Thread: hotchkis rear sway bar

thanks for the reply, now can you go read my Koni Research thread and give me similar high level/detailed suspension advice?? LoL

you seem to be able to explain the dynamics of the suspension better than anyone I've heard on the forums... and we have a lot of knowledgable people, obviously Blair knew what he was talking about...


i guess a big aftermarket bar will almost have me driving around like i have a B14 beam rear suspension (almost) eh??

The ride won't be quite like having a rear beam (e.g. the arms still articulate and unsprung weight is still lower so it won't rock as much over undulating surfaces), but yeah, you will start to see similar effects as you go stiffer and stiffer with the antiroll bars.

Don't let this preclude you from getting an aftermarket rear bar (of reasonable size and rate relative to the rest of your suspension). It does help with rotation. Just don't fall into the trap of thinking of a stiffer anti-roll bar as an alternative to stiffer springs. The two have as many differences as they do similarities.

oh i definitely plan on getting an aftermarket bar... the Progress bar is probably what I'll go with. i have a spare suspension techniques bar. but i dont want to install it, and then pull it back off..

The Progress rear bar is probably the best bolt on and go bar for the money. Keep the stock front bar for a street car or add the Progress front bar for a track car. If you plan on using the stock front bar make sure to at least replace the bushings if not upgrade to poly ones.

i already have an ST sway bar up front, same thickness as the progress front bar..

i got it because my last B13 SE-R, i only had a progress rear bar anf an active tuning rear STB... it rotated too good, because i did nothing up front...

i wanted to give the car better balance this
time so i have Octotat front and rear STB's and a front sway bar already...

What would you say in the best sway bar for auto cross and D.D.

Progress

So I'm reading this and I'm in the process of of installing a big rear bar on my B13. I'm using the same 1.25" Speedway Engineering bar that Kessler installed on Greg's car. I have 600F and 650R springs along with the Koni 8611.

Based on my calculations I'll have adjustability in my new bar from 30% - 200% stiffer than the Progress bar that I am currently running by changing the attachment point on the arm.

Blair, Box, are you guys saying that this is a bad idea?

The problem I'm having is a nasty push in the slower corners and in longer sweepers. On most corners I can turn the car with the brakes but I can't seem to get the car to do anything but push in certain corners.

subscribing

(oh wait, i started this thread)

would be good to hear what you guys come up with as a solution for his pushing in the corners.

For reference I've done just about everything that I feel I can do the the front of the car within the rules to help front grip. 600lb springs, Koni8611. I slotted the struts about 0.08" on the bottom hole to get camber at the wheel. I have camber/caster plates that are set to max + camber. With the strut slotting that I did, both camber plates are in the middle of their adjustment range. I also installed the Whiteline caster bushing on the control arms. I also freshened up the front of the car in the off season by replacing the poly bushings, ball joints, and wheel bearings. I also run Wilwood calipers to knock down the unsprung weight. I run -2.9deg and about 1/16" toe out in the front.

My question is more about rear bar and rear springs. My understanding is that FWD cars like more rear bar. Maybe that is something that I believe b/c I've heard it so many times. Maybe it's true, maybe its not. I'd like to hear some opinions, though.

The car is not a disaster. It ran a 2:16:3 in qualifying at VIR last week which was my personal best time. It moves along pretty good but I think it can be better.