blow me...
seriously. I want a rep to come out here and FIX these. All of the problems im having with these wouldve never happened had the instructions been correct.
First...the brackets were wrong. Switched em. Then, the steering cradle wouldnt line back up properly and the bar somehow slid over towards the passenger side. I took em to a shop to have them do it. $118 for them to loosen everything back up and readjust it and tighten it back down.
That was only 2-3 weeks ago...now, I noticed tonight. The clunking and rattling sound is back. Its exactly like how it was the last time when the bar slid over towards the passenger side.
Im SO SO sick of these things. I dont have ANY idea why theyre sliding over like that.
Maybe the bushings are wrong. I doubt it though, I double checked to make sure the bushings fit tight on both bars.
This is getting ridiculous.
And whats even crappier is that a few weeks back when I called them to get some advice about this...I asked them to send me some stickers. The guy I spoke to said he was sending em right out that day....no stickers.
I really cant see how this is just a matter of chance. I want my $ back for these things or like I said above....a rep to either come out here to PA and fix this, or else they flip the bill to get it fixed AGAIN.
I'm so sincere

 

I feel ya. I haven't had as much problem as you, but I am hearing so serious clunking noises from the rear now, and I check everything. I have no f'in idea what it is, but I have modded anything else on the rear suspension.

 

stickers arent gonna make them work better

 

Another forum has been talking about the clunking noise that some are getting after a spring and rear sway bar install. So far, it has turned out to be the rear sway is loose everytime. If the clunking is happening when you pull out, go over a speed bump, or make a slow turn, I'd be looking at tightening everything in the rear again. There may be some other problem, but the loose sway bar is all I'm hearing about. Hope that helps.

Ken
www.trdsparks.com
www.yoursciontc.com

 

I think I recal his clunk coming from the front, not the rear.

 

Did you try greasing the bushings? I had to do it to my front sway bar. But it's a major pain in the ___... the grease points aren't in the right place so you have to lower the cradle down again to get a grease gun in there, even with a hose attachement.

Mine still creaks occassionally, but I haven't had time to put it up on a lift again.

 

FYI use anti-seize compound instead of grease. It last much longer and workd better. I got the tip from a custom suspension place and thats all they used.

 

interesting... making me think ywice about getting those sways

 

Don't rethink getting the Hotchkis sway bars. I am highly impressed with the improvement to handling. Just a few small problems, but if you know what you're doing, it's nothing you can't take care of.

 

I posted this info in another post, thought it might be a little helpful to someone.

The Rear Polyurethane bushings have 5341G on them.

The Front Polyurethane bushings have 5339G on them.

The front is smaller than the rear. Therefore if you have the Rear Polyurethane bushings on the front, the diameter will be larger than the bar and not hold it firmly.
If you are trying to place the Front (5339G) on the rear, they are smaller and are much harder to use the clamp with the bracket (rear = slotted holes ~ front = single holes) to hold the bar. I am guessing this is what is causing your problem, because I did the same thing. The rear should be fairly easy if you have the correct brackets and bushings.

Hotchkis recommends using a lot of grease. If you need more, to use the Marine based grease...

 

http://www.hotchkistuning.com/bin/in...ions/22425.pdf
theres the link

a hotchkis rep has already posted this link. you guys shoud do a search and your homework before working on your car blindly

 

Wow, why didnt I think of searching for THE VERY SAME INSTRUCTIONS THAT CAME WITH MY SWAY BARS

 

Getting my swaybars installed tomorrow. What setting do you guys have them on? Hopefully this isnt a common problem.

 

 

i installed my sway bars a whiiile back, and i have had no problems with it. though, we had an interesting installation issue with the cradle not being perfectly aligned at first. then it DID get aligned, and a couple of the bolts wouldnt thread, for no reason. we forced them in via 10ft pipe on the wrench for extra torque. anyway, i wouldnt blame it on the sway bar. no noise, no creaks. used grease from autozone, valvoline.

not to defend hotchkis, or put anyone with problems down, but lots of things can go wrong with installs, and it isnt necessarily the bars. i mean, they're just bars. its the reassembly that is very tricky.

 

Im not pointing the finger at the bars, although the name of the thread indicates differently. My issue was with the instructions and how much time and money the false instructions cost me.

 

the instructions in general for most of these mods are complete crap. my package didnt even come with the grease it was supposed to. but other than, i guess you got the unlucky package :\ sorry you have had so much trouble dude

 

my trd rear sway bar is AWESOME!!!! i dont know why someone would to go a shop to get thses things installed, it was a struggle to get it in, but it handles great, no squeeks!

 

^^ I have the same feeling as breakaway. The swaybar installed pretty easily. It also helped that I was putting in my springs at the same time so both wheels were off. I'm having fun with all the suspension mods i've gotten so far.

 

was it hard to install the sway bars? cause i might buy some hotchkis sway bars tomorrow.