So I installed the sways yesterday and wanted to share some info with you all for you to read if considering these or installing these yourself.


Install

Rear:
I started with the rear. A somewhat easy install and this install is one you can do WITHOUT instructions... (Hotchkis supplies great pictured instructions anyways) For the Rear you need a 10mm socket wrench for the cover guards and a 14mm for the endlinks and brace.

I have the FI CF exhaust and all I have to undo was the connection to the rear section and let it hand. When you take off the stock bar make sure you note how it came off cause I first stuck the new sway up there upside down.

So for the rear it was 2 10mm bolts, and 6 14 mm bolts and thats it. ( and whatever eaxhaust bolts your scenario has)

Rear takes longer due to do because of the exhaust.


Front Bar:

Super Simple here... I didnt even have to take the black under cover all the way off... just undo the bolts that you undo for oil changes and bend it back(it is creased to do so)

thats 6 10mm bolts for that.

Same deal as the rear except no exhaust and the endlink bolts are 18mm

so 6 10mm, 4 14mm, and 2 18mm and your done.

NOTE: I had to get another jack out to jack one wheel up and compress the suspension so the last endlink side would go in. I dunno if you HAVE to do this but I was in a hurry and didnt think it through... simple i just did my own simple fix. ( I thnk it had to do with me having the car jacked up so high and only on one side....)


Overall this was a simple install. The Rear with installling the bar upside down and redoin it took me abotu 1hr 20mins. The Front took me about 30 minutes.

Did the install by myself.



First Drive:

First I installed the Rear bar and went to softball practice.... and with just the rear bar you can feel a difference. Came home installed the front and went for another drive.

Impression:

Sways are a must if you like handling well in a car. Its a crazy difference in the way the car turns now. To put it simple... it makes the car feel like all 3600 lbs are glued to the road.

The car stays FLAT through out hard turns and it makes you wanna find curves and eat their lunch.

If I had to compare this difference in feel to a speed mod I would say that the difference is about the same noticable difference as slapping a 75 shot of Nitrous on your car.

This is not a mod that you "think" your butt dyno will feel... This is a mod where you notice a 200% improvement in your handling.


I have the Rear set in the middle and its still a WOW feeling. Cant imagine the stiffest setting.



Conclusion:

Sways are a must. This is hands down the best suspension mod I have done. If your on the fence about these... stop what your doing and buy them now... you will regret waiting...its a easily installed, Gynormous (yes Gynormous) effective suspension mod.


Props to Andy @ HPautoworks.com for working on this project.
Props to Hotchkis for finally gettin off there *** and gettin us sways...


Thats all....kthxbye

 

Congrats on the install, i think i might get this next, great write up btw

 

great write up Ben...that sounds really on point and legit!!! i know you are not liking them, but loving them haha...one of the best mods for the car.!!

Andy strikes again with being on-point and same for Hotchkis...great company, great vendor...

 

damm...there that good? you make em sound pretty good.

good write up and crongrats!

maybe i'll get some in the near future.

 

Thanks for the great review Max...
I'm convinced on getting a set myself!

 

Nice write up... Have heard nothing but GREAT things about these...

 

I wonder if you like them ben?

Gynormous ftw!

 

thanks guys... i love em

 

nice review ben. honestly, sways are the #1 mod for these cars hands down.

 

How well has it handled the stock handling (which I think is kind of on the "understeer" side of the curve)?

 

Nice!

 

anyone try the stiffest setting yet? I'm going to get them installed this weekend, not sure if which setting to put it on.

 

I'd like to hear advice about the stiffest setting on the Hotchkis rear sway bar as well. I'm having the front and rear bars installed next week.

 

maybe a new thread/poll would be good for this =)