Ok, I am shopping for a Rear Sway bar for my xB ... I read the sway bar 101 thread and it really dosen't tell much ...

Does any know which REAR sway bar is the best bar on the market right now for the xB? I know there is the Progessive bar and Hotchkis bar but which one is better and why? Is there anyother ones that are better then these?

Any info would be great!
-Thanks

 

progressive is sitffer and more expensive..
also i don't think you can buy jsut the rear bar from hotchkis.

if you wanted, i'd sell you my rear hotchkis, less than 8months old.

 

The Progress Tech works alot better than the Hotchkis rear bar. Its thicker and heavier. The Hocthkis bar is too thin and flexes too much. I can prolly bend it in half.

 

Im looking to get something new ... Thanks tho!

Im not too worried about price, I don't mind paying for quality!

 

Yeah, I did the same research with the same questions, it
looks like Progress is the one to get.

 

If the Progress rear bar would have been out whren I got the Hotchkis set, I would have saved myself some $$$$, and not bought the Hotchkis set.

Oh well, just think of me as the one who has tried just about everything for their xBs, or knows someone who has.

 

It is such an awesome mod. I still keep pulling back in some turns and then kicking myself because I could've taken them faster. Still getting used to the change.

It has definitely stiffened the Box. I also added the Megan Racing Strut Tower Bar and now when I angle to go up my driveway, I feel it do a little diagonal pivot. I come in almost parallel to the curb, slowly turn left into the driveway and as the second front wheel comes to the peak of the driveway, you can feel the front left wheel raise slightly and then as I creep forward, I can feel it touch down and the right rear wheel raises slightly. It never did this before I added these two mods. I can't get it stopped right at the tipping point but if I do, there will be pics.

 

So it looks like the Progressive bar is the one to go with ... Can anyone supply me with some pics of the bar installed? Im looking for further back pics where you can see the full bar under the car ...
-Thanks

 

do a search, ther was a walkthrough made for the progress bar. I think it runs $150 from partsshipper in the sponsored sales forum

 

Yeah, look for a post by Mark (TheScionicMan).

 

I couldn't get any full shots cuz i was in the garage. I'll try to get a shot for you...

 

Just to backup squirrel and TheScionicMan... I also have the Progress RSB and it has made a considerable difference in the handling of the car.

 

Thanks Chris! (Those are some purdy wheels on your xB!)

 

The shocking thing about the difference between the Progress and the Hotchkis rear sway is that the Progress is nine times as stiff!!!........ (22/12.7)^4 = 9.0.

 

Thanks Brad. I stopped by a stereo shop last week and this guy said something along the lines of "so when are you ditching the stock wheels and getting these 20s?"

 

I just installed my hotchkis rear swaybar. When I went to pick up dinner the first thing I noticed is when you go over speed bumps or gutters on an angle you really get pitched side to side.( much stiffer feel throughout car). On the way back home my wife ( now holding large soda) said she noticed she did'nt have to hold herself up in the turn as much. So I was thinking that with the Progressive bar being much stiffer it would be better in the turns but also worse with the slow speed over speed bumps and road irregularities. Maybe that is what hotchkis was shooting for , a balance between the two.

 

hotchkis = mediocrity

 

I guess it all boils down to how well you want your car to handle and how much "spirited" driving, or even possible auto-x'ing, one wants to do.

For me, I'll sacrifice ride quality for the best handling I can dial into any car I drive.

 

lava get the progress one... you'll be amazed at what you can do...

 

The progressive bar is the one to go with, I have install numerous bars on boxs and driven all fo them and let me tell you that the progressive rear bar is the way to go. Or go custom, I have a tC rear sway bar on my box. :D