problem on installing the Hotchkis fron sway bar

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Nov 25, 2009 | 06:46 PM
  #1  
hi,
i went to a shop today to install the front sway bar, and they said i have to set on the stiff one because if i set it on the soft one, it will touch something, so does anyone have this problem?
thanks
Nick
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Nov 26, 2009 | 01:12 AM
  #2  
Quote: hi,
i went to a shop today to install the front sway bar, and they said i have to set on the stiff one because if i set it on the soft one, it will touch something, so does anyone have this problem?
thanks
Nick
Something doesn't sound right. Do they have it installed improperly? Upside-down maybe? You shouldn't have to do anything special to get it to fit.

Could you take a picture of it?
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Nov 26, 2009 | 01:15 AM
  #3  
make sure they have the front wheels lifted so theres no load when putting it on
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Nov 26, 2009 | 01:39 AM
  #4  
Quote: make sure they have the front wheels lifted so theres no load when putting it on
And what exactly would it not clear if you had it on a different setting?

Here are the instructions from the Hotchkis website: http://www.hotchkis.net/_uploaded_fi...416782file.pdf

At the bottom of p.10 there are pics of the swaybar that show how they mate with the endlinks. Have a look and see that your bar is situated in the same manner.
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Nov 26, 2009 | 06:02 PM
  #5  
mm...im not sure why....but it should not upside downed... they let me saw it, and when it is on soft setting, it's very very close to touch the axle, and they try to free play around the bracket to put it back to clear the axle, but the sway bar will touch the sub frame or something...
but well they do it, the front wheels is not lifted... and i think they were try to lift it up, but still had the problem...(that is what i saw only)
so i don't know...
and for the picture, what part do you guys want me to take?
thanks alot
Nick
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Nov 29, 2009 | 01:45 AM
  #6  
Something doesn't sound right. I have the Hotchkis sway bars installed on my X, front and rear and there both on the medium setting and we had no problems with anything touching.
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Dec 1, 2009 | 08:12 AM
  #7  
Quote:
and for the picture, what part do you guys want me to take?
Get a picture of the swaybar at the endlinks that could give us an idea of where the issue is.

Quote: Something doesn't sound right. I have the Hotchkis sway bars installed on my X, front and rear and there both on the medium setting and we had no problems with anything touching.
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Dec 1, 2009 | 11:26 AM
  #8  
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sorry, i don't know if these 2 pictures help, but if you guys want to take a better one, please let me know
thanks
Nick


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Dec 2, 2009 | 06:49 AM
  #9  
Hmm, I'm not that familiar with the Hotchkis bar, in particular, but it looks just like it shows in the install pictures from them. ??

Keep in mind that when the suspension strokes, all of those components will move upward (the halfshaft will not remain in one place while the endlink moves upwards, etc.).

Good luck!
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Dec 2, 2009 | 06:54 PM
  #10  
Quote: Hmm, I'm not that familiar with the Hotchkis bar, in particular, but it looks just like it shows in the install pictures from them. ??

Keep in mind that when the suspension strokes, all of those components will move upward (the halfshaft will not remain in one place while the endlink moves upwards, etc.).

Good luck!
Yeah, from those pictures it's hard to judge the fitment. FWIW, does the bar look to be installed upside down? And have you tried moving the endlinks to either of the other holes to see if in fact there is a clearance issue? Some better closeup pics would help, but it might be time to contact Hotchkis and ask them, they're going to know better than any of us anyway.

GL
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Feb 14, 2010 | 02:48 AM
  #11  
Any resolution to this issue?
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Feb 17, 2010 | 10:18 PM
  #12  
yes, watch the load
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Aug 19, 2014 | 03:39 PM
  #13  
Just wanna chime in this thread for any future hotchkiss front sway peeps. I just installed my bar and i have about 1/8 inch clearance between the front swaybar and the front axle. I'm kind of afraid it may touch in extreme roll cases as the pivot point for the driveshaft is inboard of the control arm, meaning the control arm will rise faster than the axle. I havn't decided if i'm going to take a dremel to the swaybar yet. I'll decide if things don't improve after i remove preload and examine clearance again.
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Aug 25, 2014 | 10:45 AM
  #14  
With that little clearance, it will touch at some point. I would grind down the bar a little bit.
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