Hotchkis Suspension
- Thread starter Elvad
- Start date
I have them on my 68 satellite. Some are running them as part of the hotchkis total vehicle system with 17" or 18" wheels and nitto 555 tires with great results. The wheels and tires are the weakest link. I prefer the look of 15" wheels and with raised white letter radials at that, and with those I don't notice much difference on the street. To me they don't seem much lighter than stock uca's either. The hotchkis pieces, however, are a great design and high quality pieces. You can't hurt your car's performance by installing them.
If you were thinking to only swap out the uca's don't do it. Swap out a few other suspension pieces and you will see an accumulative benefit, but unless you go with bigger wheels and high quality tires, on a street driven car you won't gain as much as you may be hoping for. Let's face it, daily driving isn't usually like a racetrack either. I am still trying to convince myself to go with 17" wheels to feel the cornering potential of my mostly aftermarket setup. With 15" it is not as drastic of a change as I expected and I have upgraded most everything.
IMO you would do best to leave the stock uca's, go up in size on torsion bars to .096, box both lca's and add front and rear sway bars, add welded subframe connectors, make sure you have good shocks, and run good quality rubber. In the steering response dept, getting rid of steering slop can give drastic improvements and if you aren't running headers that are too tight, upgrade to the longer fast ratio pitman and idler arm that firm feel offers.
I have been going through my own suspension and steering upgrades the last few years and learned by wasting a bit too much money. Some members on here had some great tips that I found to be true. (prop wash, cranky, and a few others).
If you were thinking to only swap out the uca's don't do it. Swap out a few other suspension pieces and you will see an accumulative benefit, but unless you go with bigger wheels and high quality tires, on a street driven car you won't gain as much as you may be hoping for. Let's face it, daily driving isn't usually like a racetrack either. I am still trying to convince myself to go with 17" wheels to feel the cornering potential of my mostly aftermarket setup. With 15" it is not as drastic of a change as I expected and I have upgraded most everything.
IMO you would do best to leave the stock uca's, go up in size on torsion bars to .096, box both lca's and add front and rear sway bars, add welded subframe connectors, make sure you have good shocks, and run good quality rubber. In the steering response dept, getting rid of steering slop can give drastic improvements and if you aren't running headers that are too tight, upgrade to the longer fast ratio pitman and idler arm that firm feel offers.
I have been going through my own suspension and steering upgrades the last few years and learned by wasting a bit too much money. Some members on here had some great tips that I found to be true. (prop wash, cranky, and a few others).
I have a hodgepodge of upgrades including tubular uca's from PST if I remember. One of the best was the Hothkis-Tuned Bilstein shocks. I put all four on before the trip to Spring Fling. Transformational handling improvement.
Jim Bob The Dancing Bear
Well-Known Member
I have the TVS and the quality and adjustability of everything has been great.
I have -0.9 camber right and -1.0 left
5.4 caster right and 4.9 left.
.11" toe
It took some work to get them adjusted but you can get your alighnment perfectly where you want it with the Hotchkis a-arms.
The questions is what will your intentions be for the car?
I have -0.9 camber right and -1.0 left
5.4 caster right and 4.9 left.
.11" toe
It took some work to get them adjusted but you can get your alighnment perfectly where you want it with the Hotchkis a-arms.
The questions is what will your intentions be for the car?
Big Sugar
Well-Known Member
You need to get your Ducks in a Row.
Start by figuring out what you want to do with your car.
Sometimes all you'll really need is good shocks and bushings, a proper alignment and a set of average swaybars (PST ,ADDCO,) and you'll be happy.
Before you consider the Hotchkis UCA make sure your foundation is sound, Start with your Ball joints and bushings, Shocks, Then Subframe connectors, then Start the Hotchkis ball rolling,
Front and rear swaybars,
Strut bars,
Torsion bars ,
Upper control arms.
Now your into better brakes
and finish it off with Better tires and rims.
Good luck
Start by figuring out what you want to do with your car.
Sometimes all you'll really need is good shocks and bushings, a proper alignment and a set of average swaybars (PST ,ADDCO,) and you'll be happy.
Before you consider the Hotchkis UCA make sure your foundation is sound, Start with your Ball joints and bushings, Shocks, Then Subframe connectors, then Start the Hotchkis ball rolling,
Front and rear swaybars,
Strut bars,
Torsion bars ,
Upper control arms.
Now your into better brakes
and finish it off with Better tires and rims.
Good luck
Jim Bob The Dancing Bear
Well-Known Member
TVS, bigger torsion bars, new ball joints (4), polygraphite bushings for lower control arms (2), lower control arm boxing brace, greasable pivot shafts, idler arm, pitman arm, alighnment, gas.
Brakes, rims and tires are my next big upgrade. New or rebuilt steering box may come in before or after brakes, rims and tires.
Brakes, rims and tires are my next big upgrade. New or rebuilt steering box may come in before or after brakes, rims and tires.
Similar threads
