Interest in a Hotchkis Front Swaybar GB?

[wu2x]

*This GB is CLOSED!*

Hey guys,

I've been talking with Harold @ HP Autowerks about a Hotchkis GB, similar to the one going on in e90post. Unfortunately, we're unable to fit the rear swaybar, but the front swaybar fits fine!



Features:

• Front sway bar-lightweight, durable 1 1/4” (32mm) tubular steel (95% stiffer than stock)
• Precision adjustable front end links w quiet operating heavy duty ball joints.
• Greasable polyurethane bushings and heavy duty mounts included.
• Autocross & track tuned for maximum performance improvement.
• Finished in durable gloss gray powder coat.

Benefits:

• Increased Traction.
• Reduced Body Roll
• Increased Vehicle Stability
• Crisper Cornering
• Easy Installation

Here's a couple reasons to upgrade the front swaybar (taken from the suspension forum):

Harold @ HP Autowerks:
"There are situations where increasing the the stiffness of the front anti roll bar will have the opposite affect and actually reduce understeer.

Here is why:

If you have a vehicle with so much body roll, which induces so much camber change(excess positive camber), your outside front tire is almost riding or is on its sidewalls(in extreme cases), you are losing tracting from the lack of contact patch.

By reducing the body roll-induced camber change(using larger from anti roll bar). With the tires rolling over much less and in more direct/flat contact with the road, more traction is created."

J Tyler (from the performance driving section):
"The stiffer bar will increase the front roll resistance, which will increase the load transfer across the front tires during cornering. This will tend the overall balance of the car towards more understeer; BUT, the stiffer bar will also decrease how much the front rolls, which will decrease the amount of negative camber the front loses during cornering, which may (or may not) overcome the bad affects of the increased load transfer by increasing the overall grip ability of the car. A stiffer front bar will also add some more load to the inside rear tire during corner exit, which will help you put power down sooner with that open diff. Overall I'm confident it would be a net gain in performance."

Fourtailpipes:
"not quite apples to apples, but my e46 m3 had a big front swaybar and no rear swaybar (literally none... OEM bar removed). paired with other measures that counteracted the understeer (3.5 degrees of front camber, wide square tire setup), the car was very neutral on track, and most importantly, the rear axle traction was great without a big swaybar back there. no rear swaybar, or soft OEM rear swaybar does a great job of helping a differential to power out of corners. this is even more important with the lame diff that comes in the 135!"

mikeo:
"...BMW McPhearson strut setups are camber challenged and body roll causes dynamic camber change to postive (equals less grip). Keeping the front flatter with a large swaybar (or stiffer springs, or both) significantly reduces body roll and keeps the outside front wheel more perpendicular to the road (equals more grip) and results in less understeer."


Now why the Hotchkis swaybar, from Harold @ HP Autowerks:
"As for bar selection...If weight is a concern, go with the Hotchkis tubular steel anti roll bar. It only adds a few pounds to the vehicle. The other bars out there is nearly doubled in weight. If weight is not a concern, UUC or H&R are good choices."

As we all know, the 1er is quite the porker and keeping the weight down in any way is the goal!


On top of that, we have a DIY to install the front swaybar by larryn here:
http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=217262


In the e90post, at 3+ and 5+ there were discounts so we only need a few to get this going, so let's see if we can get this group together to purchase the Hotchkis front swaybar!!!

Edit: I just got pricing info from Harold:

Retail is $298.95

Advertised price is $286.95

There are STEEPER discounts with 3+ and 5+ AND 10+!! PM me for these prices!!

We've reached the 10+ pricing!!


List:
1. saikelol
2. 3val
3. akak1997
4. Citizen Z
5. gotcone.com
6. Dave Mac
7. ridin135
8. rcracer_tx
9. drivrswntd
10. philaf_666
11. mikead_99
12. MINI135i
13. My135
14. dyong

[3val]

I'm in!

[wu2x]

List:
1. saikelol
2. 3val
3.
4.
5.

[akak1997]

Me 3! Thanks
Someone is monitoring my 1Addict usage or something. I was just searching this forum for reviews and where to get hotchkis front sways and now this thread starts... hmm...

[wu2x]

Originally Posted by akak1997

Me 3! Thanks
Someone is monitoring my 1Addict usage or something. I was just searching this forum for reviews and where to get hotchkis front sways and now this thread starts... hmm...

Haha I had nothing to do with it! I was lucky enough to see that the e90post guys had something going and thought we could get in on some of that action

[wu2x]

List:
1. saikelol
2. 3val
3. akak1997
4.
5.

[Upgrade+]

I heard these are a bitch to install. Pm me the price please.

[wu2x]

PM sent!

