Hotchkis sway bar install tonight didn't go so well...
 

Hi all,
I put my hotchkis sway bar kit on tonight (sorry, no pictures this time). the kit is designed to work with the 1/2 drop kit that I put on last night. the product quality appears to be very high. the front sway bar went on like butter. The rear however was another story.

There is still some question as to if the new sway bar is going to work with my new JDM girdle or not. it is a close fit, I don't know how much the sway bar moves downward as the suspension compresses, but I'll have to check into that before I push it to the limits.

I lubed all of the urethane bushings and installed the shortened end links. then I put the axle brackets and u-bolts into place loosely. I moved the rear sway bar into postion and installed the bushings and retaining straps onto the axle brackets. so far so good. all nuts/bolts are in place finger tight and ready to be tightened.

1. tighten sway bar end links to center sway bar, OK

2. tighten u-bolts that hold axle pad brackets down, L side OK, right side NOT OK.

I begin to tighten one of the nuts down on the u-bolt and it is moving freely for about a half an inch and then just comes to a dead stop! I know it wasn't cross threaded, but there must have been a bur or something that I didn't see, because this nut (still not tight) will not move in EITHER direction :( . I put my ratchet away and got my 3/4 impact gun (strong enough to remove lug nuts), it will not budge this thing. Screw it, I get the big 1/2 500 FT/LB Ingersol Impact gun out. THIS GUN DOESN'T affect it either! I ended up having to cut the u-bolt off with a cutting wheel. during all of the banging with the impact gun, one of the 10x25mm bolts that holds the sway bar bushing and retainer bracket/strap that was just in finger tight, decided to vibrate out and take a flying leap onto the shop floor. once I realized it was missing I had a search party of 4 people scouring the floor for this brand new shiney zinc-gold colored bolt, but never did find it.

long story short, I end up using one of the factory u-bolts and nuts to replace the nice stainless one that I had to cut. Unfortunately the factory part isn't threaded down as far as the Hotchkis U so I can't even fully tighten the axle pad bracket down all of the way. Also, I had to go to parts and find a bolt to replace the one that got lost. of course we don't have a matching one, so I had to use a 10x30 instead and it's a different color. I know that sounds petty, but it's a damn $500 dollar sway bar kit that is now only functional on the front because the rear bar is held on loosly by a random assortment of nuts and bolts that don't even fit properly. the rear bar is kind of just along for the ride.

anyway, I just thought I'd vent/share my crappy night with you guys.

its not the end of the world, I'll just call hotchkis tomorrow and see if they will send me the faulty hardware, plus the bolt I lost.

I'm sure it'll all be ok in the morning.

later,
chris

remember that brew you forgot to drink last night:D

WoW
 

Are you sure you haven't assumed my identity for the evening - cause that sure sounds like the follies I run on a regular basis...;)

Good luck - I hope all turns out well - One thing I do know is Hotchkis is a very reputable Company I'm sure they will send you anything you will need...

Things I've learned:
1. The rear driver's side shock upper mount nut takes a long time to remove until you've done it 10 times.
2. The rear sway bar removal and install is a pain the first three times.
3. Keep your mouth shut when removing the transmission filter. If you don't, the fluid tends to fly sideways in a large stream at the wrong moment.

What happened is called galling. When you have a stainless nut and stainless bolt the likelyhood of galling is very high. Make that a locking nut and the probability is very high. Stainless threads are very abrasive. As the nut rotates down the bolt it generates heats. The faster you run the hotter it gets. The essentially weld themselves together. Have to use a little lube to prevent it from happening. Impact wrench applifies it.

thanks for the info Silver Bolt.

where were you BEFORE I did this?;)

seriously though, in that case, I can't be the first person to have done this. they should include instructions to "lube" the hardware or NOT to use air tools or something.

later,
chris

I got my lesson the hard way. I am in the fastener business and we have a customer that makes power line markers for airports and power transmission lines. You have probably seen those big red plastic balls on power lines. Well the way they install those when you can't reach them from the ground is with a helicopter. They hang a basket under the helo and the pilot hovers while the balls are installed. On one of their job sites they had a galling problem with our stainless hardware. Guess who got to go out and figure out the problem? Nothing like hovering next to bazillion volt power lines over a 1000 + foot canyon to open your eyes. Not to mention the fact that the helo cost $2500 per hour. I proptly educated myself on the compatibility of stainless steel. We now wax their parts and have no other issues.

NOt common knowledge unless someone is working with it regularly. At the home shop a little shot of Pledge works great. Will not affect the locking ability of the nut.

Chris,
I know this is not much help but I have a 2 inch shackle drop with the stock bar and my end links cut 2 inches and I have no problem with the JDM Cover.
Hopefully you will not either.


VINNIE

yeah Vin, the stock sway bar seemed to be working fine with the girdle. The hotchkis may work fine as well, but it is bent differently and looks closer now. we'll see.

later,
chris

I guess working with stainless, bolting up flanges in Budweiser and Merck's, make me think of NeverSeize as second nature. Just remember a little goes a long way:D

But I must admit, I learned the hard way by galling the crap out of a couple 5/8's bolts. And in a hazardous atomsphere, I had to cut them with a hacksaw. O baby, you remember:thumbsup:

Neverseize, use it , learn it, love it:banana:

Re: Hotchkis sway bar install tonight didn't go so well...
 

Mine were made for a 3/4 drop. Yesterday I installed a 4/6 drop and the kit works great.:confused: