I am really happy with mine-- In fact, the wife is driving mine back to it's birthplace today. HOTCHKIS. Picking up a full TVS + 2 sets of shocks for some customers in Hawaii-- then dropping the entire setup at the docks in Long Beach to ship over to Honolulu.
We'll see if she still loves me after the 260 mile round trip :)
The NEWER model TVS kits have a hollow front sway bar-- and they weigh about 1/3~1/2 the weight of the original solid bar (what I have)--- It's suppose to be more rigid as well-- which means less body roll.
Hotchkis has released the sway bar kit for the SRT-4, and will have the complete coil kit w/ shocks soon--- I've got the sways up on my website... So if any of you have picked up and SRT-4-- I got Hotchkis for it.
Sam
www.socaldakota.com
619-274-1292
>
> From: Robert Schultz <not_robert_schultz@yahoo.com>
> Date: 2004/06/10 Thu AM 09:28:28 EDT
> To: dakota-truck-moderator@bent.twistedbits.net
> Subject: Re: DML: RE: Choices - Just shocks, or whole hog?
>
>
> Ned Buckmaster wrote:
> > I did the Hotchkis sway bars and shocks when I first bought my truck and ran
> > it like that for years. Early this year I installed the springs (and
> > differently valved Bilstiens). The sway bars helped considerably over stock,
> > but don't come close to the entire combination. However, it is much stiffer
> > than the stock springs were. The Hotchkis springs come with 4 spacers on
> > each side to adjust the ride height. Another plus is that the Hotchkis
> > springs are much, much quieter than the stock springs were; I really had no
> > idea how noisy the stocks were until I switched them.
>
> I really liked that Hotchkis does an complete package. Always figured
> the sway bars could be bigger too.
>
> > Another thing that surprised me; It becomes very difficult to get the spare
> > tire out with dual rear exhaust, tow hitch, and a lowered truck!
>
> Just have to avoid getting a flat then :-) I guess you could jack the
> rear of the truck before dropping the spare.
>
> > An air compressor and a good, big floor jack will help a lot. I did both
> > front and rear in my garage. I also replaced both upper ball joints at the
> > same time - I noticed one was incredibly loose when I took the front end
> > apart.
>
> Got both of those. Haven't noticed any issues with ball joints, but I
> haven't been under there in a while.
>
> > I haven't scraped anything yet, but the front license plate holder clears
> > the sidewalk at Walgreens by about 1/4 inch. It IS much easier to wash
> > now...
>
> Already tore mine off once (and got a ticket for forgetting to put it
> back on) and mine's stock height.
>
> > My wife didn't like the way it swayed in corners before; she likes the
> > handling much better now but thinks it rides pretty hard over bumps. We take
> > her lowered Integra on long trips now as before - besides, it gets twice the
> > mileage.
>
> Our long trips usually include a ton of gear, which should smooth out
> the ride anyway. Even stock suspension improves when I put the cap on as
> the weight settles it down a bit.
>
> Looks like Hotchkis is the way to go - no one seems to have any bad
> feelings about it.
>
> Rob S.
>
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Thu Jul 01 2004 - 00:15:16 EDT