Rear sway bar

[moparjohn]

OK second question, as many know I drive my car. I was wondering who makes the best rear sway bar and do the all mount to the frame? I have looked at some of the archives and still want more info. Troy- 2 years ago you mentioned someone at the Ohio Nats I think. John

[Silver R/T]

firmfeel has sway bar

[moparjohn]

I'm almost sure that's the one I want. Thanks John

[bill440rt]

Hey John,
Just an FYI... I going with a front & rear Hotchkis setup for my '69. Hotchkis is the only one out there I'm aware of that makes hollow bars. Hollow bars are stronger & lighter than the solid ones from Addco, MP, Firm Feel, etc.
These Hotchkis bars are also SUPER-BEEFY, the fattest bars out there. I got one of the last remaining sets, I'm told they're gonna be discontinued. Seems they're made to fit '68-'69 cars, yet guys with the '70's with different K-frame setups were ordering them only to return them & getting pissed. They WILL fit the '68-'69 K frames.
The hardware & bushings are & always be servicable thru Hotchkis, but they had very limited quanties of bars left when I ordered. The quality is outstanding, everything is extremely well made.
The only thing I'm told is that the Firm Feel bars are frame hung, while the Hotchkis ones use U-bolts around the axle, similar to other bars like Addco, etc. However, the FF bar is pencil thin compared to the Hotchkis.
Just might be worth looking into. 
Good luck!

[moparjohn]

Thanks Bill, I have a stock front one, and GG said I have the 70 type K-member so that's fime anyway. I'll look into it. john

[Silver R/T]

Where do you get hotchkis bar? I do not get it how it could be stronger, while being hollow inside. Doesn't make sense.

[JimShine]

Around here the promo GL we have has the Hotchkis and Travis loved it so much (and I do too) that we added one to the Transcon MediVac. Schneider's personal Lee has the Hotchkis as well and it handles just like the promo car here.

[bill440rt]

Where do you get hotchkis bar? I do not get it how it could be stronger, while being hollow inside. Doesn't make sense.

Ummmmmmm..... From Hotchkis??? 
Don't bother calling Summit, Jeg's, etc. They won't have them in stock.
They're stronger by the laws of physics. It's harder to bend a hollow bar than a solid one.

JimShine, I saw on their website a Gen Lee with the Hotchkis bar up front, it looks like that's the car also in the photos in the instruction manual. Is that the car you're talking about?

[Mike DC]

 
Haven't looked in a while now, but it was John Schneider's personal GL in the Hotchkiss magazine articles at one point. 

He was one of the early buyers of those sway bars for his 511" Hemi car.

 

[Silver R/T]

Where do you get hotchkis bar? I do not get it how it could be stronger, while being hollow inside. Doesn't make sense.

Ummmmmmm..... From Hotchkis???
Don't bother calling Summit, Jeg's, etc. They won't have them in stock.
They're stronger by the laws of physics. It's harder to bend a hollow bar than a solid one.

JimShine, I saw on their website a Gen Lee with the Hotchkis bar up front, it looks like that's the car also in the photos in the instruction manual. Is that the car you're talking about?

Apparently they do not have them
http://www.hotchkis.net/cgi-bin/EDCstore.pl?user_action=list&category=Shop%20by%20Make%3BChrysler%3BCharger%20%2866-69%29
And putting Charger under Chrysler doesn't make sense. It's a Dodge

[Jon Smith]

They're stronger by the laws of physics. It's harder to bend a hollow bar than a solid one.

er... where did you go to school?
if all else is the same then theres no way the air inside will make it any harder to bend than having solid steel inside...
the hollow bars may be stronger material, or have a better grain structure due to the method of manufacture, the bigger diameter will help also.

[Silver R/T]

Exactly what I thought. If you want to apply physics...is it easier to bend less molecules of steel than to bend more molecules of steel? I didn't think so.

[bill440rt]

They're stronger by the laws of physics. It's harder to bend a hollow bar than a solid one.

er... where did you go to school?
if all else is the same then theres no way the air inside will make it any harder to bend than having solid steel inside...
the hollow bars may be stronger material, or have a better grain structure due to the method of manufacture, the bigger diameter will help also.

I'm not here to beat anyone else up in regards to their "schooling", or put someone on the defensive. You really don't want me to get into my automotive education, I'd be typing all night.
It's not the metal inside or the "air" that makes it stronger, it's the shape of the hollow bar. It actually adds strength vs having a solid bar. Solid sway bars are spring steel, they bend. The hollow bars are stiffer, they don't bend as easily. And, they're lighter. And, the Hotchkis bars have greasable polyurethane bushings.
Hey, I'm no marketer for Hotchkis, I just recognize quality when I see it. It puts the other bars out there to shame, really.

Silver, go back & read my replies. Not sure if you READ anything. They were being discontinued at the time I ordered mine. They had very few sets left.

moparjohn asked for sway bar advice, that's it. moparjohn, the only thing I can tell you is that if you're interested in the Hotchkis setup, I'd call them directly. They may have a few sets left, they had about 5 or 6 when I placed my order, but that was many months ago. It's worth a shot. If you're unsure & want to check mine out first, you're always welcome to take a road trip.

