Been reading about the front/rear sway bar combo and the issues that come with it, such as rubbing and noise. And the fact that Hotchkis wont help with this issue.

I hear the performance gains are great, but I can't deal with the expense of damaging my tc.

Can anyone give me some guidance?

 

i heard the same thing, but not on stock height. the people i knew had lower cars, and they said it would only rub if lowered. but since most, if not all, tC owners with hotchkis sways will have springs/coilovers that could be an issue.

i got lucky that someone was selling their set, i took the rear and someone esle took the front sway.

 

yea.. i'm already lowered trd height

 

... you got lucky that you're driving a dangerous car? Awesome

Call Hotchkis and ask them why you shouldn't only run their rear bar, and why they don't sell them separately

I've never heard of anyone rubbing or noises from the hotchkis bars except on Tein coilovers, and the first run of bars didn't have the anti-slide-rings on the bars where the rubber bushings are, so they could shift and hit something, but that issue has long since been corrected, and Hotchkis will replace any set of the originals for free, and the Hotchkis/Tein issue isn't with Hotchkis, it's with the Teins.

Goodluck on whatever you choose, just remember the front bar install takes much longer than the rear.

 

i have tein s tech springs and hotchkis sways, and the noise is killing me
although i forgot to use the point that comes with the package when i installed em
dont know it that would help
anyone know how to fix that?

 

[quote="Otocan"]
... you got lucky that you're driving a dangerous car? Awesome

How is my car dangerous, it's a rear sway.

 

Because going too stiff on the rear without going stiffer on the front makes the car very prone to snapping into oversteer and spinning out. The trd is as about stiff as you should go in the back without stiffening the front along with it.

 

I don't have it on the stiffiest setting either though. I thought about the front sway but after that whole deal that those with the sways talked about I declined. And hotchkis doesn't sell them seprerate.

 

I have the Hotchkis front and rear sways together with the Hotchkis lowering springs. I have no rubbing/noise issues with them on. I just hear a knocking sound when I "angle" my car on the driveway, but I think that comes from my rear driver strut. The nut on the top strut bolt might be loose, and I'm lazy and don't have the time to fix it. It doesn't bother me anymore.

 

it's not anywhere near a safe idea, I tried it with just the rear on the softest setting and my car turned sideways coming off an offramp in the rain, if I didn't race my car weekly I would've crashed, I called Hotchkis wanting an answer as to why it happened, and they told me exactly what I said, the rear is way too stiff compared to the front, and that's WHY they don't sell them seperately.

please take it from someone with experience, the hotchkis rear sway on the softest setting is still nearly 275% stiffer than stock, whereas the TRD on the STIFFEST setting is only 64% stiffer than stock, that is an INSANE difference, and it is seriously not safe.

Call Hotchkis and tell them you bought the rear sway bar separately and found out it was dangerous without the front and want to buy the front separately, and they should let you buy it directly from them for about $100, but I can't tell you how much it costs through them, just call them.

 

I'm on Hotchkis springs too, and I was thinking about getting the sway bar set....so you don't have any rubbing or noise?

 

...do you think he's lying?

there should be NO issues with lowering springs and hotchkis sway bars unless it is a user-installed error. Nothing is changed outside the norm of suspension parts.

 

Uh...no, I don't think he's lying...I was re-confirming it! I was hoping to get more input from him.

 

kay kay, don't take it too harsh, I wasn't sure if you didn't read what he typed or what.

 

Yeah, zero rubbing and zero noise... nada... zip. I'm not lying, or whatsoever.

As I stated, I can hear a knocking sound only when I angle my car, and I think it's coming from the rear driver strut from a loose top nut. :D

And Otocan, be easy on the ladies my friend. jk!

 

Thanks for YOUR repsonse, since that was I was looking for! I wasn't sure how long you've had your springs on or what-not. I know that every car can be different, even if on the same suspension. But I would really like to stick with Hotchkis for the sway bars, so I'm glad to hear you don't have any rubbing/noise...thanks again! :D

 

You'd be happy once you get them installed. I have them installed since Nov '06 and it's worth every penny I've spent on them. Then again, that's my opinion. :D

Good luck to you! :D

 

I bought the Hotchkis springs and sways as well. No problems at all. If you hear any sqweeking just lube up the bushings and you should be good to go. I bought mine last June or July and I had so much fun when I first got them on. They feel awesome.

 

I have the TRD lowering springs and Hotchkis sway kit. No rubbing or noise. And i have the first run of the sway bars without the sliding rings to keep them in place. Mine have never moved, however my buddies sway bar did move. He got hte slider rings to fix the problem, but it's not necessary for me, maybe i'm just lucky

 

Oh and yeah about the squeaking, just grease em up, They even have grease fittings