Hotchkis presents...

[1974dodgecharger]

Hotchkis sent my front and rears and man I put the rears in and she is a different beast I can 'feel' she handles differently and its just casual driving!  The front bars are super thick compared to the stock 15/16 I have I mean the hotchkis ones are 1 3/8, but damn they are so much bigger 'looking'.

The fronts will be installed at a later time when my co worker has time to do the welding for me.

[72Charger-SE]

Sweet!!   

[WHITE AND RED 69]

Nice!   

I'd be worried though about the clearance between the shock and sway bar. Get rid of those blocks under the leaf spring to correct the angle of the shock.

[1974dodgecharger]

Nice!   

I'd be worried though about the clearance between the shock and sway bar. Get rid of those blocks under the leaf spring to correct the angle of the shock.

I drove her today for maybe 30miles nothing happened to them  though I plan to take the blocks out anyway. 

I put those blocks there to get a stiffer setup so I dont scrape as much tire into the wheel well until I can get some 35 series which should be next week or so.

[myk]

All of that improved feel by just installing a RSB?  I've got to get this project going...

[1974dodgecharger]

All of that improved feel by just installing a RSB?  I've got to get this project going...

YEAH, you will feel it myk for sure it is a totally different feel to her even with casual driving. 

How they have you install it is pretty 'trick' idea they did  you install a point in one of the rails in the rear and you put this item in the rails through a larger hole that is already there in the rear very very very cool.....

[myk]

All of that improved feel by just installing a RSB?  I've got to get this project going...

YEAH, you will feel it myk for sure it is a totally different feel to her even with casual driving. 

How they have you install it is pretty 'trick' idea they did  you install a point in one of the rails in the rear and you put this item in the rails through a larger hole that is already there in the rear very very very cool.....

Only two extra holes to drill, right?

[1974dodgecharger]

two yup, and the other two are already there and big enough to fit this one piece that goes right inside the rail....

[garner7555]

The blocks under the leaf spring shouldn't change your ride height at all. Only when the block is between the spring and the axle does it change the ride height.  With those shocks over extended (due to the blocks) it may be causing the car to sit even lower. 

[Dino]

So right now the rear bar is way bigger than the front bar?  How does the car feel when you 'throw' it in a turn?  I don't have my rear bar installed but have a 1-1/8" up front and the car is way more stable than it was stock.

[1974dodgecharger]

Dino I took out my fronts for 3 months now lol....

I dont think ill ever throw it into a curve..

As for the blocks yup have not taken off.....will do this week.

Ride height is same where blocks are...

[myk]

Without a front bar, I'm guessing the handling characteristics of the car are way off?

[1974dodgecharger]

Without a front bar, I'm guessing the handling characteristics of the car are way off?

Oh yeah way off as in when I turn casually she leans pretty hard.  I know how the stockers feel and i plan to put the fronts in this week with bolts through k member until my friend has time to weld it more permanent.

[myk]

Without a front bar, I'm guessing the handling characteristics of the car are way off?

Oh yeah way off as in when I turn casually she leans pretty hard.  I know how the stockers feel and i plan to put the fronts in this week with bolts through k member until my friend has time to weld it more permanent.

So the front bar's brackets are welded on? 

[bill440rt]

 
Wait until you get the front bar on, it'll be a completely different animal. 

Not quite sure I understand either, but what are you welding on the front? My kit just bolted together, it was an easy install. 

[charger496]

I have a 1 1/4 front bar from Firmfeel on my '71 and the only weldable parts are the tabs for the end links and lower control arms. they can either be bolted or welded or both. I bolted mine on, and they loosen after a couple months of street driving. Welding them in place is on my winter list. The 6 or so inch brackets that hold the bushings and bolt to the K frame have been problem free. Best upgrade for the money I've done for the car in 20+ years! Is yours going on a '74? If so, do the end links bolt to the strut rods?

[1974dodgecharger]

Wait until you get the front bar on, it'll be a completely different animal. 

Not quite sure I understand either, but what are you welding on the front? My kit just bolted together, it was an easy install. 

Its the brackets you have to weld on, I got some feedback that I can try to bolt them on and drill through the K member to do it.  I only see one spot where I could drill through for each bracket though...so I will have to weld it on to secure it better.

