sway Bars
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 16,270
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From: "It's 106 miles to Chicago, we've got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark, and
St. Jude Donor '03-'04-'05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17-‘18-'19
NCM Sinkhole Donor
Lots of folks here have installed Hotchkis bars, including me. I like them alot. My car was an FE1 (base) suspension car. Along with the Hotchkis bars, I have Bilstein Sport shocks -with the car being lowered to the max on stock bolts and BFG KDW's, the car handles great!
Just in case you're interested how the Hotchkis stack up against the various stock sway bar diameters, take a look at this.....
23mm, front; 19.1mm, rear --- FE1/Base --- Source
25.4mm, front; 21.7mm, rear --- FE3/Z51 97-99 --- Source
28.6mm, front; 23.6mm, rear --- FE3/Z51 00-04 --- Source
30.0mm, front; 23.6mm, rear --- FE4/Z06 --- Source
31.75mm, front; 25.4mm, rear --- Hotchkis --- Source
38.4mm, front; 27.5mm, rear --- GM T1 --- Source
Info courtesy of Leaftye
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...7&forum_id=103
Just in case you're interested how the Hotchkis stack up against the various stock sway bar diameters, take a look at this.....
23mm, front; 19.1mm, rear --- FE1/Base --- Source
25.4mm, front; 21.7mm, rear --- FE3/Z51 97-99 --- Source
28.6mm, front; 23.6mm, rear --- FE3/Z51 00-04 --- Source
30.0mm, front; 23.6mm, rear --- FE4/Z06 --- Source
31.75mm, front; 25.4mm, rear --- Hotchkis --- Source
38.4mm, front; 27.5mm, rear --- GM T1 --- Source
Info courtesy of Leaftye
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...7&forum_id=103
Race Director
Joined: Nov 1999
Posts: 12,952
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From: Greer SC
Cruise-In II Veteran
We use to run Road Atlanta on the stock Z51... 
We switched to Hotchkis & there was a huge difference! After that we added QA1 Adjustable Shocks...which provided even better handling. But even with those upgrades, it wasn't until we upgraded to Nitto Race Tires that the Corvette handled the track better than most cars there.
We switched to Hotchkis & there was a huge difference! After that we added QA1 Adjustable Shocks...which provided even better handling. But even with those upgrades, it wasn't until we upgraded to Nitto Race Tires that the Corvette handled the track better than most cars there.
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 212
Likes: 0
From: Atlanta GA
Originally Posted by blacksedan87
Lots of folks here have installed Hotchkis bars, including me. I like them alot. My car was an FE1 (base) suspension car. Along with the Hotchkis bars, I have Bilstein Sport shocks -with the car being lowered to the max on stock bolts and BFG KDW's, the car handles great!
Did you replace your springs when you added the Hotchkis bars and the Bilstein shocks? If not, how long have you been running your current setup? Any problems or complaints? How's the ride?
Sorry for all the questions, but I've been thinking about going this route, but my car is a daily driver, so I don't want an extremely harsh ride or have to worry about the car bottoming out on everything all the time. I might start with stiffer sway bars and go from there.
Anyone else have any input or suggestions? Thanks!
Last edited by TarHeelDan2001; Oct 12, 2005 at 12:29 AM.
Drifting
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 1,985
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From: Not QUITE the armpit of Southern Maryland, but scary close...
Cruise-In VI Veteran
Cruise-In VII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '04-'05-'06
I just recently switched out my Z51 sways for the Hotchkis. I haven't run it on a track yet, but I can tell you from just driving around town and some back roads I like them a lot.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 16,270
Likes: 30
From: "It's 106 miles to Chicago, we've got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark, and
St. Jude Donor '03-'04-'05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17-‘18-'19
NCM Sinkhole Donor
Originally Posted by TarHeelDan2001
I have an 2002 MN6 with the FE1 suspension also. I read somewhere on this forum that lowering all the way on stock bolts is not advisable because the FE1 springs are not stiff enough to control the ride (i.e. the car is undersprung), causing a lot of bottoming and also wearing out the shocks quickly.
Did you replace your springs when you added the Hotchkis bars and the Bilstein shocks? If not, how long have you been running your current setup? Any problems or complaints? How's the ride?
Sorry for all the questions, but I've been thinking about going this route, but my car is a daily driver, so I don't want an extremely harsh ride or have to worry about the car bottoming out on everything all the time. I might start with stiffer sway bars and go from there.
Anyone else have any input or suggestions? Thanks!
Did you replace your springs when you added the Hotchkis bars and the Bilstein shocks? If not, how long have you been running your current setup? Any problems or complaints? How's the ride?
Sorry for all the questions, but I've been thinking about going this route, but my car is a daily driver, so I don't want an extremely harsh ride or have to worry about the car bottoming out on everything all the time. I might start with stiffer sway bars and go from there.
Anyone else have any input or suggestions? Thanks!
Now - admittedly, the roads here in Arizona are not frost heaved or particularly rough. The freeways are generally well paved, and the secondary roads are a rough surface (like exposed aggregate), but little in the way of potholes, etc.
Out on the freeway at 75 - 80 mph ( Relax....the speed limit is 75mph away from town and 65 in most places) the car rides like a luxury car. when the road starts to twist, the car handles like it's on rails. I've driven on Rt 89 out of Prescott which is about 20 miles of switchbacks and tight turns with a posted suggested speed of 15mph, at speeds somewhat higher than that
and the car is like a slot car. It handles the way I'd expect a Corvette to handle. I have no illusions about the car - it's not a Z06, but it's not a Cadillac either. If I wanted a perfect soft and smooth ride, I wouldn't have bought a sportscar.I would have no problem using the car as it is today as a daily driver, but again it comes down to perception and expectations.
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