Hotchkis sway bar question.

Spooler · 07-06-2015, 11:20 PM

This makes it easy. Hotchkis it is, with possible new garage lamp if it doesn't work out for the rear, sounds like that is a no go.

Spooler · 07-06-2015, 11:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rusty

I got the Hotchkis bars. I have the rear set on the softest setting. On the street, it's fine. On the track, it's can get tail happy if I'm not careful with my driving. At the Tail of the Dragon. I got some push on some of the down hill hair-pins. Need bigger tires on the front.

Yeap, you need 285/35/19's. I am headed that way also. Need to address the factory camber also, needs a little more negative camber than stock settings. Outside edge of my fronts were taking a beating on the Dragon after I dusted the cobwebs off my slow driving.

j-rho · 07-06-2015, 11:28 PM

The Hotchkis rear bar is stiffer than stock.

The car's handling balance is the sum of many factors, a stiffer rear bar doesn't automatically cause oversteer.

With 1100lb. front and 650lb. rear springs and Hotchkis bars (rear full soft) my car understeered a lot. With 700lb. rears and the rear bar in the middle, it still pushes. Going to 800lb. springs in the rear now, may end up higher.

A nice thing about the Hotchkis rear bar is it's adjustable - it's a great way to make a quick and relatively small change to the handling balance.

Rusty · 07-06-2015, 11:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spooler

Yeap, you need 285/35/19's. I am headed that way also. Need to address the factor camber also, needs a little more negative camber than stock settings. Outside edge of my fronts were taking a beating on the Dragon after I dusted the cobwebs off my slow driving.

May go with 305's.

synolimit · 07-07-2015, 04:00 AM

Why not just buy the front, it's what I did.

PS I run no rear bar.

synolimit · 07-07-2015, 04:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by onzedge

The rear makes all the difference. People who tell you otherwise are misinformed or have not actually run Hotchkis and are parroting (repeating) something they have heard.

Run the rears in the middle position.

onzedge™ has written

Whether people have done it or not, when someone like Clint speaks up, most people listen

synolimit · 07-07-2015, 04:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trips

I think for the novice drivers the low or med setting should be fine.

For the guys who push the HELL out of it? Doing without and staying oem like in my case will allow you to push the limits.

I don't condone the driving like a maniac on public roads without the rear Hotchkis bar

Really? I'd think for a novice you'd want them to have more understeer and not oversteer. Ever see the mustang car event where 4-5 pull out and they all fishtail then end up crashing into the curb or into on coming traffic? I personally don't want a novice with more oversteer.

onzedge · 07-07-2015, 07:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rusty

You're full of chit!

There is only 2 holes on each side on mine.

Please to double-check, Rusty-san.

There are indeed three holes per side.

onzedge · 07-07-2015, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by synolimit

Whether people have done it or not, when someone like Clint speaks up, most people listen

I listen to, and heed, only the 35 years of experience I have driving, restoring, racing, modifying, wrecking and rebuilding Z cars (and other assorted Datsuns and Nissans). The only "Clint" of whom I am aware and whose advice I would even consider as valid is Clint Eastwood and I do not see him here on our beloved forum.

synolimit · 07-07-2015, 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by onzedge

I listen to, and heed, only the 35 years of experience I have driving, restoring, racing, modifying, wrecking and rebuilding Z cars (and other assorted Datsuns and Nissans). The only "Clint" of whom I am aware and whose advice I would even consider as valid is Clint Eastwood and I do not see him here on our beloved forum.

How about Doran racing then that has 2 cars and some of the best Z drivers in the Continental tire racing series? What about the people at Stance coilovers? I could go on but if Doran runs a bar they custom make and it's WAY stiffer than even the Hotchkis AND they run the OEM rear as all others are to stiff then I have to side with them. Unless I'm talking to one of them right now? Are you BJ??

onzedge · 07-07-2015, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by synolimit

How about Doran racing then that has 2 cars and some of the best Z drivers in the Continental tire racing series? What about the people at Stance coilovers? I could go on but if Doran runs a bar they custom make and it's WAY stiffer than even the Hotchkis AND they run the OEM rear as all others are to stiff then I have to side with them. Unless I'm talking to one of them right now? Are you BJ??

I do not know those folks and I am not BJ. That is an unfortunate name though.

Spooler · 07-07-2015, 02:34 PM

Hey, Hey, Keep it to a min. LOL I searched for 2-3 days off and on about sway bars. I read enough bickering.

