Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums - Camaro5.com
 
Vararam
Go Back   Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums - Camaro5.com > Technical Camaro Topics > Suspension / Brakes / Chassis


Reply
 
Thread Tools
Old 02-23-2010, 05:15 PM   #1
Avalnch

 
Avalnch's Avatar
 
Drives: Rally Yellow Camaro+Avalanche
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Vancouver
Posts: 1,110
Hotchkis versus Pfadt Sway Bars

Can I get some Forum expert opinions?

I was leaning towards the Hotchkis set because their complete package includes that sweet subframe chassis bracket. However, since reading some posts (the one in particular that explains how tubular bars are not as strong and prone to weak points at the bends), I'm having second thoughts.

Can the heavy weights on this forum weigh in on my observations/assumptions about these two sway bars and let me know if they are correct?

Bar Geometry:
The Hotchkis front bar replicates the stock bar (it needs to be re-installed under between the engine and chassis). The Pfadt bar is not as convoluted and is installed in a more traditional sense. My intuition tells me that the bar with fewer bends will be more stable and stronger. Minus one for Hotchkis.

Bar Type (hollow vs solid):
My initial impression of the Hotchkis bar was that hollow would offer weight savings, but (as was pointed out in another thread) if it only saves <10 lbs, then how much can this matter? Also, as I watched and re-watched the Hotchkis install video, I notice that the major bends in their bar indeed seems to be pinched down and oval (like a poorly made exhaust bend). Even with properly heat treated bending, the bar at this point would not offer the same stability and strength. Minus one for Hotchkis.

Bar End:
The Pfadt bar shows a welded bar end whereas the Hotchkis is a pressed end. Not entirely certain which is better (if there is a difference). But from reading the forum, it sounds like the welded bar end is the preferred choice. Minus one for Hotchkis.

Well, there you have it, no points for the Hotchkis bars (at least the front one).

Please make your comments and correct my assumptions if they are erroneous.

Thanks
Avalnch is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-23-2010, 05:44 PM   #2
PQ
Booooosted.
 
PQ's Avatar
 
Drives: 2010 Supercharged SS
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Mobile, AL
Posts: 36,716
Send a message via Yahoo to PQ
I would love to help. But you said heavyweights.
__________________
PQ is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-23-2010, 07:17 PM   #3
Mr Twisty


 
Mr Twisty's Avatar
 
Drives: the 2nd amendment home
Join Date: May 2008
Location: OK
Posts: 14,707
I was wrong once a long time ago, but I think they're both hollow bars.
__________________
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
-- Benjamin Franklin
Mr Twisty is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-23-2010, 08:13 PM   #4
PQ
Booooosted.
 
PQ's Avatar
 
Drives: 2010 Supercharged SS
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Mobile, AL
Posts: 36,716
Send a message via Yahoo to PQ
Ya but one is hollowier than the other.
__________________
PQ is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-24-2010, 02:56 AM   #5
urr2slo

 
urr2slo's Avatar
 
Drives: 2010 2ss ss/rs abm, 2016 2ss/rs hbm
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: N. Phx, Az
Posts: 1,332
both make a great product but in the end i went with the hotchkis track pac. it's a complete package designed to work together. i love my track pac.
urr2slo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-24-2010, 12:51 PM   #6
PfadtRacing
 
PfadtRacing's Avatar
 
Drives: 2010 Camaro, 2006 Z06
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: SLC, UT
Posts: 3,370
Hi Avalnch,

I hope I'm not intruding on this thread, but since it is specifically mentioning our products, please allow me to explain why we have made specific decisions on the design of our sway bars (If it wasn't your intention to have manufacturers chime in, just let me know). My comments below are meant to be referencing Pfadt Race Engineering products only. We stay away from commenting specifically on the products of a competitor, as often as necessary.

Our Pfadt Sport Package swaybars, include the following: A solid front bar with one position attachment machined ends, and a hollow rear bar, with three position (adjustable) attachment machined ends. In both cases, we started with specific rates we wanted to achieve for what we consider an appropriate "balance" of the Camaro chassis, with both stock springs and upgraded drop springs.

We chose a solid front bar design because it achieved the rate we wanted, with the geometry we chose, and had a minimum weight disadvantage compared to the hollow front bar we had also designed and tested. Quite simply, using the hollow design (of Pfadt Front sway bars, not speaking for competitors) did not have any monumental advantages, due to the weight decrease not being a large percentage (for the rate Pfadt chose).

The rear bar, on the other hand, allowed for hollow bar application on a simpler geometry, to achieve the rate that we wanted and delivered a large weight savings. Quite honestly, some people like light components on their car, some are indifferent. We want to convey that it was very advantageous in the design our our Sport Rear Sway Bar, to have the weight savings over an appropriately sized solid rear bar (achieving the same roll resistance). Since the design options allowed us to achieve the same rate, with a heavier design, or a lighter design, we obviously chose the lighter design. This lighter design carries absolutely no negative effects as a result.

Both front and rear bars have our machined ends, welded in, and is just one of those design decisions we make to control tolerances better in our manufacturing process, and produce a better product for the customer.

