Sup everyone,

Finally got to install my Hotchkis TVS Kit (performance swaybars and sport coils)....

Good:
1. Rides smooth and takes corners aggressively with less roll.
2. Install took 4 hours with 3 people.
3. Silver coils and laser red sways look much better than OEM black coils and sways.

Lessons learned:
1. Not for 1 person to take on...
2. You need an impact wrench....
3. You need to use the factory jack, have 2 ton jackstands and a floorjack...
4. You need good socket wrenches 10mm, 12mm, 14mm (most common) and a larger one (can't remember what size)to unscrew some nasty tight nuts, to tighten the screws to a good amount of torque...
5. You need a spring compressor to remove and replace the coils...
6. You have to unscrew one of the exhaust pipe hangers to insert the swaybars even though the Hotchkis instructions (which are actually pretty good!) will say you dont have to for the rear sway install.
7. It might be a good idea to have some extra copper 14mm FINE THREAD nuts just in case you might strip a nut trying to remove them (the nuts are bolted hella tight as you can imagine!)
8. Have some silicone lubricant on hand to try to lube the tight nut.

The final product is nice, the install was actually a PITA. If you aren't experienced in suspension stuff, I would just have a auto shop do it, its not worth the headache and bloody knuckles. I was lucky to have a couple buddies who have worked on suspension, lift/drop kits before on trucks, toyotas and hondas before.

BTW, Hotckis specs for their sport coils said about a 0.6" drop.....try more like 1 inch which may not seem like a lot but my wheel-wheel well fender space went from 3 finger breaths to 1! lol I am getting my alignment checked when I take my G in for a oil change next week.

NEXT PROJECTS:
1. Stillen TD CB exhaust (its comin to Hawaii by boat! 7 weeks and counting dammit!) I plan on doing this myself since I know the underbody layout now after doing the sways....seems easy.
2. UR underdrive crankpulley - has been sitting in my garage in the Stillen box for a couple months. I've been debating whether or not to install it d/t the vivid and lengthy thread here about the UR pulley and its potential to cause premature bearing wear. I will be having this installed by a tuner since you need a good angle wrench for the pulley bolt as well as chain wrench for bolt removal. I will also be doing the Blackstone oil analysis periodically to detect any bearing wear.


doc

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2004 G35c AT / DG / Graphite / Premium(-POS Bose) / Performance / Aero / Alum Pedals / Clear Corners w/PIAA Xtreme White / 6-Wire GroundingGear / Stillen HiFlow CAB / Z Tube / Stillen TD CB Exhaust (soon) / Hotchkis Performance Swaybars / Hotchkis Sport Coils / Passport 8500 / JDM v35 DoubleDIN Dash swap
Panasonic CQ DXE / MTX Thunder Amps x2 / Infinity Perfect 6.1 / Kappa 692.5i / Eclipse SE8363 / Infinity BassLink

DoubleDIN Conversion DIY guide:
http://www.g-owners.com/article_read.asp?id=33

"Never put sharp pointy objects on leather..."

 

you do not need to take out your exhaust pipe to install the rear sway bars. Trust me I've done 2 installs already.

2003 G35 Coupe 6mt Diamond Graphite
AIM= bkchang79
http://www.sounddomain.com/id/bkchang79

 

I didn't remove the exhaust pipe, i just had to unscrew one of the hangers enough to pull the pipe down so i could pass the rear sway through. The instructions said you don't have to unhook any of the hangers. Without scraping up the sway on the sharp sheet metal, unhooking one hanger seemed more feasible and less destructive to the sway's coating.....

doc