I Installed my Hotchkis swaybar today, the handling was greatly increased. Wonder why GM put a steelwire there in first place instead of real stuff?

Now another thing, i have also installed solidframebushings, and after that insallation i have noitced a "clucking" sound in the steering, sometimes when i steer and sometimes when i brake(and turn slighlty).. What could this be? I also noticed that when i was prying and jacking up the body from the frame during the isntallation, there was movement in the ragjoint and steering rack. Could this be the reason of that "clucking" sound?


------------------
Camaro RS 68
www.hyperwerks.se/rally-sport

check your steering coupling and it's alignment. You may have to loosen the steering box and move it a little.
David

------------------
Check my web page for First Gen Camaro suspension info:
David's Motorsports page (http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/David_Pozzi/)
First Gen Suspension Page (http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/David_Pozzi/first_gen_suspension.htm)
67 RS 327 original owner. 69 Camaro Vintage Racer, 65 Lola T-70 Chev SB Can-Am Vintage Racer

I have found that during most similar installs, I too have run into this same problem. I have found the answer to be mainly in the 'rag joint'. Loosen up the 7/16 12 point bolt and turn the wheel lock to lock a couple of times, or have a friend move the wheel while you pry on the joint to free it up on its shaft. A little penatrant would be a good thing too...... Re-tighten and go. I also agree with David on the alignment aspect too.

As for your comment on the sway-bars....I the find humor in it. But stuffing a really big sway bar in a car isnt always the right answer. GM used to be pretty good at using the correct spring rates, (with their understanding of suspension technology then) and complimenting with a sway-bar. But that was when they were pretty serious about racing and kinda had ride quality in second place. And you know how we like our creature comforts....well at least somebodys.... Overall, springs control most weight transfer and a bar should help out under spirited driving. Yet if the car is too soft in the spring catagory, you will also find out another suspension part that is overlooked too....bump stops. But it will handle nice and flat!!!

Keep it fast, keep it fun......

Thanks for the reply's. Im going try to come down to the ragjoint and have a look at it, its quite tight down there between the brakecylinder and ex-manifold. By the way, my signalhorn stoped working after i installed those framebushings aswell, so i guess that something happend down there. =(

About the swaybar, my old one might have been really exhausted and worn(if they can be that), i had a dangerous roll before(when the car was stock with stock springs). But now it handles like any new car(in the front) or even better. Im going to put hotckhis rear swaybar in the rear as soon as i have the money for it.
I liked the finninsh of the product, and it fits 110% perfect. Good job by Hotchkis.

Hope i'll solve the "clucking" issue.

Thanks again.

------------------
Camaro RS 68
www.hyperwerks.se/rally-sport

What size of Hotchkis sway bar did you go with in the front? Are there different sizes to choose from?

I think they only got one size for the 67-69 camaro and it is "1 1/8" Front".

It works so perfect, my camaro handels way better than my old Fiero i had. But then i have changed all spring to hotchkis and have PST polyturane bushings and solid frame bushing, and just now also a new installd TH350 with TCI Brakeaway converter and shift kit...Almost done, just waiting for those damn wheels.

Thanks

Most of the handling gurus say you don't need a rear swaybar on a first gen. The Hotchkis bar only comes in 1 1/8 diameter and it's hollow.

i undestand why i dont need a swaybar in the rear, but the whole package is moving sideways in hard cornering, and i got polybushings in the shackles and no bushing between leaf and axle, and a rubber eye.

How do i take that side slobbyness away?

Thanks

------------------
Camaro RS 68
www.hyperwerks.se/rally-sport

testing...

------------------
Camaro RS 68
<A HREF="http://www.hyperwerks.se/rally-sport" TARGET=_blank>rally-sport</A>

The proper way to fix the steering problem is to loosen the 2 bolts holding the steering column to the dash and the 3 bolts at the firewall seal. They prevent te column from aligning itself to the rag joint.

------------------
69 Camaro 454
71 Nova 454

If your not living on the edge then your taking up too much space

69er:
Do you mean to loosen them and then steer it lock to lock a couple of times and then tighten the bolts again?

No, just loosen all the bolts so there is a lot of slop (can move steering wheel up an down easily). Then make sure the rag joint looks centered and tighten. Then raise the steering wheel up and tighten the column bolts. Then tighten the three firewall seal bolts last. That should do it. When you buy a GM replacement rag joint (not an aftermarket), they come with little plastic peices on the pins to align the joint. Do you have those?

------------------
69 Camaro 454
71 Nova 454

If your not living on the edge then your taking up too much space

What happens when you switch to solid monts is that the alignment changes. With the steering wheel locked in tight with the bolts, at the angle used from the original bushings, you create a bind when you turn the wheel. I had the same problem and this corrected it perfectly. This should be done any time the body has been removed, lifted or changed.

------------------
69 Camaro 454
71 Nova 454

If your not living on the edge then your taking up too much space