We are looking into adding other Pfadt components to our Pfadt Sport Package, for an added cost savings to the customer. These componetns are all designed to work together. There are a couple of directions we may go in. Look for an announcement very soon for details. Or PM me for more info.

Thank you for considering our products, let us know if you have any questions!
PfadtRacing is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-24-2010, 02:38 PM   #7
Mr Twisty


 
Mr Twisty's Avatar
 
Drives: the 2nd amendment home
Join Date: May 2008
Location: OK
Posts: 14,707
Quote:
Originally Posted by PQ View Post
Ya but one is hollowier than the other.
I stand corrected LOL
__________________
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
-- Benjamin Franklin
Mr Twisty is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-24-2010, 03:03 PM   #8
Avalnch

 
Avalnch's Avatar
 
Drives: Rally Yellow Camaro+Avalanche
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Vancouver
Posts: 1,110
Thanks Pfadt, your response and comments are exactly what I was looking for.

Do you have a chassis brace in the works? What's your view on this item? In my past SOLO-II days running my '84 Z28, there were lots of folks installing poly (or even solid) sub-frame bushings. I don't want to go that far, but I think a chassis brace would defintely help.

Thanks again for your valuable input.
Avalnch is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-24-2010, 03:07 PM   #9
axis
Search Ninja
 
axis's Avatar
 
Drives: 2010 Black 2SS/RS A6
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Central Ark
Posts: 7,183
Quote:
Originally Posted by MisterCamaro69 View Post
I was wrong once NOT long ago, but I think they're both hollow bars.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MisterCamaro69 View Post
I stand corrected LOL

There, I fixed it for ya.

Sorry, couldn't resist.
__________________
2010 Black 2SS/RS A6
Halltech CF 102 fed
GPI modded intake manifold
Bo (knows) White ported TB
Kooks LT's/ Dynomax VT
Pfadted (springs/sways)
Dyno tuned by Rhino and GPI

I once parallel parked a train.
axis is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-25-2010, 12:57 AM   #10
PQ
Booooosted.
 
PQ's Avatar
 
Drives: 2010 Supercharged SS
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Mobile, AL
Posts: 36,716
Send a message via Yahoo to PQ
Serious question here. All aftermarket part are superior to the OEM equipment correct? (or are supposed to be or there would be no reason to do it) (well...... to get the stickers maybe lol)

Is there really THAT much of a difference in them. I mean if the OEM stuff gets a rating say 60 out of 100, is it really so bad to buy a product that gets you a 90 out of 100 and worry about if you might have gotten 91 out of 100?

Basically, are the differences going to be all that much?
__________________
PQ is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-25-2010, 08:33 AM   #11
IPS Brandon
 
IPS Brandon's Avatar
 
Drives: 2010 Camaro SS black
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Columbus Ohio
Posts: 907
Send a message via AIM to IPS Brandon
Quote:
Originally Posted by Avalnch View Post
Thanks Pfadt, your response and comments are exactly what I was looking for.

Do you have a chassis brace in the works? What's your view on this item? In my past SOLO-II days running my '84 Z28, there were lots of folks installing poly (or even solid) sub-frame bushings. I don't want to go that far, but I think a chassis brace would defintely help.

Thanks again for your valuable input.
They have tinkered around with some computer drawings but nothing final as of yet.



Regards
IPS Brandon is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-25-2010, 08:40 AM   #12
PfadtRacing
 
PfadtRacing's Avatar
 
Drives: 2010 Camaro, 2006 Z06
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: SLC, UT
Posts: 3,370
Quote:
Originally Posted by PQ View Post
Serious question here. All aftermarket part are superior to the OEM equipment correct? (or are supposed to be or there would be no reason to do it) (well...... to get the stickers maybe lol)

Is there really THAT much of a difference in them. I mean if the OEM stuff gets a rating say 60 out of 100, is it really so bad to buy a product that gets you a 90 out of 100 and worry about if you might have gotten 91 out of 100?

Basically, are the differences going to be all that much?
PQ, you bring up a good point. Its my opinion that it isn't necessarily that straightforward of a scale though, when customers are considering the purchase of upgraded components. If you are simply entering a engineering competition, then yes, it seems like you could use a scale of that resolution to determine a products "effectiveness". But a problem arises when you introduce cost and value to a customer. This is really where matters get subjective, and customers have different opinions on if the differences are "worth" it.

To put it simply, some customers when "thin-slicing" a products value, will rate the difference between two products (in the example you mentioned), a 90 and 91. But another customer may have the opinion that certain differences are more valuable, and would rate those same two products at a 65 and 95.

So it really just comes down to the customers attitude on the situation and the "resolution" in their scale, if that makes sense. Pfadt likes to supply products to meet the demands of all "scales" being considered.

