Hotchkis rear swaybar quick-review

[vtluu]

Hotchkis was cheaper and more importantly, hollow--much lighter. The swaybar itself is fine... just need a better bracket. Oddly I've never heard anybody else complain about such a problem. Hotchkis has a pretty good rep amongst the autocross people I know.

http://www.hotchkistuning.com/bin/misc_pages/evo8.htm

[Takashi]

would you have to special request the brackets from works? i dont see it on their website.

i've got a hotchkis bar sitting in my closet....

[MarkSAE]

I have the WORKS rear sway bar and it reuses the OEM bracket.

[vtluu]

I have the WORKS rear sway bar and it reuses the OEM bracket.

Interesting... Does it use a new bushing or just squeeze the 24mm swaybar into the factory (22mm) bushing?

I've designed a replacement using eMachineShop's software:



Pricing comes out to something like:
- $124 for 1 set
- $33 (each) for 5 sets
- $21 (each) for 10 sets

If I can find a few other Hotchkis swaybar owners with the same problem it could be cost-effective to fabricate replacements.

[wilson1]

Tam,
how much lighter is that bar?

[vtluu]

I didn't weigh them but it feels about the same weight as the factory 22mm bar.

[MarkSAE]

Interesting... Does it use a new bushing or just squeeze the 24mm swaybar into the factory (22mm) bushing?

I've designed a replacement using eMachineShop's software:



Pricing comes out to something like:
- $124 for 1 set
- $33 (each) for 5 sets
- $21 (each) for 10 sets

If I can find a few other Hotchkis swaybar owners with the same problem it could be cost-effective to fabricate replacements.

The WORKS sway bar comes w/ new bushings that have a larger inside diameter.

What material is the broken bracket made out of? A simple L-shape bracket like that can be made using some steel bar stock you can buy at Home Depot. You can do the 90 degree bend on a vise, cut it to length, and drill the holes yourself. Definitely can be done for cheaper than $124 a set but won't look as pretty.

IMO, a well designed part should not require any tweaking/redesigning by the end user to make work. I think you should just slap the stocker back on and sell the hotchki car w/ the new bracket before it breaks on you again. Then get the WORKS bar.

[vtluu]

IMO, a well designed part should not require any tweaking/redesigning by the end user to make work.

Agreed... as I said, I've forwarded the info to Hotchkis and I'll see what they have to say...

I think you should just slap the stocker back on and sell the hotchki car w/ the new bracket before it breaks on you again. Then get the WORKS bar.

But it's hollow! And red!

[MarkSAE]

I guess if Hotchki takes care of this for you, it should be fine. They should definitely foot the bill on this one, not you.

And I hear ya on the red thing.

[EvolvedDSM]

I have the WORKS rear sway bar and it reuses the OEM bracket.

Interesting... Does it use a new bushing or just squeeze the 24mm swaybar into the factory (22mm) bushing?

If I can find a few other Hotchkis swaybar owners with the same problem it could be cost-effective to fabricate replacements.

WORKS engineered an entirely new bushing to work with the OEM bracket.