Just curious on thoughts on an original style 1" rear sway bar from OPGI or a Hotchkis 1" rear sway bar. Difference is about $70; so, it's not a huge amount, but just curious on what everyone runs and if anyone has ran both and noticed a difference one way or another. Thanks
I boxed the lower control arms and added the OPGI bar to my Skylark, definitely noticed a big difference in cornering. cant speak for the Hotchkis unit.
I boxed the lower control arms and added a Hellwig 5800 Anti-Sway Bar which is 1" solid 4140 OEM style. Made a big difference! $125 at Summit.
https://www.muscle-factory.com/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=253&cat=Sway+Bars+and+bushings Check out these guys and their prices. I have bought from them several times and am well pleased with products and service.
If it connects to the lower control arms like a factory sway bar, the 1" vs 7/8" will largely be similar to the factory sway bar. The only way to have a different affect is to use a bar like the HR Parts that lets the control arms move freely but keeps the rear centered and level under the car. You can tell these bars by the fact they bolt to the rear axle and have end links similar to the front sway bar. Until the inside tires comes off the ground in a corner or you move into oversteer territory, you haven't got too big a bar but it may be larger than you need. Balance is the key. I've got mine dialed in pretty well. It will slightly understeer at the ragged edge with power causing it to slightly oversteer. I'm using 1.25" front, urethane bushings and end links, tubular upper control arms, +5° caster, -1/2° camber, tall upper ball joints, boxed rear control arms and factory 7/8" rear bar.
Okay; yeah, was just curious if anyone has ran both an original style rear sway and then made the switch to a Hotchkis. I've ran the Hotchkis before, but never an original style one. I don't think there's too much difference, outside of the look; so, I might just go with the original style and save a little money.
There is a 1” available that looks identical to the OEM. I’ve used a few of them on some stock or stock-appearing applications,where I want everything to look original. There’s an eBay vendor that sells them for about $100.00,with free shipping,and they come powder-coated black. As for other cars that I’m not concerned about originality,I have used a variety of bars,always thicker than stock.
I think Larry (the wiz!) had a factory bar and switched to the end link style. Maybe he can chime in.
I'm looking at either: https://www.summitracing.com/parts/opg-addc939 or https://www.streetsideauto.com/p/hotchkis-performance-sport-2202r/ The place that sells the Hotchkis sells it for a good price and I've used it before on another car, just haven't used an original style one before.
I had a Herb Adams suspension solid 1 1/2" rear bar, and stock boxed arms. That's right, the bar was one and a half inches thick! The rear bars on our cars go from one lower control arm to the other. They are less effective than the front bars because of that. When I added the aluminum heads to my engine, I found I needed to upgrade my rear suspension pieces. I now have Metco upper (adjustable) arms and lower billet control arms. I also have TA No Hop bars. The rear sway bar I now use is the HR Parts n Stuff sway bar. It attaches to the axle tubes and the ends attach to the body cross member. It is way more effective than the stock rear bar. All of that made a huge difference in my traction. My first passes at Cecil county with my current engine yielded major traction problems. The second year, I had the Metco arms and it was night and day better. In front, I have an HO Performance 1 3/8" solid bar with poly end link bushings.
I think I gave mine to one of the Massholes after I removed it, maybe Paul Massicotte. It was really heavy I might still have the front one buried in my garage. Never really liked the front one. It used heim joints for end links and I had a lot of trouble with getting them aligned properly if I remember correctly. I believe the front bar was 1 5/16". PM Paul, he might still have it. http://www.v8buick.com/index.php?members/paul-massicotte.3496/
Just put an 1 1/8" " OPGI front sway bar on the 67 GS400 Convertible and a 1" OPGI and their new boxed control arms on the rear. Made a huge difference it the 'swaying ' of the car.
I also had the Herb Adams 1-1/2" solid rear OE style bar. Bought it back in the early 90's. I waited almost a year for it and when it finally showed up at my door I shelved it because it was mega heavy. I just sold it a year or so ago on Craigslist to a local Chevelle guy. I set up all the A-Body cars here at the shop with the Spohn Performance Solid rear sway bar which is also a link style. They offer two versions, a touring or drag race style. The main difference between the two is their OD. Some folks use the hollow rear bar by HR. I believe any of the link style rear sway bar systems are a vast improvement over any OEM style. To ad to the original post, .... years ago I went from an original 7/8" rear bar to an aftermarket 1-1/8" bar and actually preferred the OEM bar for 60ft as well as drivability. Larry
on my previous car I had a factory size 7/8 rear sway bar and a 1 1/8 front sway bar and the car drove phenomenally even with stock springs. on my current car I decided if 7/8-1 1/8 was good then 1" -1 1/4 must be better. in hindsight I wish I would have stuck with the smaller bars. less suspension bind and a better ride while still staying flat through the twisties.
I just ended up order - https://www.streetsideauto.com/p/hotchkis-performance-sport-2202r/ - for the price, it's not much more then the oem style one and I've used this one before. If anyone is looking for a nice rear sway, this place offers it at a great price (no tax + free shipping).
