Hotchkis H-Sport S4 Swaybars on a 1.8T???

[A4SoftWalker]

I installed the rear swaybar last Saturday and I'm waiting for a part swap for my new front swaybar links to finish up the job.

For reference here are the percentage increases in roll rate stiffness for the Audi B6/B7:

A4 - 120/150%
S4 - 145/215%
RS4 - 235/305%

I’m currently set @ 145% increase over stock S4 instead of the 215% I wanted. If this is the case I'm starting to think I should've got the RS4 swaybar kit instead.

Has anyone ran the rear S4 bars on full stiffness 215% setting on the 1.8T. I noticed that on full stiff (inner most notches) the bar is dangerously close to the rear drive axles. Questions:

1) Is this bcs they are meant for the S4?
2) Is there a work around to enable setting these to full stiffness?

[maclem8223]

I have the S4 front and rears; got them from PureMS awhile back. I installed mine on the farthest notch (stiffest) I've had no problems thus far and love the feel!!!

[A4SoftWalker]

Ohhhh... wait a minute when u mention the furthest notch is that the one closer to the middle of the bar not the end of the bar? Mine is right next to the axle with the notch closest to the end of the bar.

[maclem8223]

Ohhhh... wait a minute when u mention the furthest notch is that the one closer to the middle of the bar not the end of the bar? Mine is right next to the axle with the notch closest to the end of the bar.

No you are correct; I just misworded it sorry. If I remember the directions the stiffest setting is notch at the very end of the bar.

[EBG 18T]

For reference here are the percentage increases in roll rate stiffness for the Audi B6/B7:

A4 - 120/150%
S4 - 145/215%
RS4 - 235/305%

?

I am confused my your numbers since all the B6/B7 Chasis H-Sport front bars are 35mm. The only difference in the kits is the rear bar size. The A4 is 22mm, S4 24mm and the RS4 is 29mm. The S4 is the most balanced kit H-Sport makes avaliable. The RS4 kit is overkill on the street.

Quote from H-Sports website on the adjustbility:

*Adjustability Note: To adjust between the two holes, you must unbolt the
bushing bracket bolts and pull the bar towards the rear so that the end link
bolts clear the shock bodies. The hole at the bar’s end is the softer while
the second hole from the end is the harder setting.

[A4SoftWalker]

I am confused my your numbers since all the B6/B7 Chasis H-Sport front bars are 35mm. The only difference in the kits is the rear bar size. The A4 is 22mm, S4 24mm and the RS4 is 29mm. The S4 is the most balanced kit H-Sport makes avaliable. The RS4 kit is overkill on the street.

The numbers are the adjustable stiffness values for the rear bar in the different kits and ur right the RS4 will be overkill.

Front bar 35mm
Rear bars:
A4 - 22mm 120%/150%
S4 - 24mm 145%/215%
RS4 - 29mm 235%/305%

Quote from H-Sports website on the adjustbility:

*Adjustability Note: To adjust between the two holes, you must unbolt the
bushing bracket bolts and pull the bar towards the rear so that the end link
bolts clear the shock bodies. The hole at the bar’s end is the softer while
the second hole from the end is the harder setting.

Thanks for the pointers... thought about it while reading the instructions (for the 5th time) that say to adjust by loosening the 2 lower 13mm end link bolts as well as the variable position top 16mm one. This makes sence bcs the bar will more-or-less remain in the same position same length and the only thing that will chg will be the points the bar bolts to the end links after they have been loosened

I was trying to do it with the lower end link bolts tightened. This made it such that the bar had to move even closer to the rear axles.

No you are correct; I just misworded it sorry. If I remember the directions the stiffest setting is notch at the very end of the bar.

The correct explanation (after much searching) is actually the inner hole from the bar end is stiffer. Whewww... wish I took pics but I was rushing to beat the darkness and the Cali cold.

Thanks guys for your tips advice and insight.

[maclem8223]

The correct explanation (after much searching) is actually the inner hole from the bar end is stiffer. Whewww... wish I took pics but I was rushing to beat the darkness and the Cali cold.

Well, I'm glad that's settled.

[CyberPMG]

I've had my S4 bars on my A4 1.8T for over 100k miles with the stiffest setting. Absolutely wonderful with no issues or worries.

[A4SoftWalker]

I've had my S4 bars on my A4 1.8T for over 100k miles with the stiffest setting. Absolutely wonderful with no issues or worries.

Thanks good to know they'll fit... gives me more confidence when I will go at it again for the stiffer setting.

[EBG 18T]

a4softwalker - i was misreading the #'s the way you presented them. Sorry for any confusion i created there. Glad you got it figured out.