Hotrodz · 07-07-2015, 03:09 PM

Breakin it down to the bear essentials:
1. More front is better and for performance driving there is no such thing as too much front bar.
2. How much rear bar is dependent on your driving style, suspension and type of driving. As a general rule, too much rear bar can make the Z tail happy.

Good luck with getting this stuff dialed in. It will take some time to get it right, but that is what makes it fun!!!

Dwnshift · 07-07-2015, 03:33 PM

We typically run from :softer than a standard rear bar... to a Nismo rear bar... Or in between.
Depends on how much grip the track has.
We have 3 rear bars that we can switch between depending on where we end up.
Normally we run either the lower and middle bar.
Each side has adjustable blades that gives us an adjustable range. If we find we get towards the top of that range..
We can go to the middle sized bar... And and have adjustment down or up.

Front bar.... Its big.... Real freakin big.
More like massive.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Spooler · 07-07-2015, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dwnshift

We typically run from :softer than a standard rear bar... to a Nismo rear bar... Or in between.
Depends on how much grip the track has.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Good to know. That gives me a starting point.

07-06-2015, 11:20 PM	#16 (permalink)
Spooler A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Ga Posts: 13,804 Drives: 2013 Nismo 370z Rep Power: 2684392	This makes it easy. Hotchkis it is, with possible new garage lamp if it doesn't work out for the rear, sounds like that is a no go. Last edited by Spooler; 07-06-2015 at 11:23 PM.

07-07-2015, 02:34 PM	#27 (permalink)
Spooler A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Ga Posts: 13,804 Drives: 2013 Nismo 370z Rep Power: 2684392	Hey, Hey, Keep it to a min. LOL I searched for 2-3 days off and on about sway bars. I read enough bickering. Brendan likes this.

07-07-2015, 03:09 PM	#28 (permalink)
Hotrodz A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: NW, AZ Posts: 9,330 Drives: 10 Nissan 370z Nismo Rep Power: 2684385	Breakin it down to the bear essentials: 1. More front is better and for performance driving there is no such thing as too much front bar. 2. How much rear bar is dependent on your driving style, suspension and type of driving. As a general rule, too much rear bar can make the Z tail happy. Good luck with getting this stuff dialed in. It will take some time to get it right, but that is what makes it fun!!! onzedge and synolimit like this. __________________ *Fast Intentions TT Installed and Tuned by Seb at SpecialtyZ 610whp 560tq:\|Fast Intentions 3" TT-TDX*\|SpecialtyZ/Fast Intentions 72 Row Oil Cooler\|SZ 6 Puck Clutch & Flywheel\|3GsCustoms\|Z1\|Wavetrac\|Hotchkis\|Whiteline \|Blitz\|Fortune Auto 500\|Fujimura\|SPL\|H&R\|TK\|TWM\|RPM Rollbar\|Sparco\|Next Level Performance\|TrackSpec\|AeroFlow Dynamics\|Pioneer\|

07-07-2015, 03:33 PM	#29 (permalink)
Dwnshift Track Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Cincy Posts: 717 Drives: NISMO 370Z RC Rep Power: 14	Hotchkis sway bar question. We typically run from :softer than a standard rear bar... to a Nismo rear bar... Or in between. Depends on how much grip the track has. We have 3 rear bars that we can switch between depending on where we end up. Normally we run either the lower and middle bar. Each side has adjustable blades that gives us an adjustable range. If we find we get towards the top of that range.. We can go to the middle sized bar... And and have adjustment down or up. Front bar.... Its big.... Real freakin big. More like massive. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk onzedge likes this. Last edited by Dwnshift; 07-07-2015 at 03:42 PM.

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07-06-2015, 11:28 PM	#18 (permalink)
j-rho Base Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: San Diego Posts: 154 Drives: 1967 Camaro Z28 Rep Power: 11	The Hotchkis rear bar is stiffer than stock. The car's handling balance is the sum of many factors, a stiffer rear bar doesn't automatically cause oversteer. With 1100lb. front and 650lb. rear springs and Hotchkis bars (rear full soft) my car understeered a lot. With 700lb. rears and the rear bar in the middle, it still pushes. Going to 800lb. springs in the rear now, may end up higher. A nice thing about the Hotchkis rear bar is it's adjustable - it's a great way to make a quick and relatively small change to the handling balance.