Preferred 1" torsion bar size & supplier?

[68 Sport Satellite]

So I browsed the offerings for rear sway bars from all of the vendors I previously mentioned and have narrowed it down to either Hotchkis or Firm Feel.

What I like about Firm Feel's setup is that they show photos and describe the install location as "frame hung". The ends mount with 4 bolts on each side at the leaf spring mount location with the U-bolts going through these mounts and also bolting the leaf springs to the axle. The inside mounting location bolts to the frame rails. It tucks up there nicely ABOVE the rear axle.

The Hotchkis website looks like it doesn't install as nicely as this and I don't think their's is frame hung. It looks like it's bolted to the axle with separate u-bolts and sits BELOW or at level with the rear axle, but maybe I'm not looking at the photos correctly in their install instructions.

Can anyone confirm this one way or the other that there is a difference in how Firm Feel and Hotchkis mount for the rear sway bar?

The other determining factor is I have a Hotchkis front bar that is 1-3/8" diameter (sorry, I said 1-1/8" earlier). The Hotchkis rear they offer is 7/8" which is about perfect. The Firm Feel rear bar offered is only 3/4". Will this 3/4" Firm Feel bar be big enough in conjunction with the Hotchkis front? If so, I'm going for the Firm Feel rear sway bar. Pricing is similar.

 

[68 Sport Satellite]

Anyone have any more input to my last question??

 

[moparstuart]

Great info thanks . I'm getting ready to put front and rear sway bars firm feel stage 2 steering box and 1 inch torsion bars on the superbird convertible . it started life as a 383 car with no sway bars and smaller t-bars . It should drive like a totally different beast now .

 

[Cranky]

So I browsed the offerings for rear sway bars from all of the vendors I previously mentioned and have narrowed it down to either Hotchkis or Firm Feel.

What I like about Firm Feel's setup is that they show photos and describe the install location as "frame hung". The ends mount with 4 bolts on each side at the leaf spring mount location with the U-bolts going through these mounts and also bolting the leaf springs to the axle. The inside mounting location bolts to the frame rails. It tucks up there nicely ABOVE the rear axle.

The Hotchkis website looks like it doesn't install as nicely as this and I don't think their's is frame hung. It looks like it's bolted to the axle with separate u-bolts and sits BELOW or at level with the rear axle, but maybe I'm not looking at the photos correctly in their install instructions.

Can anyone confirm this one way or the other that there is a difference in how Firm Feel and Hotchkis mount for the rear sway bar?

The other determining factor is I have a Hotchkis front bar that is 1-3/8" diameter (sorry, I said 1-1/8" earlier). The Hotchkis rear they offer is 7/8" which is about perfect. The Firm Feel rear bar offered is only 3/4". Will this 3/4" Firm Feel bar be big enough in conjunction with the Hotchkis front? If so, I'm going for the Firm Feel rear sway bar. Pricing is similar.

I only have experience with the frame hung bars since I only used a factory setup like what came on the E bodies but imo, the 3/4 bar should be enough unless you are really slinging it into the corners are very high speed. How does the car handle now? Does it have some understeer? If so, the rear should help a lot. On my 71 Cuda, it did pretty good just with the factory stuff but if I needed some oversteer, all I had to do was jump on the gas. It was easy to control it. It did have some body roll but not much but the splayed springs on the E bodies helps steer the rear a bit too.

 

[68 Sport Satellite]

OK, thanks Cranky. I just wasn't sure if there was a balance issue to worry about with the rear being 3/4" and the front being 1-3/8". I like the frame hung setup and I'm probably going to call Firm Feel and order theirs. The people there are very helpful too.

 

[watermelon]

Hi 68 Sport Satellite,

Maybe I missed it, did you purchase an entire Hotchkis TVS (Total Vehicle System)?

I've been looking into buying a TVS for my 66 Coronet. I do not have any sway bar brackets on my LCAs so I would have to weld some on (getting practice with my MIG).

Anyhow, I stopped by Hotchkis and had them work my up a quote and they recommended their Torsion Bar Kit, B & E Ø1.03" (Summit Racing Part Number 19367) - $349.95.


watermelon

 

[68 Sport Satellite]

Hi 68 Sport Satellite,

Maybe I missed it, did you purchase an entire Hotchkis TVS (Total Vehicle System)?

I've been looking into buying a TVS for my 66 Coronet. I do not have any sway bar brackets on my LCAs so I would have to weld some on (getting practice with my MIG).

Anyhow, I stopped by Hotchkis and had them work my up a quote and they recommended their Torsion Bar Kit, B & E Ø1.03" (Summit Racing Part Number 19367) - $349.95.


watermelon

Hey Watermelon,
I'm sorry to get back to you late - I thought I already posted a reply, but it didn't show up.

No, I didn't buy the TVS, although in the end maybe I should have.

I have the following Hotchkis parts:
UCA's, rear leafs with shackles, front steering arms, front sway bar

I upgraded everything else too and have the following other brand parts:
Stock pinion snubber - ebay
rear sway bar - on order from Firm Feel
Front and rear shocks - edelbrock IAS
LCA bushings - stock rubber replacements
LCA boxing plates welded on the bottom - plates from Mancini
.092" torsion bars - Mancini
Strut rods - new stock replacements made by my mechanic with rubber bushings

Hope that helps!

 

[68 Sport Satellite]

Hey guys,
new follow-up to an old post -

I had my suspension shop install the 3/4" rear sway bar from Firm Feel. Theirs is the frame hung one that sits above the axle instead of below. As I watched the shop guys do the install they had quite a bit of trouble snaking that rear bar through the rear suspension, 8-3/4 housing, exhaust, etc., and at first they said they weren't going to be able to do it without some major disassembly. But then the owner came over - great guy I've worked with a few times before. He personally got under there and had it figured out in less than 10 minutes. They got it all installed after that in about an hour. I'm glad I had them do it, because I thought it was quite simple, but I'm sure I would have been cussing under the car if I would have attempted to do this the first time myself.

End result: FANTASTIC! I love how it mounts up nice and neat under there. The car is in the body shop now and I forgot to take photos, otherwise I would have done so, but the Firm Feel website has some really good photos that show how it looks.

After driving the car under normal non-aggressive driving conditions I have to say that I'm glad Cranky steered me towards getting the rear sway bar. It really made a big difference in the steering and I'm sure at higher cornering speeds I will also feel it.

If you're going to add a large front sway bar don't stop there - add the rear bar too!

 

[moparstuart]

Just did this also I got front and rear sway bars , 1 inch torsion bars and a steer & gear firm feel box . The car drives like a brand new car . Love it