Hotchkis TVS with QA1 lower control arms

[black954]

That would be great.

 

[drewmac]

Here are some shots of the front sway bar mounts from Hotchkis. The origional 2 factory sway bar holes lined up and I just drilled one more for extra support. The nut for the 3rd hole is right under the strut brace.

 

[matthon]

Is the LCA part # QA1 52307?

Can you use the stock strut rods?

I have a 67 Barracuda, KH brakes, factory sway bar, sbp, suspension was rebuilt but LCA lower bushings and sway bar bushings were not done, but I have them, as well as new offset UCA bushings.

Thinking of just getting new UCAs, QA1 52303, new lowers, and the Hotchkis sway bar, surely it can be ordered separately.

I want to keep the KH brakes.

 

[drewmac]

Is the LCA part # QA1 52307?

Can you use the stock strut rods?

I have a 67 Barracuda, KH brakes, factory sway bar, sbp, suspension was rebuilt but LCA lower bushings and sway bar bushings were not done, but I have them, as well as new offset UCA bushings.

Thinking of just getting new UCAs, QA1 52303, new lowers, and the Hotchkis sway bar, surely it can be ordered separately.

I want to keep the KH brakes.

Yes those are the lowers I used. The stock strut rod should work fine but make sure the bushings are good. I took mine apart and one of the bushings was shot (maybe go Poly if you can). Those upper arms from QA1 look really good just make sure to get the small ball joint ones. I would also reccomend getting the front and rear bars from Hotchkiss or Helwig. The cars balance will be better with the matched set. PM me if you want more info. I am happy to help.

 

[OnEbAd340]

Looks like Hotchkis changed the mounts for the clamps, They only have two holes on the side of the brackets now that do not line up with my factory 69' k member's sway bar mounting holes like others have in this thread. They were backordered for a few months so my bar is as new as it gets for production.

The bar fits perfect and sits neutral at ride height and lined right up with the QA1 lowers.

I was able to bolt it up with one bolt on each side for the time being. I have to drill the k member to catch the other hole.

 

[drewmac]

Looks like Hotchkis changed the mounts for the clamps, They only have two holes on the side of the brackets now that do not line up with my factory 69' k member's sway bar mounting holes like others have in this thread. They were backordered for a few months so my bar is as new as it gets for production.

The bar fits perfect and sits neutral at ride height and lined right up with the QA1 lowers.

I was able to bolt it up with one bolt on each side for the time being. I have to drill the k member to catch the other hole.

View attachment 1715578206 View attachment 1715578208 View attachment 1715578209

I had to do a little drilling on mine for the second hole on one side too. I also drilled a 3rd hole and put the nut up by the strut bar to give it a better base. 3 out of 4 holes ain't bad! Also, I looked at your pics and was like holy s#=t that bar is too low. Then I realized you don't have the front valence on!

 

[drewmac]

Here is a picture of the 3rd hole I made.

 

[autoxcuda]

I had to do a little drilling on mine for the second hole on one side too. I also drilled a 3rd hole and put the nut up by the strut bar to give it a better base. 3 out of 4 holes ain't bad! Also, I looked at your pics and was like holy s#=t that bar is too low. Then I realized you don't have the front valence on!

It’s still way, way to low.

The sway bar to k-member brackets are too centered together. Bracket need to be up near strut rod bushing like factory so the sway bar can rise up.

Drewmac, is the bottom of the middle of sway bar the same level as bottom of k-member ?

 

[kursplat]

Looks like Hotchkis changed the mounts for the clamps, They only have two holes on the side of the brackets now that do not line up with my factory 69' k member's sway bar mounting holes like others have in this thread. They were backordered for a few months so my bar is as new as it gets for production.

i welded my brackets

 

[OnEbAd340]

It’s still way, way to low.

The sway bar to k-member brackets are too centered together. Bracket need to be up near strut rod bushing like factory so the sway bar can rise up.

