sway bar question

[Azeroth]

how come i always hear about upgrading to a rs4 rear sway bar, and never front sway bar?

[Jman25]

because look at the front sway bar! its huge! (thats what she said)

[maidest]

^Yeah, that and upgrading the rear is what helps with stability and body roll around turns.

[Azeroth]

ok cool. and whats the best size to get. iv'e seen some 20mm bars and 22mm bars

[Mike@PureMS]

Because the RS4 bar is inexpensive and an easier buy for more people.

If you're really looking at reducing body roll getting a set like the Hotchkis set will reduce body roll significantly more.
It's also biased towards the rear to improve handling by reducing understeer.

We upgrade those with RS4 bars all the time with Hotchkis sets, and the improvement is night and day.

[Azeroth]

so your saying hotchkis is better than oem rs4 sway?

[maidest]

I would like to see him elaborate on how the hotchkiss is "night and day" better. I find that hard to believe since most people who get a rs4 rear sway feel it is night and day from stock and I've never heard of anyone with Hotchkis.

[titanium3.2]

Id bet the non OEM is cheaper too

[Azeroth]

just can't justify buying hotchkis for $470 vs rs4 rear sway thats just over 100

[clemsongt]

I've also read in multiple places that because the Hotchkiss sway bar is so much stiffer, it can induce failure at the welds holding the brackets to the car.

[MCT9891]

I cant see why you'd need anything more than the RS4 unless you're tracking your car.

[schizzy]

just can't justify buying hotchkis for $470 vs rs4 rear sway thats just over 100


Where did you find it for just over $100? Curious cuz I want one lol

[B72.0T]

Where did you find it for just over $100? Curious cuz I want one lol

http://www.ecstuning.com/Audi-B7_A4-FWD-2.0T/Search/Rs4_Sway_Bar/ES7096/

[Azeroth]

http://www.europaparts.com/audi-rs4-rear-sway-bar-kit-22mm.html

[hercfe]

www.europarts.com
http://shop.dthaus.com/category.sc?categoryId=3
www.ecstuning.com

should i continue? all are right around 110 for the bar and another 20ish for install kit.

[Azeroth]

on the europarts website they give a few optional choices to purchase as well:

Bushing Brackets (Optional)

* 2 x Audi RS4 Sway Bar Bushing Bracket +$14.31
OE Part #: 8E0511439
Manufacturer: Genuine Audi VW

Threadlocker (Optional)

* 1 x Wurth Threadlocker (Medium Strength, Blue, 0.35 oz) +$9.86
Manufacturer: Wurth

what's the purpose of these things? should i get them as well? it says optional, but i dont know the purpose of them

[onlyaudis]

for the street, the inexpensive factory fit RS4 bar can't be beat. it hardly affects ride comfort at all, is dead quiet, and helps the car turn in noticeably better. Just be sure to make a note of how the stock bar was in there. more than a few folks have tried to install one of these upside down.

[MCT9891]

on the europarts website they give a few optional choices to purchase as well:

Bushing Brackets (Optional)

* 2 x Audi RS4 Sway Bar Bushing Bracket +$14.31
OE Part #: 8E0511439
Manufacturer: Genuine Audi VW

Threadlocker (Optional)

* 1 x Wurth Threadlocker (Medium Strength, Blue, 0.35 oz) +$9.86
Manufacturer: Wurth

what's the purpose of these things? should i get them as well? it says optional, but i dont know the purpose of them

bushings are just for ease of install... our stock bushings will fit but are pretty tight for the thicker bar. The rs4 bushings are made to fit the rs4 bar.

The threadlocker is useless... no point in getting it. its just a sealant.

and if you were smart enough to click the links provided you could've read all about them... but thats ok [>_<][:p]

[Azeroth]

oh haha right well you made it that much easier for me! +1 to mct9891[up]

[Mike@PureMS]

so your saying hotchkis is better than oem rs4 sway?

I would like to see him elaborate on how the hotchkiss is "night and day" better. I find that hard to believe since most people who get a rs4 rear sway feel it is night and day from stock and I've never heard of anyone with Hotchkis.
Yep, just ask the RS4 guys who've gotten rid of their sway bars in favor of the H-sports. Try searching H-Sports, you'll find literally hundreds of posts of nothing but positive remarks of them.


I've also read in multiple places that because the Hotchkiss sway bar is so much stiffer, it can induce failure at the welds holding the brackets to the car.
Absolutely false.
On the B5 platform there were failures of the subframe with NEUSPEED and H&R bars that didn't include the subframe reinforcements. Neuspeed subsequently added reinforcements for the B5 bar. On the B6 and B7 there are NO subframe issues at all. Hotchkis has not reported one single failure of a subframe due to their bars, A4, S4, or RS4.


just can't justify buying hotchkis for $470
Er..They're considerably less.
S4 H-Sports (http://www.purems.com/products/product.php/II=724)
A4 H-Sports (http://www.purems.com/products/product.php/II=725)

[MCT9891]

oh haha right well you made it that much easier for me! +1 to mct9891[up]

any time man

[agkellyboy]

So if we have PSS9's, and track the car on AutoX and road courses, which of the 3 kits would you suggest?

Edit: Leaning towards RS4's

[Matt@EuropaParts]

on the europarts website they give a few optional choices to purchase as well:

Bushing Brackets (Optional)

* 2 x Audi RS4 Sway Bar Bushing Bracket +$14.31
OE Part #: 8E0511439
Manufacturer: Genuine Audi VW

Threadlocker (Optional)

* 1 x Wurth Threadlocker (Medium Strength, Blue, 0.35 oz) +$9.86
Manufacturer: Wurth

what's the purpose of these things? should i get them as well? it says optional, but i dont know the purpose of them

The brackets fit over the new bushings better than the stock brackets do. Its for ease of installation. The thread locker, contrary to what's being said, is necessary if you want the end link bolts to stay in. Otherwise they'll back out over and over again. Hell, I've lost bolts even with the thread locker (but I have the Hotchkis sways). All the major manufacturers suggest it, so its far from "useless", unless you want to replace the end link bolts every month. We have a DIY if you want to see where its used (see Step 9, please ignore my dirty hand ;-) http://www.audiction.com/audi-tuning/audi-rs4-rear-sway-bar-install/)

[Mike@PureMS]

So if we have PSS9's, and track the car on AutoX and road courses, which of the 3 kits would you suggest?

Edit: Leaning towards RS4's

2 different settings.. For the street and road course stick with the S4 sway kit (#22829)
On the Autox remove the front sway bar to really get more oversteer, which is needed in parking lots.

The PSS9's use some high rates springs, and due to that you don't need the extra beefy sway bar kit.