Well I just bought my 07 TC. I previously owned a nicely modded Ford Probe See Here. I have done alot of the research on suspension for the TC, and I dont think I am going to go all out this time around like I did on the probe. So I decided to go with lowering springs only and sway bars. However when I got under the TC and noticed how had it looks like the front sway bar is going to be to install, I am wondering if you guys have any feedback on only running the rear on this car. I never ran the front bar on my probe and didnt have any problems.

The front already looks decsent sized, so it may not be a big deal to leave it as is. So if you are running this setup being lowering springs and really any sway bar only in the rear let me know what you think.


Josh

 

If you go Hotchkis, I would reccomend doing the front as well, or keeping the rear set softer. Too much rear without adding a stiffer front can make it very prone to bad oversteer. I beleive Hotchkis even reccomends not just using thier rear bar alone.

I am running the TRD rear on the race setting and love it. That with the TRD springs is great for a daily driver that you want to improve handling on.

The front bar is a pain to install. To do it you really need to drop the subframe a tad to get the bar in and out.

If I start autocrossing it I may go ahead and get a front and rear set, but so far I am very happy with the TRD rear.

 

Im running just the Hotchkis rear on the middle setting. Its ok for now till I can get the front on. But you can tell its just crying for the front.

 

hey engifineer so u only have a rear trd sway bar?no front?and its fine?because thats whaty i am planning to do

 

TRD only makes a rear sway and it is not as thick as the Hotchkis bar.

 

Of course, the TRD rear sway will survive the tC doing a 360º, and landing in 1.5' ditch on the side of the road, with no change to suspension properties.

Don't ask, but it wasn't my fault.

 

Yep, that is why they only make the rear. If they went much stiffer they would need to offer a front bar to keep everything balanced, like the Hotchkis setup.

The cost to stiffer sways is that you are removing more independence from the independent suspension setup. So over uneven and bumpy roads you will notice it more. Also, on street driving, when you come into a corner that has a bumpy surface you will pay a little in handling. A super stiff setup is great on a track with nice smooth surfaces, but can be a little rough to handle on bumpy city streets in the corners. So you have to determine the balance you are looking for. I hear the Hotchkis set does pretty well on the street though as long as you dont run it on the stiffest setting.

 

If you only want to do the rear, get the TRD, not the Hothckis.
I had the Hothkis rear on for one week at the stiffest and the softest setting. You could totally feel the rear end squatting and the front end lifting, so the middle was twisting, when accelerating out of corners.
The front was a PITA, but my friend and I managed. TOTALLY worth it.
With TRD springs, I had them both set to stiff and it wasn't to bad on the streets. But after switching to the Hothkis springs, I had to switch the rear to the middle setting but the front is still on stiff. to much construction around my house.