[akak1997]

Originally Posted by Upgrade+

I heard these are a bitch to install. Pm me the price please.

Front it easy, Rear is a bitch.
DIY for Front. Different brand sway bar, but install is the same.

http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showt...highlight=sway

[rcracer_tx]

What would be a good match if I wanted to get a rear sway bar as well? Is Hotchkis planning on making a rear one as well?

[3val]

I believe they do!

[akak1997]

I think the 32mm tube sway Hotchkis is sell has the same equivalent diameter as the solid UUC. So if you want a rear sway, you can just go with the UUC rear. Of coz, if Hotchkis is making a rear for the 135 then it'd be even better.

<IMHO>On another note, if your goal is to reduce understeer, you might not even need a rear. but if your goal is to reduce overall roll, then you might want to upgrade the rear as well.</IMHO>

[Papethova]

Originally Posted by rcracer_tx

What would be a good match if I wanted to get a rear sway bar as well? Is Hotchkis planning on making a rear one as well?

Last time I was there they said they don't have any intentions to make a rear one.

Great product, and Harold is a great guy!!! Id be in on this if I didnt already have the Hotchkis on my car.

[wu2x]

Originally Posted by rcracer_tx

What would be a good match if I wanted to get a rear sway bar as well? Is Hotchkis planning on making a rear one as well?

I got this response from Harold via PM:

"They are, but it will be a while.

The M3 rear bar fit and works great for the 1 series when a front bar is upgraded as well.

We have it in stock if you need it.

Harold"



So it looks like it is in the pipeline.

[nordique14]

Originally Posted by akak1997

I think the 32mm tube sway Hotchkis is sell has the same equivalent diameter as the solid UUC. So if you want a rear sway, you can just go with the UUC rear. Of coz, if Hotchkis is making a rear for the 135 then it'd be even better.

The UUC is 27mm. The UUC is solid and the Hotchkis is tubular. Even if they were the same diameter they would act differently. I can't recall the formula. If I get a chance later I will try to find it.

[wu2x]

Come on guys!! only 2 more to go!! This is THE front swaybar to get!

[Upgrade+]

From Larryn: "The end of the stock sway has a nice hook on it, and I wondered why. Now I know. The UUC sway has a fairly straight return.

When you set the bars to full stiff, the end of the swaybars, which normally point towards the back of the car, are able to "hyperextend" with the end-link, and flip up so that they point straight up.

Not only do you get horrendous banging, but it also immediately cuts through your ABS sensors (pulsers @ $70/ea), and also snaps at least one of your hydraulic brake lines.

I was lucky to be warned by a bagillion dashboard lights, and I slowed from 60mph on 95N in CT via downshifting as I got into the brakedown lane and used the hand brake for the last 5mph. Nothing like losing your brakes on the highway though. Was weird, i didn't panick at all. just threw my blinker on and worked my way into the brakedown lane, downshifted a few times and handbrake...

Rob Levinson at UUC is making a plate for me to mount on the end of the bar, that will allow for for lowering the mounting points for the end link. I'm not sure if that's the long term solution.

I have new ABS pulsers that I installed, replaced the brake line, rebled the system, and repositioned the swaybar at the middle setting. It's been fine like that for a week."

Do you know if Hotchkis has resolved the issue of running full stiff that UUC had? Please check with harold to see if he can find out. Don't want to have this issue.

[Citizen Z]

Originally Posted by Upgrade+

From Larryn: ... *snip*

Do you know if Hotchkis has resolved the issue of running full stiff that UUC had? Please check with harold to see if he can find out. Don't want to have this issue.

Yea, when I read that, I was like...

[akak1997]

I don't think the Hotchkis bar will have the same problem. It's doesn't have the extra 2 holes like the UUC, which extended the length of the bar at the very end. On the UUC, when you set it on full stiff you get like an extra ~1" of bar sticking out. The Hotchkis should behave like the stock one when it does flip over and probably won't cut thru all those lines that is in that area. Need someone who has the Hotchkis to confirm this...

[nordique14]

I have the new redesigned UUC front bar. I will install it this weekend and put it on full stiff and see what happens...I am not expecting any problems.

BTW, the UUC front bar weighs in at 15lbs.

[wu2x]

From Harold:

"No, we have not heard or seen this issue with numerous bar sets we have installed here. The Hotchkis is not adjustable, so there shouldn't be any issues."

I assume he means that the hotchkis stiffness is not adjustable (the hotchkis website states that the end links are adjustable).

[wu2x]

I asked Hotchkis directly for any updates on the rear swaybar. From the response, it doesn't sound like they are making a rear one.

"We found that the rear bar is sufficient on the 135. By upgrading the front alone, you will have a more positive feel and be able to exit corners faster."