With that said, I think the point you are trying to make is that customers are going to see an improvement from all after market products, and people will not be dissappointed with the decision they come to (as long as its not keeping the stock components ). I will agree with you, but the key is determining the value of "improvement" relative to another product.
PfadtRacing is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-01-2010, 08:52 PM   #13
Hotchkis
 
Drives: 1st through 5th gen Camaros
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Sante Fe Springs, CA
Posts: 458
Hi Avalnch - Seems like you've already made up your mind based on info in the forums, some of which came from less than neutral sources. Just to clarify - most OEM bars on high performance vehicles are made from hollow-tube high-strength steel. This is the case with the Z06, the SS, Porsches and others. We respect those who go with solid and could easily do so if we thought it was the way to go, but we choose hollow. Since we actually design/manufacture bars for OEs as well as the aftermarket, our parts undergo rigorous durability, performance and track testing.

We feel hollow is just better due to excellent strength and weight savings. Factory Camaro sway bars are hollow, and the bottom line is the necking down does not create a weaker point as others are erroneously claiming.

The welded on ends are fine. We like using the same material throughout the sway bar for maximum material consistency. Therefore, we forge our sway bar ends which is a complicated process involving a special furnace, custom tooling and machinery and a metalsmith. As long as sound engineering principals are followed either method works well.

We respect the Pfadt products because like us they use sound engineering and meaningful design. Can’t comment on some of the other brands mentioned in this thread because they seem to be perpetually out of stock and claim to be changing the design often. We read that their front bar will be four position adjustable on the next run. We prefer to determine, through track and street testing, the maximum sway bar rate for the front and then fine tune, adjust roll stiffness/ handling balance with the rear sway bar. The method always worked well on our race cars.

Bottom line: our parts are designed, track tested, and built for maximum durability, performance, ride comfort and simple installation. The track pack (Chassis Brace, Springs and Sways Bars) is a proven performer that works extremely well with fantastic handling and a ride that won't get old after a few weeks.
Hotchkis is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-01-2010, 09:06 PM   #14
Jeanius


 
Jeanius's Avatar
 
Drives: Blk/Blk 2018 Sierra SLT
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Golden State
Posts: 2,925
Quote:
Originally Posted by PfadtRacing View Post
Hi Avalnch,

I hope I'm not intruding on this thread, but since it is specifically mentioning our products, please allow me to explain why we have made specific decisions on the design of our sway bars (If it wasn't your intention to have manufacturers chime in, just let me know). My comments below are meant to be referencing Pfadt Race Engineering products only. We stay away from commenting specifically on the products of a competitor, as often as necessary.

Our Pfadt Sport Package swaybars, include the following: A solid front bar with one position attachment machined ends, and a hollow rear bar, with three position (adjustable) attachment machined ends. In both cases, we started with specific rates we wanted to achieve for what we consider an appropriate "balance" of the Camaro chassis, with both stock springs and upgraded drop springs.

We chose a solid front bar design because it achieved the rate we wanted, with the geometry we chose, and had a minimum weight disadvantage compared to the hollow front bar we had also designed and tested. Quite simply, using the hollow design (of Pfadt Front sway bars, not speaking for competitors) did not have any monumental advantages, due to the weight decrease not being a large percentage (for the rate Pfadt chose).

The rear bar, on the other hand, allowed for hollow bar application on a simpler geometry, to achieve the rate that we wanted and delivered a large weight savings. Quite honestly, some people like light components on their car, some are indifferent. We want to convey that it was very advantageous in the design our our Sport Rear Sway Bar, to have the weight savings over an appropriately sized solid rear bar (achieving the same roll resistance). Since the design options allowed us to achieve the same rate, with a heavier design, or a lighter design, we obviously chose the lighter design. This lighter design carries absolutely no negative effects as a result.

Both front and rear bars have our machined ends, welded in, and is just one of those design decisions we make to control tolerances better in our manufacturing process, and produce a better product for the customer.

We are looking into adding other Pfadt components to our Pfadt Sport Package, for an added cost savings to the customer. These componetns are all designed to work together. There are a couple of directions we may go in. Look for an announcement very soon for details. Or PM me for more info.

Thank you for considering our products, let us know if you have any questions!

Hey Aaron, I am VERY interested in the additional products you will be adding to the sport package. I just bought some BMR Trailing Arms, but I haven't installed them, and would really like to have a package that is all designed to work together instead of having BMR trailing arms/toe rods and Pfadt springs/sways. Let me know, Im willing to hold out but the wait is killing me!!
__________________
SOLD: 2SS LS3 M6 - MGW - Dynatech LT's HF Cats - Magnaflow Street CB - ADM Race CAI - Pedders Xa Coilovers - Pfadt Sways

TRADED: 2016 2SS M6
Jeanius is offline   Reply With Quote
 
Reply

Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Hotchkis: Tuned Suspension Setups | Springs | Chassis Brace | Sway Bars | FREE S&H AJ@ECSMotorsports Suspension / Chassis / Brakes 80 11-17-2010 02:28 PM
Pfadt Sport Sway Bar Package PfadtRacing Wheels and Tires Talk Sponsored by The Tire Rack 58 10-08-2010 01:59 PM
MTI, Pfadt, Hotchkis or Pedders sway bars flht99b Suspension / Brakes / Chassis 6 01-21-2010 01:25 PM
Pfadt Springs and Sway Bars In Stock! *Package Deal*! PfadtRacing Suspension / Chassis / Brakes 0 10-14-2009 05:41 PM


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 05:31 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.