[bill440rt]

They should not require welding, although I suppose you could do it.
Check out this thread of the Hotchkis bar installation on my car. No welding was needed.
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,26781.0.html

(PS - Ignore the SSBC's. They are ancient history now.) 

[1974dodgecharger]

That is just weird bill, its even in in my instructions welding is required.

I see what you did, you dont have the other brackets you went straight to the hold with the metal piece over the rubber piece.  There is now a piece that is intermediate between the K member and rubber piece.  I emailed the tech support at hotchkis and they say that the bracket is needed since the sway bar changes the geometry of the setup of the car. 

[myk]

That is just weird bill, its even in in my instructions welding is required.

I see what you did, you dont have the other brackets you went straight to the hold with the metal piece over the rubber piece.  There is now a piece that is intermediate between the K member and rubber piece.  I emailed the tech support at hotchkis and they say that the bracket is needed since the sway bar changes the geometry of the setup of the car. 

Ugh...I don't want to weld on my frame...

[Bandit360]

That is just weird bill, its even in in my instructions welding is required.

I see what you did, you dont have the other brackets you went straight to the hold with the metal piece over the rubber piece.  There is now a piece that is intermediate between the K member and rubber piece.  I emailed the tech support at hotchkis and they say that the bracket is needed since the sway bar changes the geometry of the setup of the car.  

I just got my Hotchkis front sway bar.  I'll be welding mine per the instructions.  What is NOT clear is which way the bar goes.  Bill440rt put his with the center bump "up".  That makes the Hotchkis logo on the center of HIS bar read correctly rather than upside down. It also does NOT follow the curve of the K frame on the bottom.  My bar has the logo reversed.  I've tried a test fit with just the end links and center bump down, and it sure does look like it would fit better as Bill440rt did, but then my logo would be upside down.  Anybody got advice since I'll have to wait until Monday to call Hotchkis?

Ray

Never mind. Just looked at the FSM.  The bump goes up.  Mine is upside down.

[bill440rt]

Ummm....
IIRC I asked Hotchkis to mail me a few extra stickers so they would read correctly. Or just simply remove them.

'74, I have the K-frame bracket that the 1/2 round sway bar brackets bolt to, but my instructions said nothing about welding them in.
Have they been redesigned?   

[dangina]

how big is the rear bar?

[myk]

Ummm....
IIRC I asked Hotchkis to mail me a few extra stickers so they would read correctly. Or just simply remove them.

'74, I have the K-frame bracket that the 1/2 round sway bar brackets bolt to, but my instructions said nothing about welding them in.
Have they been redesigned?  

Must've been redesigned as my front bar was a weld-in job as well.  I don't like how the bracket sits on the K member either; only half of it actually connects to the frame.

how big is the rear bar?

The rear bar is a FAT one incher...

[WHITE AND RED 69]

Yep, they recommend welding it in now. I have one bolt in each of my brackets and welded in the surrounding area.

I just got my Hotchkis front sway bar.  I'll be welding mine per the instructions.  What is NOT clear is which way the bar goes.  Bill440rt put his with the center bump "up".  That makes the Hotchkis logo on the center of HIS bar read correctly rather than upside down. It also does NOT follow the curve of the K frame on the bottom.  My bar has the logo reversed.  I've tried a test fit with just the end links and center bump down, and it sure does look like it would fit better as Bill440rt did, but then my logo would be upside down.  Anybody got advice since I'll have to wait until Monday to call Hotchkis?

Ray

Never mind. Just looked at the FSM.  The bump goes up.  Mine is upside down.

Went through the same debate when I installed mine.    Ended up putting the bump up and called hotchkis and they sent out a bunch of new stickers free of charge.

[Bandit360]

I got mine in today.  I did not weld it.  Two of the holes in the supplied bracket fit up to the original sway bar mounting holes on the K frame.  I drilled the third.  Used 3/8-16 x 1 inch grade 8 bolts, nuts, washers and lock washers from Lowes.  It's never going to move.  With my poor welding skills, I'm sure it came out more secure.

Now with the bump up, I can see where the K frame to radiator support bracket goes.  I'll be ordering that from CI; it's not an expensive part.

I'm sure the car will handle much better (than with no bar).  I'll road test tomorrow.

Ray