d_a_n_payne Posted June 7, 2004 Report Share Posted June 7, 2004 What will they help? Anything other than cornering? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBSS Posted June 8, 2004 Report Share Posted June 8, 2004 What will they help? Anything other than cornering? Yes, I just had them installed on my Avalanche and there is a big difference. Be aware that I had stock sway bars fore and aft, and still there is a huge performance difference between the Hotchkis bars and stock bars, even though there is not a large diameter difference (FRONT: 1.25" stock vs. 1.44 Hotchkis, REAR: 1.125 stock vs. 1.25 Hotchkis). Other than turns (which makes driving the truck a whole lot more fun...now I can double the recommended speed of an on-ramp, add 10 mph, and still feel like I'm not pushing the limits of my vehicle...) there is much more confidence on the freeway. Absolutely zero yaw when changing lanes at speed. Oh yeah, I got the trailing arms (P/N 1305) too, so I am unclear how much of the improvement was the bars and how much was the trailing arms. I would bet most of the improvement is from the bars, since the arms don't affect front suspension at all. I recommend the Hotchkis bars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marc_w Posted June 8, 2004 Report Share Posted June 8, 2004 I'm in on the GP here. How do you guys think the bars would help yaw on uneven roads while just cruising along? That's my biggest complaint with this truck (in general). On our horrible uneven roads with ever-changing-camber, my truck leans and yaws all over the place........ sometimes feeling as though certain sides of the truck are defying gravity and the laws of physics. (slight exaggeration, yes, but the trucks handling does some ODD things at times) I'm running in circles, adjusting the torsion bars to try to tune this out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBSS Posted June 10, 2004 Report Share Posted June 10, 2004 Yaw at speed is almost nonexistent now. This is great for the phenomenon you are describing, it should solve that issue completely. But be aware that it makes driving in parking lots more time-consuming. You will have to slow down much more when taking speed bumps, going into and out of gas stations, driveways, etc. There is much less articulation and therefore less give, so you will be slowing down considerably in these instances, or you will be shaken like crazy. A small price to pay for the benefits derived from the install. Still very much worth it IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marc_w Posted June 10, 2004 Report Share Posted June 10, 2004 Cool, thanks! As it is now with the single front sway bar, my truck is already a little violent on speed bumps unless I hit them dead on. On these things (my truck only?), the front suspension is tight, and the rear is soft and loafy. I can push the back of the truck down with my thumb on the bumper. If the front wheel hits something, there is nothing out back to stop the entire truck from taking the hit, rather than have the suspension absorb it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cokedrvrbjw Posted June 11, 2004 Author Report Share Posted June 11, 2004 Will they work on a lowered SS?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBSS Posted June 11, 2004 Report Share Posted June 11, 2004 Don't know about a lowered SS, but there was a kit for the lowered Avalanche that was different from the stock one. The 'dog bones' (short bars that support the rear sway bar) were different in the kit I ordered for my lowered AV. These are important. Had I used the ones from a stock kit, the rear sway would have been loaded already just sitting parked. I would call Hotchkis and get the info directly from the horse's mouth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MustBBrent Posted June 11, 2004 Report Share Posted June 11, 2004 Not to muddy the water, but the question seems to me to be, how did you lower it? for instance, I lowered mine by the 1-2" shackles from Belltech in the rear and I turned the torsion bars 5 turns in the front. Both have the stock sway bars on them now, it seems to me, please correct my ignorance if I am wrong, that stock sized replacements would do well. BTW, Naked AV, on those trailing arms...(been considering them to even out towing) do you tow anything? My question is about how much the rear end squats with even just a few hundred pounds in the back. Mine seems to drop to the bottom with 300lbs or more in the bed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbyrne Posted June 14, 2004 Report Share Posted June 14, 2004 I have a call into Hotchkis to see if they will work on a lowered truck but I don't believe so. They usually have different parts for those. 6 orders in so far with just 2 more required for the GP to go through. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbyrne Posted June 16, 2004 Report Share Posted June 16, 2004 The minimum has been met for the Hotchkis GP so this is now open to all products that they produce. Orders can be placed through Friday (6/18). Just give us a call or e-mail for pricing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickmedic1 Posted June 20, 2004 Report Share Posted June 20, 2004 Ordered mine 6/18/04. Time to watch the clock I guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silversport Posted July 14, 2004 Report Share Posted July 14, 2004 Naked AV...are you still happy with the sway bars??? How do you think they would work on a Z-71??? (Yours is a Z-66, right???) I wish I had seen this earlier...maybe if others see this a group purchase may arrise again??? Thanks, Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBSS Posted July 14, 2004 Report Share Posted July 14, 2004 Yes, when I see a curve sign and it has posted speed (for example, the 45 mph curve going from 5 South to 8 East tonight) I can safely double it, and count on getting through that curve with no lean whatsoever. And this is in my 5800 lb beast, which I'm sure sits higher than an SS. More than worth the approx. $1K I spent on the mod (sways + trailing arms + install). I'd do it all over again in a heartbeat. I think they would equally well in a 4WD or 2WD vehicle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickmedic1 Posted July 15, 2004 Report Share Posted July 15, 2004 Naked AV...are you still happy with the sway bars??? How do you think they would work on a Z-71??? (Yours is a Z-66, right???) I wish I had seen this earlier...maybe if others see this a group purchase may arrise again???Thanks, Bill You will like these. I have managed without much difficulty to surprise some police officers in my area who know me and follow me thru bends. It's a great upgrade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silversport Posted July 16, 2004 Report Share Posted July 16, 2004 Sounds good to me...thanks! Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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