Has anyone done any comparison between Vette Brakes and Hotchkis products? Vette Brakes seem to be more economical, their coil springs and sway bars are way cheaper than Hotchkis, and they offer the fiberglass rear leafs.

On a daily driver, with a projected 375 HP motor, is it really worth the extra cash to go with Hotchkis?

Vette Brakes rates their coil springs at 310 lbs/inch, and the fiberglass rears are 200 lbs/in. I don't know Hotchkis' spring rates.

Vette Brakes sway bars are also 1/8" smaller in diameter than Hotchkis. 1 1/8" vs 1" front, and 7/8" vs 3/4" rear.

Right now my coils are around the same rate as the Vettebrakes ones. Not too great. Hotchkis's front coils are 600# and rear leafs are around 180#. I am thinking about getting them in the future. Vettebrakes' fiberglass springs will set you back $400, as much as front and rear Hotchkis stuff combined. If you look at some postings about the fiberglass leafs too there are some people who have had them break. No good.

About the sway bars, I talked to Hotchkis and they said that the rear bar doesn't really effect too much. I like the looks of their big hollow front bar though.

I have the Hotchkis front and rear springs. These springs lower the car 2" in front and 1.5" in rear. The fronts are rated at 600#. The rear springs are really nice pieces. They come with HD clips, shackles, gpoly bushings also. The cost is around $450 for both. I love my setup and would do it again.

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Jay
69 SS-350 4-speed
Hotchkis suspension

I had a small problem with the Vette Brake coil springs - they sagged very quickly. Within 6 months my car was so low that my header collectors would bottom out on every little bump in the road. I could actually see the metal fatigue in the powdercoating when I pulled them out.

I spoke with Guldstrand about buying some of their springs and they laughed when I said I had VB springs. They said the VB springs were made in China and were of poor quality and had heard of other stories similar to mine.

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Pearl blue & white 69 Camaro with supercharged 350, Tremec TKO, and 3.73 12-bolt

See my website updated 12/17/00 at:

www.geocities.com/gheatly (http://www.geocities.com/gheatly)

Well you can get the fiberglass rears from some other place (can't remember) for $200 a pop with poly bushings already. But with hearing about em break I wouldn't use em.

I'm trying to get landrum to make me some custom lowered springs but I might just get a lowering block since they don't reply. Maybe we could get a bunch of us together for an order if we can get ahold of em.

For my fronts right now I got Moog #6041 springs cut 3 coils. Fits great handles great, though I did hit a bump stop earlier today when I cornering so hard my tires were squeaking (sacred the crap outta me, thought I broke a ball joint or somethin). I'll probly just get a new one and trim it down a little, not much though. I did pay about $120 for the front springs though (got taxed to have some cheezy place cut em) so if I was to do it again I'd just buy the Hotchkiss fronts for sure! I also have the 1" solid sway bar. Bought it from summit for about $100. But it's heavy, the Hotchkiss is about the weight of the stock one (both are about the same strength with the Hotchkiss barely less by a couple pounds) but I didn't have an extra $100 so I settled for a little more weight. I wouldn't go with a rear bar though, since the Guru's don't recommend it unless your cars understeering? (it's either if it's under or over steering can't remember) Maybe if you got huge slicks/tires on the back then you might need a rear bar usually not though.

So yeah overall Hotchkis IMO has good stuff you can do it for cheaper but there's trade offs to do it cheaper.

Also one thing I learned, if your gonna replace your bushings buy a complete kit (like energy suspensions) I didn't and shoulda now I need to buy everything separate. Good Luck

One more thing, if Vette Brakes front coils are about 310lbs you'd be better off with stock springs. I think stocks are 325. I have a pair I'd part with just ask, they don't sag either but should be sandblasted/painted or keep em as is and they'll do.

[This message has been edited by 67stock (edited 03-13-2001).]

i have the hotchkis springs and coils and i can say that they are really good components. fit and finish are top notch and the leafs came as a complete kit. i would do it all over again in a heart beat, hell i might even be willing to pay more for them if i had to!