I know the front bar has 2 positions (40% / 68%) & the rear bar has 3 positions (273% / 304% / 338%). I was thinking for a daily driver I would put them both on the "least stiff" position (40% front, 273% rear). What do you think?

 

First off, I'm envious that you have the Hotchkis sway bar set. I would drive around for a while on the lowest settings and see how you like it. If the car still understeers too much for your liking, increase the rear bar, too much oversteer, increase the front.

If you were autocrossing or going to a track (not a dragstrip, the kind with turns,) thenm I would probably put the front and rear on the stuffest settings, then maybe lower the rear to the middle if you felt it had too much oversteer.

The nice thing with the adjustable bars is you can change the stiffness depending on what you're doing. Don't be afraid to change them to find the best combination.

 

^^^ Couldn't said it any better.

 

I have the hotchkis sways, and I have both of mine on the stiffest setting available. With the bars on the race setting, you can induce oversteer, which I prefer against understeer. I played around with the middle and lowest setting for an hour, but just decided on the race setting, and havn't looked back yet. If you dont want a light oversteer though, I would either reccommend not putting it on the race setting, or upgrade your tires.

 

I have my TRD rear set on the race setting

 

I just got my Hotchkis bars in today (thanks for the deal, McGeorge) and I will be able to install the rear this weekend but will be out of town so can't install the front for another 2 weeks. Do you think it would be OK to have just the rear in for a couple weeks, maybe set to the lowest setting?

After I get them both on, I will set them to race, then lower the rear if to much Oversteer or lower the front if to much Understeer
.

 

I dont know what will happen if you use the Hotchkis rear bar with the stock front bar. I only know that both of the bars were meant to work together.

 

Well, I can't imagine the Hotchkis rear is to much stiffer on the softest setting then teh TRD rear is on the Race setting, right? So it should be about the same? I think I'm gonna do the rear tonight annd the front this weekend.

 

Hotchkis Rear = 273% lowest setting
TRD = 39% lowest setting

...

 

Oh, wow. What is the highest setting of the TRD.

 

oh whoops, 64 is the highest setting, 39 is the lowest

 

63% highest setting on TRD, 273% lowest setting on Hotchkis bars as stated above. Its a pretty big difference, thats why I dont really know how the handling will be.

 

Well, It took my dumb ___ an hour just to get my car up on the rhino blocks, then another 2 and a half hours just to get the rear bar in. Those top allen bolts were a total pain to get in. And I think I stripped one. I need to get it checked out.
I can totally tell that the rear is stiffer then the front. I'm going to put the front on Sunday.

 

So...hypothetically speaker, let's say all the bolts went in easy except one on the top of the passenger side bushing. And that one is kinda crocked, only hanging on by a couple threads, so much that you can see the clamp is kinda open, and you can see the opening in the bushing? Could this be a problem? What would someone do in such a situation?

 

I'd get it right by tightening it how it should be, or go and get it done professionaly if you cant do it properly. You dont want you new bar falling out when your driving!If you had that much difficulty on your rear bar, I would urge you to really consider getting the front one put on by a pro.

 

 

I actually didnt' have to much trouble getting it on. It was just that one bolt going in croooked. I actually called the dealership, and he suggested me just rethreading with a tap and die set, cause if I took it into them, theyd charge me $90 just to pull the bolt out!
The front is more difficult, but I'll be more carefull with the bolts this time. I'll be doing it on Sunday, and fixing the rear then as well. I'll let you all know how it goes.

 

hard all the way. Makes the car feel like a porsche in corners hehe.

 

Put them on the race setting so you dont have to redo them. You wont regret it. Best of luck with the front bar, its a b*tch.

 

Changing the setting on the sway bars is extremely easy. You could probably change the front and the back in about 5 minutes. It's just the front sway bar install that's a PITA.