Is it really worth getting a front sway bar?
I already have a
DC Sports front strut bar,
Ingalls 4 point rear strut bar,
C pillar bar,
Progress adjustable rear sway bar

Will a front sway bar make any difference?

 

If you thought the FSB, RSB, and Cpillar was worth getting, you'll love the front sway

 

I feel a heck of difference with all the bars i have installed now, but how come nobody sells the front sway bar solo! I only see it sold with the front & rear sway, or just the rear sway?

 

You don't need it unless you're hardcore into racing/autocross. Even then, not really necessary. Dan Gardner still runs an OEM front sway on his race car.

You can't buy a separate one b/c the sets that exist are made to work together. You don't really want to be mixing and matching those things. Could very well cause unstable handling and dangerous conditions.

 

well i do plan to auto cross this spring/summer

 

Anyone know any front sway bar thats a good combo with a progress rear sway?

 

Call Hotchkis on the phone and tell them you need a replacement front sway bar. They will most likely just charge for the front w/ bushings (tell them you got into an accident or something) and you'll have just your front! I run front and rear Hotchkis on tightest settings DD street and it's amazing how flat and stable it feels in the corners. I can't wait until I get my Direzza Z1 Star Spec tires on, it'll be insane coming from the Pirelli's I've got now with only 3/32" left.

 

^ honestly it may handle even better if u took the front off full stiff and set it on soft. mine had a tendacy to understeer a little w/ the front on stiff. personally id rather have a little oversteer. but thats just me.

 

Gonna chime and say i do love my hotchkis set. It was expensive, due to installation, but it is very nice.

 

yea, if u can manage to install it yourself, do it and say the money. me and my buddy did mine in about an hour and half. was fairly painless but me and him are fairly car savvy

 

I might just Try this out

 

I started with it on softer setting and it was definitely an improvement but as my tires wore further and further over time, I decided to bring back a little grip to keep a larger contact patch and it did noticeably improve handling without any additional understeer but as these tires get worse and worse like they have, it doesn't matter what I do lol. I know where you are coming from though. I may go back to the lighter setting to play with things after I get my new tires.

 

MY biggest issue was not having proper set-up and tools for the job. And being only one guy...

 

its that much of a B**** to install it!....

 

If you have a lift and are comfortable lowering the subframe (not hard with air tools) then it is actually pretty easy. The same goes for the rear motor mount replacement but many people don't have access to these tools so that's where it can become frustrating.

 

I had hand tools and a jack and I thought shocks and springs were harder to install (just a little more nuts and screws). Hotchkis gives detailed install instructions. Did you already install them DMC? or are you asking if they are a B to install?

 

I have the rear installed already, and it was kinda a pain in @$$, but I managed with a jack stands, I was just wondering if the front was any more difficult or easier?

 

if you thought the rears were a pain, you'll hate the front. i just took my time with the install. I probably thought the sways were easier compared to struts/springs because it took me about half of the time. sorry to mislead you, but i totally thought that the install was worth it to save my $300 install quote.

 

Quoted for truth...Don't install the Hotchkis front bar unless you plan the replace the Progress rear bar with the Hotchkis rear bar. The Progress rear bar is 22MM in diameter and the Hotchkis rear bar is 27MM in diameter...very big difference in size.

 

Thanks for the tip