Drewmac, is the bottom of the middle of sway bar the same level as bottom of k-member ?

I moved the brackets up on the k member like you're saying and when I did the bushings were pretty twisted and I didn't like how the sway bar was not neutral. If my k member was out of the car i would of played around with it more and welded it. My k is powder coated already and I didn't feel like mig welding it on and having the mess. My car isn't going to be tracked or auto x'd, and I think the chassis isnt stiff enough on my car (just subframe connectors) to really notice the slight difference in variation to how the mounts are 1.5" inbound with my intended use of the car.

This was my track e36 M3. Apples to oranges compared to this car, but I know that you want an ideal neutral bar setting and not rotated up in the mounts preloading it. Being that the end links are not adjustable, that is the best i could come up with.

 

[autoxcuda]

I moved the brackets up on the k member like you're saying and when I did the bushings were pretty twisted and I didn't like how the sway bar was not neutral. If my k member was out of the car i would of played around with it more and welded it. My k is powder coated already and I didn't feel like mig welding it on and having the mess. My car isn't going to be tracked or auto x'd, and I think the chassis isnt stiff enough on my car (just subframe connectors) to really notice the slight difference in variation to how the mounts are 1.5" inbound with my intended use of the car.

This was my track e36 M3. Apples to oranges compared to this car, but I know that you want an ideal neutral bar setting and not rotated up in the mounts preloading it. Being that the end links are not adjustable, that is the best i could come up with.View attachment 1715578419 View attachment 1715578420 View attachment 1715578421

Your right, it should be neutral and bind free. But IMHO, it’s gonna get whacked and scraped that low to the ground. And you’re going to need to be super careful driving it.

Also, I think it would be much more ideal if it was supported closer to the bend where the sway bar arm starts. Giving up a small amount of effective roll resistance. Probably not noticeable or significant.

 

[OnEbAd340]

i welded my brackets

Your right, it should be neutral and bind free. But IMHO, it’s gonna get whacked and scraped that low to the ground. And you’re going to need to be super careful driving it.

Also, I think it would be much more ideal if it was supported closer to the bend where the sway bar arm starts. Giving up a small amount of effective roll resistance. Probably not noticeable or significant.

I agree with you, it is low. My header collectors are probably just as low though. If this was an everyday driver, or tracking it with curbing then yes i would be concerned. But lets be honest, going to grab lunch or ice cream, i think Im going to be careful driving it anyways.

 

[autoxcuda]

I agree with you, it is low. My header collectors are probably just as low though. If this was an everyday driver, or tracking it with curbing then yes i would be concerned. But lets be honest, going to grab lunch or ice cream, i think Im going to be careful driving it anyways.

One parking lot speed bump or street intersection gutter on the way to lunch or ice cream... ouch.

I run the TTI stepped headers. They aren’t as low as that front. But they still scrape on the higher parking lot speed bumps. When I go to bigger rims my over tire package will grow and the car should lift 3/4” or so.

You know it’s not right... fix it once and enjoy the avoided hassle forever

 

[72bluNblu]

One parking lot speed bump or street intersection gutter on the way to lunch or ice cream... ouch.

I run the TTI stepped headers. They aren’t as low as that front. But they still scrape on the higher parking lot speed bumps. When I go to bigger rims my over tire package will grow and the car should lift 3/4” or so.

You know it’s not right... fix it once and enjoy the avoided hassle forever

I know I would want to raise the bar up a little if it's possible, and maybe shorten the end links to keep it running freely. But I bet the header collectors are still lower. The back of my K frame is 5" off the ground, the driver's header flange with my Doug's headers is 3 5/8". Even right there that's 1 3/8" that the bar could hang down and still be at the same height. And since the front of the K member is higher than the rear, I bet that bar is still higher than the flanges. And the Doug's are almost 3/8" closer to the frame than the TTI long tubes are.

