TBSS Posted August 5, 2004 Report Share Posted August 5, 2004 A solid bar when twisted only has to overcome one static stress point in order to lose its integrity, which is the actual center of the bar. Once the center of the bar begins twisting, the entire bar is much easier to continue twisting. A hollow bar, on the other hand, has to overcome static stress on four surfaces in order to begin flexion - outside top, inside top, inside bottom, and outside bottom. It is much, much more difficult to twist a hollow bar because of the multiple barriers to flexion. Thanks, it was always explained to me that hollow bars were hollow for weight savings only, and ease of manufacture. Weight savings for sure, but I'd be willing to bet that solid bars are easier to make. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m396 #00-011 Posted August 5, 2004 Report Share Posted August 5, 2004 A solid bar when twisted only has to overcome one static stress point in order to lose its integrity, which is the actual center of the bar. Once the center of the bar begins twisting, the entire bar is much easier to continue twisting. A hollow bar, on the other hand, has to overcome static stress on four surfaces in order to begin flexion - outside top, inside top, inside bottom, and outside bottom. It is much, much more difficult to twist a hollow bar because of the multiple barriers to flexion. Thanks, it was always explained to me that hollow bars were hollow for weight savings only, and ease of manufacture. Weight savings for sure, but I'd be willing to bet that solid bars are easier to make. Sorry, I wrote that wrong. I meant that solid bars are easier to make. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
styleandspeed Posted August 5, 2004 Report Share Posted August 5, 2004 Didn't know about the end links. Different attachment points would make the rear bar adjustable, which would be necessary for various ride heights. This is good, but also makes me wonder about how solid the link connections are. Since the links are fixed by hardware, this could present a point of flex or play in the setup, which is not desired. Regarding solid bars being weaker than hollow bars, I'll take a shot at explaining it, though I'm not an engineer, so please bear with me. Though counter-intuitive at first, it makes sense once you understand the principles. A solid bar when twisted only has to overcome one static stress point in order to lose its integrity, which is the actual center of the bar. Once the center of the bar begins twisting, the entire bar is much easier to continue twisting. A hollow bar, on the other hand, has to overcome static stress on four surfaces in order to begin flexion - outside top, inside top, inside bottom, and outside bottom. It is much, much more difficult to twist a hollow bar because of the multiple barriers to flexion. If any of you are old enough to remember videos of bodybuilders bending bars on the beach, please note that all the bars they used were solid, for this reason - it is much easier to bend a solid bar than it is a hollow bar. I do see the concern about how the adjustable endlinks would make them weaker. That definately may be the case, although I hope that they made it sturdy enough that it wasn't a problem. Also, I guess that you might be right about the hollow bar, but I also have just heard that it was for weight savings. Are you sure that the rear bar on the hotchkis kit is hollow? On hotchkis kit for my old truck their front bar was hollow, while their rear bar was solid. Not sure if that is the case on the new kits or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBSS Posted August 5, 2004 Report Share Posted August 5, 2004 My Hotchkis bars are both hollow. And I doubt if anyone is really worried about 4-5 extra pounds on a 5500 lb vehicle. Maybe a 3000 lb race car, but not a SSS or Avalanche...JMO. The more research I did (and I did a lot), the more I heard of people having issues with the Hellwig bars, like broken end links, twisted bars, etc. I decided that was why they were so cheap. So I bit the bullet and went with the Hotchkis bars, and also the trailing arms. I'm not sorry I did. Just yesterday, I had a guy looking at my brakes for a possible upgrade, and he looked under my truck and said, "I don't believe it." I asked him "What?" He said, "You did it right - you got the right sway bars. I never see anyone doing it right like this." This just confirmed the wisdom behind my choice to spend all that money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SEfromTEMPE Posted August 5, 2004 Report Share Posted August 5, 2004 Yes, the Hotchkis bars are the way to go. I have them on my SS and on my wife's Denali. The Denali is lowered, they just send you shorter end links or "dog bones", the part that attaches the bar to the frame. This keeps the sway bar horizontal to make it as effective as possible. The ONLY drawback to stiffer bars, and it doesn't change my mind about having them but I thought it should be mentioned is that it will make the ride stiffer when going over uneven surfaces such as potholes, or when going across valley gutters in streets at an angle. This is because the sway bars reduce body roll by making it more difficult for wheels on opposite sides of the vehicle to travel in opposite directions. Still love having the bars, though The other thing to watch is that I have had the fasteners loosen over time on both of my vehicles that have the Hotchkis bars. It would be worthwhile to check the bars periodically, maybe every time you do an oil change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbyrne Posted August 6, 2004 Report Share Posted August 6, 2004 We have a few sets of Hotchkis bars in stock that we will let go at the GP price of $450. shipping in the 48 states. Orders can be placed online over the weekend to scoop these up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigTsBadSS Posted August 7, 2004 Report Share Posted August 7, 2004 We have a few sets of Hotchkis bars in stock that we will let go at the GP price of $450. shipping in the 48 states. Orders can be placed online over the weekend to scoop these up! They wont work on a lowered truck. if they do I will get them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBSS Posted August 7, 2004 Report Share Posted August 7, 2004 The ONLY drawback to stiffer bars, and it doesn't change my mind about having them but I thought it should be mentioned is that it will make the ride stiffer when going over uneven surfaces such as potholes, or when going across valley gutters in streets at an angle. This is because the sway bars reduce body roll by making it more difficult for wheels on opposite sides of the vehicle to travel in opposite directions. Still love having the bars, though Yes, there is less articulation with bigger sways. Can't zoom over the speed bumps anymore, or into/out of graduated parking lot entrances/exits without being serioiusly shaken up. But this is a very small price to pay for the increase in handling at speed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickmedic1 Posted August 7, 2004 Report Share Posted August 7, 2004 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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