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While the stock front sway bar is easily removed with the front suspension assembled, installation of the new larger bar is best accomplished with the spindle separated from the control arms.
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White silicon grease is provided and lubrication of all bushing surfaces is recommended during installation. The suspension components also have grease fittings, so during regular maintenance each bushing can be lubed with quality chassis grease.
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The front suspension is complete with the newly installed coils and sway bar. While we were upgrading the suspension, we also rebuilt the upper and lower control arms installing new ball joints and bushings.
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The Hotchkis TVS replaces the stock mono-leaf rear springs with competition multi-leaf springs.
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Included in the hardware package for the leaf springs are new 1/2-inch U-bolts to replace the factory T-bolts for greater clamping force on the springs to the rear axle. Use of the larger U-bolts requires that the mounting pads be drilled to the new size. This is also required of the lower mounting plate.
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Here the new 1/2-inch U-bolts are installed over the axle. Note that the rear brake line must be moved above the U-bolts to avoid being crimped. A large nylon tie can be used to affix the brake line to the axle tube. The lower mounting plate can now be installed and the shock mounted, completing the rear spring installation.
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The Hotchkis rear sway bar is fastened to the body with a dog-bone designed end-link. The floor pan is sandwiched between a stud plate (mounted from the inside) and the triangle mounting bracket.
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With the traction bar brackets removed, the rear sway bar is mounted to the axle tubes with the provided U-bolts, brackets and bushings.
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John Hotchkis puts our Bird to the test. The newly installed Hotchkis TVS suspension package nets a 20-mph increase in the 600-foot slalom.
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