 

[abodyjoe]

holy cow is that thing low.. thats the reason i sold the one i had and bought a hellig bar. no way could i bring myself to put that snow plow looking thing on our dart. that looks like a nice car around that thing though.

 

[OnEbAd340]

One parking lot speed bump or street intersection gutter on the way to lunch or ice cream... ouch.

I run the TTI stepped headers. They aren’t as low as that front. But they still scrape on the higher parking lot speed bumps. When I go to bigger rims my over tire package will grow and the car should lift 3/4” or so.

You know it’s not right... fix it once and enjoy the avoided hassle forever

I havent alligned the car yet, and Im raising the torsion bars up a little. with the valance on and the front raised it wont be that low. I've had m3's that were lower than that bar and never once hit or ripped the valance or lip off in 160k miles, i think I will be ok. My stepped ttis are lower than the bar too.

 

[matthon]

Looks like Hotchkis changed the mounts for the clamps

Wait, it looks like drewmac has the exact same mounts, but bolted to the factory sway bar location, which is why his is higher.

His is bolted right below the strut rod, and both sides of the bracket make contact with the k frame.

The brackets look identical, just mounted in different places - do I have that correct?

 

[kursplat]

holy cow is that thing low...

finally figured out what looks weird to me in this pic. the QA1 arm has the end link really low on the control arm vs were mine ended up on the stock arms.

i'd like to see drewmac's control arm

 

[72bluNblu]

You have to shorten the end links with the QA1 lowers

 

[drewmac]

It’s still way, way to low.

The sway bar to k-member brackets are too centered together. Bracket need to be up near strut rod bushing like factory so the sway bar can rise up.

Drewmac, is the bottom of the middle of sway bar the same level as bottom of k-member ?

My k member is a little lower than the bar. Here are some pics

 

[drewmac]

holy cow is that thing low.. thats the reason i sold the one i had and bought a hellig bar. no way could i bring myself to put that snow plow looking thing on our dart. that looks like a nice car around that thing though.


View attachment 1715578624

Ok after taking another look at this your brackets are in the wrong spot. If you look at this pic it shows where mine are. In your pic it looks like there is another hole above the one you have yours mounted too. Thats the hole it needs to be in like mine. You may have to fiddle with the brackets to make them lone up right and have the silver bar bracket mount flat. See the pic with the arrow.

 

[drewmac]

Ok after taking another look at this your brackets are in the wrong spot. If you look at this pic it shows where mine are. In your pic it looks like there is another hole above the one you have yours mounted too. Thats the hole it needs to be in like mine. You may have to fiddle with the brackets to make them lone up right and have the silver bar bracket mount flat. See the pic with the arrow.

View attachment 1715579445

View attachment 1715579446

View attachment 1715579448

Also, in this pic the bracket hole

finally figured out what looks weird to me in this pic. the QA1 arm has the end link really low on the control arm vs were mine ended up on the stock arms.
View attachment 1715578913
View attachment 1715578914

i'd like to see drewmac's control arm

I think I have some control arm pics early in the tread. Try page 2.

 

[kursplat]

...I think I have some control arm pics early in the tread

sorry, wasn't saying there was something wrong with them, i just hadn't realized how much lower the tabs were on the QA1's.

Ok after taking another look at this your brackets are in the wrong spot. If you look at this pic it shows where mine are.

looks like he's 4" or so from the bend of the bar. yours look about an inch in. mine are ~ 1/2" in from that and the bar is level with the lowest point of the K

 

[OnEbAd340]

After looking at Drewmac's pic and seeing he went through the triangle shaped hole on the bracket, I ended up drilling that out and doing the same.

 

[autoxcuda]

After looking at Drewmac's pic and seeing he went through the triangle shaped hole on the bracket, I ended up drilling that out and doing the same.

View attachment 1715579880 View attachment 1715579881

Nice.

Very cool drewmac and kursplat were able show what they did in same situation and help.

You’ve done some real nice work and detail on this car. Don’t let your foot off the gas.