis in that order from all the many posts i've read.

I'm a progress bar owner myself (plug: Dezod rocks), just to put that out there.