I need some help guys and girls.. I just drove my friends tC .. He has a trd sway bar install. I love the feel of the car around the corners. Now my question is for those of you that have driven cars with both the TRD sway bar and Hotchkis. How does it compare do they

I would be every happy with the TRD .. but hotchkis has something that making my look at them a little more. They offer at front and rear bar.

 

I have the front and rear setup by hotchkis, really like em. The hotchkis offeres more adjustability as well, I hear the hotchkiss rear at race setting is like 300% stiffer than stock or something...don't know about trd...I think it's 64% at the softer of the settings.

 

thanks for the replay nickahhh,,, what do you have you settings on ?

 

Well for my front I have on the stiffest setting, for the rear where there is 3 possible settings, I have it in the middle. Basically the setting you put on the rear will be the most significant in terms of performance though.

 

trd is fine. the hotchkis setup is stiffer though. youll probably have to have a shop install the front bar. i have the trd bar and i love it.

 

i had the TRD rear sway and I liked it a lot.

currently, i have the Hotchkis sway set. i have them set at the inner most setting(stiffest). it's super stiff. i've only had them on for 2 weeks so I cant really say anything about it. So far so good other than the front creaking. as stated the front subframe needs to be dropped to install the front sway bar. i'll suggest getting an alignment after its installed too.

if you just want a rear sway bar, i'd suggest the Progress unit. it's similar to the TRD but with a 3rd and stiffer setting.

 

i have ridden in the TRD outfitted tC and my personal tC has hotchkis front and rear. no comparison. Hotchkis out does the TRD. i have mine set on soft front and medium rear. my car has no understeer now. its stiff but not harsh imo on bad roads. i set consistantly fast times in autoX placing above car a SCION shouldnt beat. BMw335i Mcoupes, wrx's, 350Zs (dont come close), cobalt SS's, GTI's, that sorta thing. my car now pulls 1.07Gs laterally. thats incredible for any car. OVER a full G Latterally! one of the above posters was right. the hotchkis bar CAN stiffen the rear to OVER 300%. 306 if i remember correctly. the TRD bar only goes to 64%. the Hotchkis system uses a front and rear bar ONLY becuz by using a stiffer front bar it allows the rear to be stiffend exponentially more without inducing snap steer or nonprogressive oversteer. the car is very managable and predictable. i have not set it on its stiffest settings as i need the propper gripping tires to warrant going that stiff. the car can spin out if i ask it to now. its set up PERFECT for extended circuit crosses with these bars. if u only want a mild change in body roll. get TRD. if u want to PERFORM get hotchkis. either way tho hotckis is a good way to go and wont upset u.

u may hear a small rub when u turn the wheel to full lock if ur car is low enuf cuz the front bar rubs the end link a bit. nothing damaging.

i LOVE MY FULL HOTCHKIS system!!!

TheKevin - BTW the creaking wont really happen if u lube the bushings. at least it shouldnt.

 

^^^ Thanks that was the kinda answer I was looking for.. I think I will be going with the hotchkis systme.. Should have it by mid summer if all goes as planned.. Thanks for the reply..

 

anybody know if the rear sway throws off the alignment?

 

Nope, has nothing to do with it.

Theoretically, your camber won't change as much during the turn, since it's keeping more of the cars weight over the inside wheel.

 

they SAY your should get an allignment anytime u fool with any suspsension parts. however i've only have one alignment since i've owned my car. and that was when i initially lowered it 2 months after i owned it. since then...the rear STAYS at agressive negative camber lol the front is still arrow straight. so i am starting to think its overkill to align after every mod. but u should get one every year anyway they SAY. lol. i dont know if i'll EVER get antoher one. i switch tires just about once a month between race wheels and when i had my show wheels and my stock wheels and tires

ur very welcom Macavely. glad i could help.

 

alright thanks guys
i appreciate the help

 

any DIY links for hotchiks sways?

ive tried searching but came up empty. thanks and sorry for the thread jack!

 

watching.