I have the RS4 setup and it is 'interesting' to drive in the snow right now. I may actually put my H-Sport 22mm rear bar on this weekend for the remainder of the winter.

[downhillracer]

I have the H-Sport RS4 setup on the stiffest setting.. I LOVE IT.. The car takes corners SO NICE! If anyone is wondering my opinion .. I say go RS4 because it takes that much to make our cars handle well and to make our cars oversteer instead of understeer! Also in my opinion the balance is off too far with the other kits.. 35mm front with 22mm rear... I dunno seems too stiff in the front at that point and just not balanced. So...(breath)... thats why i chose the RS4 kit.

[A4SoftWalker]

a4softwalker - i was misreading the #'s the way you presented them. Sorry for any confusion i created there. Glad you got it figured out.

I have the RS4 setup and it is 'interesting' to drive in the snow right now. I may actually put my H-Sport 22mm rear bar on this weekend for the remainder of the winter.

No prob dude I assumed folks had been to the Hotchkis site and might just want the comparison numbers in one spot. In regards to the RS4 bars my thoughts exactly in the rain/snow I didnt want any sudden surprises. Ive had other "tuned" cars that were death traps in the wet.

I have the H-Sport RS4 setup on the stiffest setting.. I LOVE IT.. The car takes corners SO NICE! If anyone is wondering my opinion .. I say go RS4 because it takes that much to make our cars handle well and to make our cars oversteer instead of understeer! Also in my opinion the balance is off too far with the other kits.. 35mm front with 22mm rear... I dunno seems too stiff in the front at that point and just not balanced. So...(breath)... thats why i chose the RS4 kit.

Nice for a track car driving at full alertness or on dry roads but foul weather might make trips interesting to say the least. Dont u think? Any stories on the WET/ICE handling???

[[email protected]]

I ran my H-Sports on the stiffest setting and my friends told me I would 3-wheel (inside rear wheel would lift) through corners which is not a good thing.

Did a track day in the rain and I was losing grip since the setup was so stiff.

Now I run the swaybars on the lowest setting and sometimes disconnect them entirely if tracking in the rain.

[A4SoftWalker]

My fears exactly Winston. This is good info for u to share on here. Glad I wasnt too ambitious with my choice of bar. Which size bars are u running???

[[email protected]]

I have the B6A4 H-Sport swaybars and they are plenty stiff for my needs and I don't know how my car would handle with the RS4 ones bolted on.

I got gung-ho and thought 'stiffer is better' for all situations and when I was going all over the place on a rainsoaked track at Portland I got spanked.

Instructor told me to head into the pits, we disconnected the swaybar and when I got back on track the car was much better handling and I carried much more speed into the corners with all 4 tires gripping instead of sliding around.

[EBG 18T]

Nice for a track car driving at full alertness or on dry roads but foul weather might make trips interesting to say the least. Dont u think? Any stories on the WET/ICE handling???

The H-Sport RS4's are nice for dry track conditions, But in the wet and snow they are a different story. Thus the reason i kept my h-Sport 22mm rear bar for bad conditions. I just never got around to swapping my 29mm rear bar out for the 22mm rear bar for winter.

The car is extremly tail happy in the snow and without having body roll to make the transition smoother the rear of the car breaks loose on the slightest slip in the snow. Honestly it is a bit scary in the snow and ice.

Springs and dampers really should be done first and then sway bars added after to make final tweaks. I am not sure what suspension downhillracer is running but i had to increase my rear damper rates on the dry track to compensate for the 29mm rear bar loading/unloading with so much force in quick chicanes. The instructor i was working with recommended bumping up the rear rebound so i was able to better control the quick unloading of the 29mm bar. It kept the car much more planted & controlled. In am emergency situation i have a feeling alot of softer dampers will get overwheled by the loads created by these larger sway bars and the rear end will break loose quite quickly.

If i was to do it again i would get the h-sport s4 setup for my car. Like Winston i am running a fairly high spring rate suspension setup. He runs the motorsports, i am running the step down tracksports with 750#F/1200#R springs w/ matched damping.

[downhillracer]

No prob dude I assumed folks had been to the Hotchkis site and might just want the comparison numbers in one spot. In regards to the RS4 bars my thoughts exactly in the rain/snow I didnt want any sudden surprises. Ive had other "tuned" cars that were death traps in the wet.



Nice for a track car driving at full alertness or on dry roads but foul weather might make trips interesting to say the least. Dont u think? Any stories on the WET/ICE handling???

I live in mammoth lakes where we get over 500 inches of snow a year so its snowy and wet a lot, and with the quattro the car still handles just as good in the snow as it did with the stock bars.