Sway bar bushings
03-21-2013 | 01:47 PM
#41
I run kw v3's near stock heights to prevent scraping and tire rub(275/40 front summer, 245/45 front winter) and recently added the hotchkis bars. My stock bushings were toast as well over 100k miles. The bars are a good addition as it helps remove some of that teetering effect(feeling body roll on one side of the car) the v has when going through any corner. I have my shocks setup on the soft side for daily driving so the bars maybe more help than normal. I believe they are worth the money but its an opinion based on use of the car.
Last edited by garrettg; 03-21-2013 at 02:04 PM.
03-21-2013 | 02:17 PM
#43
03-21-2013 | 02:58 PM
#44
TECH Resident
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 796
Likes: 0
From: Florida
The hotchkis sways make a heck of a difference, I'm running both front and rear bars, with KW Variant 3's. I auto x when I get a chance and I will say I'm surprised by how predictable the setup is. Recommend those hotchkis sways any day, good endlinks are needed as well.
03-23-2013 | 04:02 AM
#45
Teching In
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 36
Likes: 0
From: UK
Update. Completely eliminated all front end clunk. It actually firmed up the feeling in the front end and also eliminated a slight steering wheel vibration I had.
All in all, if you suspect your bushing are worn out, for $25 and 45 minutes, there's no reason not to change them out.
All in all, if you suspect your bushing are worn out, for $25 and 45 minutes, there's no reason not to change them out.
Not everyone wants to spend $500 when $25 will do the trick. 
And I can't say I've ever noticed the body lean because I'm too busy sliding around on the poor seats.
I wouldn't say they provide major improvements - I'd say they're just a fine tuning thing.
There was a noticeable improvement in ride quality when I took the front Hotchkis bar off and went back to the stock front bar. Handling balance was better, too, so it was a win-win for me.
I'm using either Prothane or Energy Suspension 26mm poly bushings with the Hotchkis billet bushing brackets on my stock front bar.
If you look to the right of the bushing, below the sway bar, you can see just the bottom portion of a black metal block - that's the spacer that Hotchkis includes, which accounts for the strange shape of the stock bushing bracket (seen here). By putting that block in there, you can use a normal U-shaped bushing bracket. You could recreate the same effect with a stack of washers or maybe some pipe nipples cut to the proper length.
And I can't say I've ever noticed the body lean because I'm too busy sliding around on the poor seats.I wouldn't say they provide major improvements - I'd say they're just a fine tuning thing.
There was a noticeable improvement in ride quality when I took the front Hotchkis bar off and went back to the stock front bar. Handling balance was better, too, so it was a win-win for me.
I'm using either Prothane or Energy Suspension 26mm poly bushings with the Hotchkis billet bushing brackets on my stock front bar.
If you look to the right of the bushing, below the sway bar, you can see just the bottom portion of a black metal block - that's the spacer that Hotchkis includes, which accounts for the strange shape of the stock bushing bracket (seen here). By putting that block in there, you can use a normal U-shaped bushing bracket. You could recreate the same effect with a stack of washers or maybe some pipe nipples cut to the proper length.
03-23-2013 | 11:37 AM
#46
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 2,408
Likes: 107
From: Where the Navy tells me to go
Sorry for the confusion. Restatement: isn't it better to adjust understeer/oversteer through adjustments to your alignment and run the biggest bar you can find (without lifting a wheel, obviously)? That way, you maintain better posture through turns and keep air out from under the body.
Yeah, the stock bracket takes big bushings, much bigger than the various universal poly bushings.
12-18-2017 | 05:56 PM
#48
24 or 25 should work? If they’re rubber I’d think 23 could still squeeze them in, but rubber doesn’t compress in real life like it does in my mind.
where did you get them?
12-18-2017 | 06:07 PM
#49
Teching In
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
I managed to squeeze the bracket over them by turning the bushing around so the split is facing the rear. I got them from local auto parts store as a doorman kit. I wanted oem, but the dealer was closed and wanted to swap them ASAP. Turns out it was not my suspension clunk problem :/.
12-19-2017 | 06:12 AM
#50
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 2,408
Likes: 107
From: Where the Navy tells me to go
You can measure the bar you're trying to install the bushings on, and then you'll know for sure.
23mm is non-V. V bar is 26.5mm; as stated earlier in this thread, I'm using 26mm bushings.
23mm is non-V. V bar is 26.5mm; as stated earlier in this thread, I'm using 26mm bushings.
12-19-2017 | 07:51 PM
#51
Teching In
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
From: Missouri
I have a stock suspension '05 V.
FRONT: Creative Steel's greasable poly front sway bar bushings. I drilled and tapped the stock bracket for zerk fittings.
REAR: Energy 9.5157R poly bushings. The brackets even work.
The only mod I had to do to them was to slightly bevel the outer opening on both bushings (easy with a rough round file, Dremel or die grinder) so it accepts the bend in the sway bar that's RIGHT there.
End links: Replaced all of them some super heavy duty Moog replacements.
I couldn't be happier with the results.
FRONT: Creative Steel's greasable poly front sway bar bushings. I drilled and tapped the stock bracket for zerk fittings.
REAR: Energy 9.5157R poly bushings. The brackets even work.
The only mod I had to do to them was to slightly bevel the outer opening on both bushings (easy with a rough round file, Dremel or die grinder) so it accepts the bend in the sway bar that's RIGHT there.
End links: Replaced all of them some super heavy duty Moog replacements.
I couldn't be happier with the results.
12-19-2017 | 08:15 PM
#52
Sorry i was just going from memory which is **** at 39 with two kids. Should’ve known better.
I have the Creative Steel up front and aftermarket rears and also used the brackets out back too.
I have the Creative Steel up front and aftermarket rears and also used the brackets out back too.
01-22-2018 | 07:29 AM
#53
Staging Lane
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 75
Likes: 0
It looks like the addco sway bars currently available are their hollow bars 2447 and 2448. It seems that these would be preferred now, since they are bigger than the hotchkis hollows, and not as heavy as the old solid bars.
06-01-2018 | 01:57 PM
#54
On The Tree
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 102
Likes: 0
Summit didn't list 2289 as available anymore, but when I called Addco they said that they moved it to their "Special Order Catalog". When I inquired last week Addco had 2290 and 2289 both in stock and they should be delivered today.
Does anybody know if I can order the front Hotchkis swaybar brackets by themselves? Or can you only get them with the full Hotchkis kit?
06-01-2018 | 02:41 PM
#55
It looks like the Creative Steel guys have an OEM poly upgrade for 29.95 a pair.
Creative Steel Poly Goodness
Energy seems to offer some generic ones that they suggest fit.
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/ens-9-5111r/reviews/
The Hotchkiss replacement kits look cool but the diameters are too small for the stock bars.
