1st Gen Camaro Rear Sway Bar

[Smoker03]

Looking into installing a rear sway bar to help with tuning. We have been looking at the Hotchkis bar and the Helwig bar. Is one better than the other? There is a big price difference. I have seen how the Hotchkis bar installs, but have not been able to find the install instructions for the Helwig bar. Any info or pics would be great.

[Smoker03]

From what I can find, the helwig rear bar has 3 adjustments where the Hotchkis has 2. I'm leaning towards the helwig setup. Are there more rear sway bar options that I should check out?

[Schwartz Performance]

Hellwig supplies a lot of companies with bars, same with addco. We've used hellwig a lot and they're good bars. Install is easy but sorry no pics

[Smoker03]

Thanks for the info. I found the install instructions, now it would be great to hear any comparisons or personal experience with either rear bar. Did it help or hinder?

[Schwartz Performance]

Compared to no rear bar, it helps.

[BigVin]

Detroit Speed makes an 2-position adjustable rear sway bar that mounts to the chassis, as does the Hellwig. Hotchkis mounts to lower control arm which is not the best setup, IMHO. DS's bar is designed for street and autocross, hence 2 positions. Hellwig has holes for street, autocross, and drag. I like the black color of DS plus it comes in 1.125" or 1.25" diameter!
Conrad

What control arm

[77thor]

The Hotchkis rear swaybar mounts to their chassis brace, which is installed between the frame rails.

[Jon @ Hotchkis]

Hi Guys! Just to clarify our rear sway is 3-way adjustable, with bar rates of 310/380/490lb/in.

Our end links attach to the supplied brace that mounts to the frame rails and unibody, while the sway bar itself mounts on the axle with the supplied u-bolts and powder coated brackets (Hellwig's attaches to the axle as well). Our bushings and endlinks are greaseable via Zerk fittings (which I don't believe Hellwig's are) and all of the components are either powder coated or plated for corrosion resistance.

Let me know if you have any specific questions and I'll do my best to answer them.

Thanks,

[67rally]

I have the Hotchkis rear sway bar, and Hotchkis leaf springs with the Swivel Max bushing upgrade and love it. Very nice setup.

[Dave@Hellwig]

Here's a few pictures of our p/n 5824 adjustable rear bar for 1st gen F-body applications. We don't require a separate brace as the end links are attached to the inner wall of the subframe. We supply a sleeve that is inserted into the subframe to reinforce it. The sway bar is 3/4" diameter and has 3 adjustment holes. The end links are adjustable as well to accommodate modified ride heights.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2013/10/396455382-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2011/04/396441567-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2011/04/396441697-1.jpg

[Marcus SC&C]

We`ve installed and worked with both of bars numerous times. The Hotchkis bar is okay. The quality is good, fitment is good. I take points off for the "frame brace" which just adds weight and cost. It is much better than their earlier method of mounting the end links to the floor pan though. The rates are exceptionally high, well suited to an auto cross car but maybe not so much for a street car. The Hellwig bar is also high quality. Fit is excellent and the design is more mechanically efficient and lighter. The rates are well suited to street use on the low end and auto cross or drag racing on the high end. They`re also an outstanding value.

[David Pozzi]

I have installed the Hotchkis 2nd gen Camaro bar on a First Gen & it fits nicely with better mounting than their first gen bar.. It connects to the frame rails like the Hellwig bar. I've used the Hellwig bar & it's a high quality piece that fits great.

[Pete68]

I have a rear Addco bar on my camaro. I had to weld a plate on the back as it tore the frame material. So I would recommend to anyone who is considering a rear bar swap to do the same. The frame metal in the back is pretty thin and it will wear out with time or crack.

[David Pozzi]

I agree.
I don't like the Hotchkis first gen rear bar because it's too narrow and requires a crossmember that you have to buy & mount. The bar ends can get close to the exhaust especially if you have aftermarket mufflers or large diameter tubes. I have mounted a second gen Hotchkis rear bar on two first gens & they fit very well & work great. I had to shorten the tubes that fit n the frame rails to fit the first gen. I did a Hellwig rear bar install and it also fit great and with only one bolt through the frame rail it was easier to install.

[TheBandit]

This is a necropost, but I'll add my vote for the Hellwig rear bar. I installed it on my '70 Nova. Fit and finish on all the components was great and it helped reduce understeer I had running a big bar up front with nothing out back.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2020/04/ly6swap1139-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2020/04/ly6swap1138-1.jpg

Due to how I ran my fuel line, I had to mount my end links low and a little further back on the frame, so I rotated the axle mounts about 45degs to shift everything back. With the end link in the middle position the end link is at 90deg to the sway bar, but in the least stiff position (as shown) it's angled a bit due to being somewhat short.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2020/04/ly6swap1136-1.jpg

The "frame" could probably use some local reinforcement where the end links mount beyond the provided sleeves.