[Silver R/T]

how much was yours?

[bill440rt]

$500 shipped to my door. Worth every penny.
Looking at my invoice, I ordered them almost a year ago. They may or may not have any left, that's why you don't see them readily available on their website..

[Silver R/T]

$500 for front and rear, right?

[bill440rt]

Yes...

[chargercraig]

John, I just mounted an Addco on my 68, mounting took about 1 1/2 hour. drilled four holes. seems to look good. I dont know  how it drives yet. I,ll let you know when i get my motor back in. craig

[Rolling_Thunder]

We put the biggest damn sway bar on a 68 GTX we had in the shop...    the bar being discussed...    think it was 1-3/8"...    rear was 1" I believe...     17" wheels and tires...    and a couple little things here and there...       the GTX out handled just about everything       

[Challenger_7]

Ok, now you can all concentrate on beating me down instead of each other
I am new to all this stuff and trying my best to learn all I can. I have received much help on the engine side to try and make up my mind what kit to put for my 400 block in the convertible chally.
Now sway bars. Hmmmmm. I presume from what you are discussing, normally there are none at the back? I know there is one in the front.
Now by installing one in the back, how does it help. Better handling has been mentioned here, but what exactly does that mean
Also, if I replace the front stock one with a firmer one, that helps more? If yes, how?

Would appreciate some explanations

[bill440rt]

Challenger_7,
Sway bars help control body roll. Ever see one of those old road test pictures from when these cars were new? Severe body lean around corners.
A rear sway bar will help body roll out back, & also help correct over/understeer problems. Most of the weight in a car is up front, so of course upgrading to a fatter bar will help. If you just go ahead & put a fat bar up front & nothing out back, you'll have understeer problems around corners. The tail end will want to come out, while the front of the car sticks. It's all about balance.

Best way to buy them, I think, is as a matched set. Don't get a front bar from one manufacturer & a rear bar from another. Addco, Firm Feel, MP, Just Suspension, etc all sell them in sets. You might not have luck with Hotchkis, but I'd still give them a shot. Sorry if I seem biased with that company, but I did a LOT of research before I chose them. Hopefully by next week I'll be installing mine. The rear suspension on my Charger is completely gutted, I'm hoping to paint the parts this weekend & start installing next week. I'll post progress pics on another thread in this section, keep your eyes peeled.

Hope that helps. Good Luck with whatever you choose!

[Challenger_7]

Thanks a bunch Bill
You have really explained it well to me, and for the first time I appreciate what they are for.
I have a 2004 Jag XJ8 for my daily, and they boasted a "CAT" suspension, which keeps the car perfectly straight, corners, accelerating and hard braking. It is amazing, and I know that whenever I switch to one of my collectibles, I have to get used to clinching onto the steering wheel, or door, to support myself from being swung sideways
I have also noticed this feeling to be stronger in some cars than others, and now thanks to your explanation, I know what to do about it
Of course on the jag, much more than simple swaybars are involved, but I get the idea.

Will look for your next article.

Thanks, Farouk

[Silver R/T]

AddCo is only 3/4" inch

[Challenger_7]

Thanks Silver, so I take it AddCo is out of the question for being so thin?

Bill, you say the front/rear sway bars should be matched. When one buys them from one company, they will make sure they are matched right?
Now as you had explained earlier, most of the weight is at the front, and as such, I would expect the front sway bar to be thicker?

I am currently preparing to do my 71 Challenger conv, and will be adding a stroker kit to the 400 block, making it 451. What would be the best choice, and I also take it that Hotchkis is not a choice for me as from what you wrote it is not made for the 71 Chally?

I live in Lebanon (Middle East) and would be grateful to receive internet addresses, not just names that might not mean much to me. I can then research what they have to offer and perhaps seek a second opinion from you all.

Rolling thunder You said you were very happy with your bar. What make was it?

Thanks, Farouk

[Brock Samson]

 Interesting,
  one thing to keep in mind is that the heavier the motor the worse the balance...
so sway bars are part of a balancing act,.. shorter sidewalls also firm sway... poly bushings as well.  i have got my r/t down to one bounce with the super stock springs.. rear sway bar is the 1 3/8s too.. i purchaed a heavier front bar but it' wouldn't conform to the angle needed to mount so i went with the stock 440 bar... can't remember the name though now of the manuf.
   But it's a big car for sure but im happy with it... handles alot better with the larger tires too...
my '71 third gen. road runner with the lighter 340 motor feels much more poised then the big block 440 '69 though..
they came with the sway bar too..
it's funny though as my 340 '71 is less then 200 lbs. lighter then the '69 R/T...
one reason the R.R. bench seat is going into storage...

[bill440rt]

Not sure if I'm replying too late to this, but I ran across this auction for a Hotchkis setup on eBay this morning:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=120087860143&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=002

This may be one of the last sets out there, Hotchkis is no longer showing them available. You can see how there is no comparison in quality.