2236 Sway Bar Installation Instructions Thank you for your purchase of this Hotchkis Performance product. Your stabilizer bar set was designed with the performance and durability you’ve come to expect from Hotchkis Performance. Special Note: We’ve noticed that our front sway bar only works with certain steering idler arms. The problem is that some aftermarket idler arms have larger body diameters. This causes clearances issues. The original GM idler arm clears just fine.
3F. Remove the endlinks from the sway bar and lower control arms.
4F. Take the bolts out of the frame brackets and remove the stock sway bar from the vehicle. 5F. Using the included white silicon grease, lube the inside of the new 1 3/8” front bushings. NOTE: the grease can be cleaned up with WD-40 6F. Install the bushing on the new Hotchkis bar. Make sure the split on the bushing faces the front when the bar is installed in the vehicle. Look at the placement of the original stock bushings on the stock bar for guidance. 7F.
8F. Put the new bar assembly into the vehicle and start the frame bolts. Do not tighten the frame bolts completely, only start enough threads to hold the bar in place while your work on the endlinks 9F. Install the new endlinks and tighten them till the bushings are squeezed just enough that their diameter is just larger than the supporting washer. 10F. Tighten the frame bracket bolts.
Rear Bar Installation: 1R. Jack up the vehicle and properly support with jack stands or lift jacks. Make sure the rear end is supported with the vehicle’s load on the leaf springs. This is to ensure you install the rear bar in the proper position. 2R. Take the bushings and grease the inner surface with the included white silicon grease. 3R. Install the bushings on the bar. (5) Place the bracket over top of the bushing.
4R. Take the sway bar assembly and hold it up under the rear end of the car. The arms will point forward and the dog bone end links point up. Check for exhaust clearance in this area. You may have to have the exhaust pipes re-bent to provide clearance for the new sway bar assembly. Any competent exhaust shop can handle this modification easily. 5R. After you determine there’s enough clearance for the bar, note the approximate location of the sway bar axle bushing.
2236 GM F-Body Stabilizer Bar Installation Instructions Page 7 of 16
R Undo Frame Rail Lines We are going to be mounting the dog bone endlinks to the frame rails. However, we first need to access the side of the frame rails. We will need to undo the fuel/brake lines that are mounted to the rails. The driver side has a brake line and vent line that is mounted to the frame rail. Undo the line tabs as shown in the picture below.
The passenger side has the fuel line mounted to the frame rail. Undo the line tabs as shown in the picture below.
9R Install Frame Rail Reinforcements We will be installing reinforcement plates onto the frame rails. This will require drilling two ¾” holes for through each frame rail. Start on the passenger side frame rail. The hole that was used to hole the line tab is in the same position as one of your holes. (see picture) Use one of the reinforcement plates as a template to mark out the other hole.
Drill out the ¾” hole only on the inner side of the frame rail. Do not drill through both walls of the frame rail. We found that a unibit works best.
Insert the reinforcement plate with the 2 tubes welded to it into the frame rail. Use a vise clamp to secure the plate onto the frame rail. Drill the outer wall of the frame rail with a ½” drill bit. The reinforcement tubes will act as a guide for you to drill. So when you are finished, you will have two ¾” holes on the inside of the frame rail and two ½” holes on the outer sided of the frame rail.
Remove the vise clamp and insert 1 short bolt w/ washer and 1 long bolt w/ washer from the outside of the frame rail. (hardware kit #1757) Make sure to add the other reinforcement plate to the outside before you insert the bolts through the frame.
Install a washer and a nut to the top (shorter) bolt. Do not fully tighten this bolt at this time.
Grease up your new dog bone end links with the provided grease. Install the dog bone on the bottom (longer bolt) with the grease fittings pointing rearward. Install the line bracket onto the long bolt and install a washer and nut. Do not fully tighten at this time.
Line up the mounting tab with the line bracket you just installed. Use the provided 5/16” bolt and washer to secure the mounting tab to the line bracket. (hardware kit #1757) Make sure the ½” Nut is not too close to the fuel line.
Fully tighten both short and long bolts completely. You’re given new hardware for attaching the dog bone end links to the sway bar. Use the bolts, nuts, and washers from the hardware kit.
Once the passenger side is completely mounted together, you can now figure out where the other frame rail reinforcement plate goes on the driver side. Mock up the driver side dog bone end link onto the sway bar and mark where the bottom hole should be. Again, use the reinforcement plate as guide to mark the upper hole. Drill the holes in the same manner as before. You can remove the mounting tabs that are no longer in use.
10R Double Check all Hardware Double check and make sure all hardware is full tightened before driving the vehicle. You are finished with the rear sway bar kit.
Hotchkis Performance LLC Return Policy & Limited Warranty Effective December 1, 2010 all Hotchkis products must be registered to qualify for warranty at www.hotchkis.net or via the mail-in warranty card, included with the product, within 30 days of the original purchase date. IMPORTANT: This warranty supersedes all other warranties included with this product. Return Policy We want you to be completely satisfied with your Hotchkis Performance product.
DAMAGES, LOSS OF TIME OR REVENUES, INCONVENIENCE, LOSS OF USE OF THE VEHICLE, DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE OR COMPONENTS OF THE VEHICLE, ANY OTHER TYPE OF CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, OR OTHER INCIDENTAL OR INDIRECT DAMAGES. HOTCHKIS’ MAXIMUM LIABILITY UNDER THIS WARRANTY SHALL IN NO EVENT EXCEED THE PURCHASE PRICE OF THE PRODUCT.
