[lloger]

Took my SSR down to Hotchkis Performance a couple of days ago and they installed their new SSR Performance Sway Bars on my SSR. They built the lowering springs and sway bars using my SSR for the prototype, but decided there were too many companies making the lowering spring for the SSR to warrant producing them, but they did go into production on the sway bars. The sway bars really make a difference. My SSR goes around the curves as flat as a pancake. I am really happy with the way it handles. Go to their website,
www.hotchkisperformance.com, click on the search button and under 'Part number, type in 2290. They are available directly from Hotchkis or their dealers.

 

[hdflstf]

Sway Cool

Lloger - good work. Thanks for letting us know!

:seeya

 

[pesos]

sweet - how difficult are they to install? or where can i take them to have em done?

 

[Purple Penelope]

lloger,
Do the bars stiffen up the ride in general, or is that the same??

P/P

Peace :flag

 

[lloger]

The ride feels about the same to me. It just feels tighter in the corners. Not as much body roll. I'm not sure about the installation, but I know they had to pull the front wheels to get the front one on. The rear one doesn't look to hard at all. I'm sure any repair shop could do it. The front one goes thru part of the frame about 10" behind the radiator support. I was talking to Art (hdflstf) in Kingsburg this weekend and he said the best price he found was at Summit Racing. I think he said they were about $350.00 there. Hope this helps.

 

[pesos]

looks like $375 and not shipping till 5/21? http://store.summitracing.com/default.asp?Ntt=hotchkis+2290&Ntk=KeywordSearch&DDS=1&searchinresults=false&N=0&target=egnsearch.asp

any other good links for these?

 

[dougnc]

Took my SSR down to Hotchkis Performance a couple of days ago and they installed their new SSR Performance Sway Bars on my SSR. They built the lowering springs and sway bars using my SSR for the prototype, but decided there were too many companies making the lowering spring for the SSR to warrant producing them, but they did go into production on the sway bars. The sway bars really make a difference. My SSR goes around the curves as flat as a pancake. I am really happy with the way it handles. Go to their website,
www.hotchkisperformance.com, click on the search button and under 'Part number, type in 2290. They are available directly from Hotchkis or their dealers.

I wonder how much to install?

 

[hdflstf]

Just talked to Summit and Hotchkis. Hotchkis has parts in stock and can put them together for the set in a day or two. If you ask Summit, they can have the kit shipped direct from Hotchkis. Mine will be here in time for the weekend. Too bad I might be out of town..
Install should be a relatively simple hand tool job but I'll report my experience once I'm done. :cool

 

[SA13355]

Be sure to get the torque settings when you install the new bars.

You don't want to be dropping one end of those bars.

 

[hdflstf]

Be sure to get the torque settings when you install the new bars.

You don't want to be dropping one end of those bars.

No doubt. Good thing the instructions and shop manual will be close at hand

 

[pherrley]

Any chance you can take some pictures of the install process?

 

[hdflstf]

Pictures

Sure. I'll add them to this thread. Realistically I'm not sure how soon I'll do the install as I have a few other projects in front of this one.. :cool

 

[hdflstf]

Update

It's been 8 days and still no sway bars. Called Hotchkis and they say they just finished my kit today and it will be shipped tomorrow. Looks like the install will be next week or weekend at the earliest.
More to follow when it happens.

 

[Silver6]

Lowering?

lloger, it appears that you lowered your system. Can I add the sway bars without lowering the ride?

Bob :ssr

 

[hdflstf]

Swaybar Install Part One

Finally got the "in stock" swaybars from Hotchkis yesterday. The instructions are quite simple and so is the installation. They let you know what tools are needed for each bolt and the torques needed on re-installation.

Installed the rear bar tonight. Easy enough to do. Didn't even need to jack the SSR up. Removing the old bar consists of unbolting the end links (2), unbolting the mounting clamps (2) and unbolting the Pass side (not that the side really matters) lower control arm. Drop the arm and then drop that side of the stock swar bar down, a little twist toward the front and you can slide the sway bar out. New bar goes right in just reverse the order. It's about a 30 minute job which means anywhere from about 20 min to an hour depending. Now that I've done one I think I can do another in about 20 minutes..
Good news is that the rear bar fits the '05 six speed with the bigger rear. Also my SSR is now lighter since this bar is hollow - yeah I know only a couple of pounds but at least it's a performance mod and is doesn't add weight.
Drawback is the need for metric tools. 6 mm allen wrench, 21 mm socket and wrench, 18 mm socket (preferrably deep), and an 18 mm wrench.
Pictures and a report on the front should follow sometime over the weekend if I find the time between building license plate brackets, installing the front suspension on the project car and starting the build of the roller cam big bore engine for the project car. Oh well, at least my wife will know where I am...

 

[lloger]

lloger, it appears that you lowered your system. Can I add the sway bars without lowering the ride?

Bob :ssr

You can do either, or both. The sway bars just replace the original sway bars to give you less body roll.

 

[perinati]

hdflstf

Hi I was wondering if you could post the part#. Cost and where you got them from.

Thank You
Paul Perinati

 

[hdflstf]

Hi I was wondering if you could post the part#. Cost and where you got them from.

Thank You
Paul Perinati

Actually that info is already in this thread but here it is in one place..
P/N is 2290 $375 at Summitracing. I had them direct shipped from Hotchkis since they were not in stock (no extra charge).

 

[hdflstf]

Front Install Complete

With both bars now installed I took a short test drive. The first thing I noticed was going through a couple of dip in my neighborhood. I usually get rocked side to side as I go through them, not any more - nice flat and stable - I like it so far.
Went out and took a couple of corners and pushed it a bit more than usual. The rear end used to feel like it was lifting (especially the inside tire), now it stays flat and feels much more stable - I like it! The ride has not changed with the exception that the one really bumpy road nearby it still bumpy but it seems a little less bumpy now.
The front install was a bit more work than the rear due to the need to remove the end links and routint the bar through the frame/crossmember. The new bar is actually easier to put in than the old bar is to get out. The install requires the front end to be jacked up (and supported on jackstands). Remove the pass side tire (actually you can do this from either side..), unbolt the lower end of the swaybar links (18mm wrench and 7mm allen), unbolt the swaybar mounts (15mm socket, extension, swivel). Push the swaybar to one side and remove the end link, repeat for the other side, then wiggle the swaybar out. Installation is the reverse. Time is about an hour though I could probably do it in about 40 minute now that I've done it once..

Now for my gripes, only two.
First, the instructions tell you to remove the X brace and heat shield. Well mine doen't have the heat shield but I removed the X brace anyhow. Turns out that if you don't have the heat shield you don't need to remove the X brace. From the picture they have in the instructions, it appears the heat shield need to be out of the way so you can get the old bar out and the new one in.
Gripe number two, They give you these really cool greasable bushings for the front bar, too bad there is no way in h--- to actually grease them when they are installed.
Pictures attached
1 Rear bar installed - even clears Eaton rear.
2 Rear mount using factory saddle and new bushing.
3 New front bar going in with link partially attached.
4 New bar installed. Look at the bushing, you can see a little bit of the grease fitting that is now inaccessable. Also not jackstands under the frame - be safe out there. :ssr

 

[Flassh]

The grease fitting part seems like poor engineering detail, and a rather silly error. They would only have needed to place the fitting at a 45 degree angle toward the front.

I'd like to do the sway bars after I lower it, but I think I'll wait till they do an engineering change - I would think your feedback would be welcomed, now that you've put their system in.

Ray