Don't bother with any non-adjustable sway bars. The notion that what you get out of the box will be tuned to what you need or like is silly. Built-in adjustablility is a must.

The Stillen's 5 adjustment settings simply refers to the use of non-symetrical left-to-right end-link positions. It still has the same 3 holes like the Hotchkis and Eibachs, etc.

I've used the Eibachs and now the Hotchkis. I didn't love the fact the Hotchkis bars are missing the collars that keep the bars nice and centered for performance consistency. They tend to end up shifted off to one side severely. I had to spend another 40bux to remedy that situation with a set of add-on collars. Other than that, they work just fine ... then again, it's pretty tough to screw up and not delivering a decent *adjustable* sway bar.

The bottom line is ... ANY of the existing *adjustable* sway bars are good.

Clint (THX723)

 

It would be great for someone to actually measure the stiffness of the oem rear sway bar as the convolutions make it impossible to use the standard formula [for a straight bar] to get an accurate number within 10-15%. The bar itself without the end links is ~~ 400 -300 [+-] pounds per inch of deflection.

As mounted and as coupled to the lower suspension arm it creates roughly 60-75 pounds per body inch of rear roll stiffness.

Also it won't be perfectly linear thru the entire +3 to -3 inches of body roll, as th bar moves in its mounts and the end link angles change and rubber bushings compress.

Aftemarkets do what I do [assume and guess from history a lot] other wise you would see them publish a real number instead of the vague 58% stiffer than stock. Springs give you a real number sway bars don't!

Just like shocks, very difficult to get graphs of performance, because they don't want to be held to a quality standard .....manufacturing tolerances.

But hard to have much variance in bending a bar if it fits.

 

Q,

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr>

It would be great for someone to actually measure the stiffness of the oem rear sway bar as the convolutions make it impossible to use the standard formula [for a straight bar] to get an accurate number within 10-15%.

<hr></blockquote>

Don't put out challenges like that! I have a stock swaybar sitting on my back patio. It looks like its asking to be torqued on a test bench. [img]/w3timages/icons/wink.gif[/img]

If I was to waste a few dollars and a weekend measuring torque/deflection what would be the "tangible" benifit? BTW the best I could do is measure only the OEM sport bar with bushings. The effect of the suspension moment arm would be excluded.


As an example:
I did a air flow test on the OEM plenum and it did indeed show intake runners 3 & 6 have more pressure drop than all other intake runners.

Adding a plenum spacer not only tended to equilize intake runner pressure drop, it slightly reduced pressure drop on all other intake runners.

2004 G35 Sport 6MT Black on Black Sedan
Stillen CAI, Stillen Cat Back, Stillen Swaybars, plenum spacer.
Castaic California

 

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr>

I didn't love the fact the Hotchkis bars are missing the collars that keep the bars nice and centered for performance consistency. They tend to end up shifted off to one side severely. I had to spend another 40bux to remedy that situation with a set of add-on collars.

<hr></blockquote>

I have not heard of that happening before. Where does one purchase add-on collars or did you fabricate them?



*'03.5 MT6 Sedan, Premium, CB*
Z-tube, Pop-Charger, Coupe Mid-Pipe, Autovation pedals

*'00 Saleen S281-SC*
Mucho mods. See it here!

 

Ahhh,

That's the beauty of the Stillen bars, they have the collars
just like the OEM bars.

03 5AT Sedan, sunroof, splashguards, HKS muffler,
14 wire Grounding kit, Z Duct, Stillen HF/AB
Underbody rear diffusers, Drilled alum pedals,
Stillen sway bars S/H. Sport Tuned Suspension

 

All of the other 3rd party sway bars have those collars ... it puzzles me why Hotchkis decides not to have them. The only short coming w. the Stillen is they don't come with poly bushings. (I could be wrong, however) The oem rubber bushings are re-used and those deteriorate and break very easily after a short time.

The collars can be purchased from McMaster:

Front P/N: 6436k141
Rear P/N: 6436k146

... thanks to a fellow on the My350Z forum for finding these pieces

The rears will go on flawlessly. The front's a bit non-ideal, as the portion of the bar is not completely straight ... causing the collar to angle.


Clint (THX723)

 

You are correct, the Stillen bars use the OEM bushings.
Mine were not worn at all with over 40K of driving. I purchased
a set of new bushings from the dealer for my new Stillen
bars. Turns out I did not need them, but of course I used them
anyway. My old bushing looked brand new. I guess I have
not been driving her hard enough! Hehehe

03 5AT Sedan, sunroof, splashguards, HKS muffler,
14 wire Grounding kit, Z Duct, Stillen HF/AB
Underbody rear diffusers, Drilled alum pedals,
Stillen sway bars S/H. Sport Tuned Suspension

 

Can you give the reasoning or a picture for why this is needed on the Hotchkis? Your saying the bar gets pushed to far over to one side of the car and stays there?

2003.5 DP 5AT Sedan
14.2 @ 97.18
Z-Tube
K&N Drop In & Airbox Mod
10 Wire Hyper-Ground
Crawford Plenum (V4)
UR Crank Pulley
Hotchkis Sways (M/M)
Polk EX-3500 Tweeters/Shock Sensor/H-Liner

 

Are you referring to the little tabs that the Hotchkis don't connect to? Also any pics?

2003.5 DP 5AT Sedan
14.2 @ 97.18
Z-Tube
K&N Drop In & Airbox Mod
10 Wire Hyper-Ground
Crawford Plenum (V4)
UR Crank Pulley
Hotchkis Sways (M/M)
Polk EX-3500 Tweeters/Shock Sensor/H-Liner

 

Check my attachment for illustration.


Clint (THX723)

383714-sway.jpg

 

hey clint, so you need 2 collars for rear and 2 for front right. just clip em on? any advice?

G35s6mt/TSecu/350Z Springs&Struts/K&Nfilter+Z-tube/StillenDualExhaust /6WireGroundKit/KinetixHighFlow

 

That is correct. They come in a set of 2s from McMaster (above).

It's fairly simple to install. The tricky part is to bring the bars back to the center, which requires disconnecting the endlinks and loosening the brackets. Once centered, install the two collars in board of the brackets (besure to re-torque down the brackets before doing so). Leave just a hair of slack between the collar and the bracket for a bit of free play. Again, the front will be a bit funky, since the bar isn't completely flat ... but you can still make it work to a point.


Clint (THX723)

 

Gotya - awesome thanks

2003.5 DP 5AT Sedan
14.2 @ 97.18
Z-Tube
K&N Drop In & Airbox Mod
10 Wire Hyper-Ground
Crawford Plenum (V4)
UR Crank Pulley
Hotchkis Sways (M/M)
Polk EX-3500 Tweeters/Shock Sensor/H-Liner

 

so if i only need the rears, i just buy 1 set. total cost: about 10 bucks?

G35s6mt/TSecu/350Z Springs&Struts/K&Nfilter+Z-tube/StillenDualExhaust /6WireGroundKit/KinetixHighFlow

 

you got it.

Clint (THX723)