ZZP Sway Bar

[Victory Red RS]

Went to install it this morning and it look like a spacer with bolts welded in goes between the rear spring and it's mount?!?! How do I free up that spring? It came with no instructions.

 

[mitdr774]

Support twist beam, unbolt both rear shocks, lower twist beam, remove springs, install plates, and reverse process. I would suggest securing the sway bar to the plates before reinstalling everything though. The holes in the spring seat are bigger than the studs. The holes in the bar are just about the same size. Once the springs are reinstalled and the shocks tightened up it will be hard to shift the plates around to line things up.

 

[Victory Red RS]

Support twist beam, unbolt both rear shocks, lower twist beam, remove springs, install plates, and reverse process. I would suggest securing the sway bar to the plates before reinstalling everything though. The holes in the spring seat are bigger than the studs. The holes in the bar are just about the same size. Once the springs are reinstalled and the shocks tightened up it will be hard to shift the plates around to line things up.

Twist beam?
Have done everything obvious but springs firmly planted.

 

[Victory Red RS]

Tires on ramp if that matters.

 

[sx sonic]

He's saying jack the car up like you would if changing tires or brakes and support the rear axle (twist beam technically) so it doesn't just plop down when unbolted and damage the brake lines or wheel speed sensor wires.

 

[mitdr774]

The suspension being loaded will make it impossible to remove the springs without serious injury or damage. You have to set the chassis on jack stands and control the movement of the twist beam (rear axle) with a jack.

 

[Italianjoe1]

Yeah that cannot be done on ramps, as mentioned you need to let the wheels hang free so you can remove the shock bolts and lower the axle slightly more to remove the springs. Easy to do with a floor jack and some stands.

 

[Victory Red RS]

Thanks and done!

 

[Victory Red RS]

Drove it today and must say am very happy! Corners smooth and flat with much less body roll. Fun fun fun!!!

 

[tunktunk]

Was it difficult to install? I'm not too experienced with cars, but I want to improve mine. Can't decide between this or the trifecta tune.

 

[Dubbs_RS]

Was it difficult to install? I'm not too experienced with cars, but I want to improve mine. Can't decide between this or the trifecta tune.

Get the tune. Hands down. It improves the driveability considerably and the power gains on the 1.4t awesome.

 

[sx sonic]

Hard call. They are both very noticeable mods. Probably the 2 most noticeable mods.

Personally I would go tune 1st if you can swing the funds and then the rear brace later down the road.

Reason being is the tune is more pricey (still a good deal as far as actual tunes go), and the rear brace is pretty low cost. So ideally you could get the tune and then be able to get the brace fairly soon afterwards. Plus how can you compete with plus 35hp and 50tq .

 

[Victory Red RS]

Was it difficult to install? I'm not too experienced with cars, but I want to improve mine. Can't decide between this or the trifecta tune.

Difficult to install is relative. No, not difficult at all when you know how to do it. Actually quite simple and could be done in 30 minutes easily. Instructions from ZZP would have come in handy "easy" or not.
I would, and did, get the tune first. Coming from an over 300 hp 300 lb/ft HHR SS this car was painfully slow. After tuning it (HPTuners) it really came to life! That's when I realized "Boy, this thing really leans in the corners". The sway bar fixed that and it is even more fun to drive now!!!

 

[BadaSS98]

Difficult to install is relative. No, not difficult at all when you know how to do it. Actually quite simple and could be done in 30 minutes easily. Instructions from ZZP would have come in handy "easy" or not.
I would, and did, get the tune first. Coming from an over 300 hp 300 lb/ft HHR SS this car was painfully slow. After tuning it (HPTuners) it really came to life! That's when I realized "Boy, this thing really leans in the corners". The sway bar fixed that and it is even more fun to drive now!!!

Oh man, I've been looking at HHR SS's for a while now. Stuck in between that and an RS like you have. The LNF can't be beat, but knowing that you've had both which one would you miss more? Did you have any sway bars installed on the SS?

 

[Victory Red RS]

Oh man, I've been looking at HHR SS's for a while now. Stuck in between that and an RS like you have. The LNF can't be beat, but knowing that you've had both which one would you miss more? Did you have any sway bars installed on the SS?

Are you kidding?!?! The HHR SS was way more fun! Twice the power and torque plus the utility of a wagon. Had TTR sway bar and solid motor mount. The TTR is practically identical to ZZP and worked just as well. The stock suspension was much stiffer (tuned on the 'Ring in Germany) and 18" rims with Eagle GT's. Also Forge BPV. Plus I commute 3 hours a day and the HHR was an auto. My left knee was much happier.
Note though that now that I have tuned the Sonic it is a hoot to drive just can't accept any race challenges. Was always fun to watch the expressions on other drivers faces when they got smoked.

 

[BadaSS98]

Are you kidding?!?! The HHR SS was way more fun! Twice the power and torque plus the utility of a wagon. Had TTR sway bar and solid motor mount. The TTR is practically identical to ZZP and worked just as well. The stock suspension was much stiffer (tuned on the 'Ring in Germany) and 18" rims with Eagle GT's. Also Forge BPV. Plus I commute 3 hours a day and the HHR was an auto. My left knee was much happier.
Note though that now that I have tuned the Sonic it is a hoot to drive just can't accept any race challenges. Was always fun to watch the expressions on other drivers faces when they got smoked.

Sounds like a nice ride. Why the change to the sonic, MPGs? I love HHRss but I think the RS with 200whp would be a blast too. I see they have the RS Sedan out now. That would be fun as well as the hatch.

 

[Victory Red RS]

No, the HHR had too many issues slowly building up. Averaged 28 mpg which wasn't bad at all. Was ordering a part at the dealer when I saw an identically colored RS (Victory Red) RS on the showroom floor. Liked it a lot. Talked to a salesman and left telling him maybe someday. When picking up the part the next day and checking out the car again I hear from the distance "You know that's a car payment!" joking about the cost of the part. We laughed and I walked out. Two weeks later I was picking up that same car right off the showroom floor! Never even drove it .

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[BadaSS98]

Well that's pretty cool. As long as your happy with the trade that's what matters. I like them both. I just don't like buying new because I always feel shafted once I need something fixed under warranty. The RS is the way to go if a sonic is on the list though.

 

[Jim Van]

Hard call. They are both very noticeable mods. Probably the 2 most noticeable mods.

Personally I would go tune 1st if you can swing the funds and then the rear brace later down the road.

Reason being is the tune is more pricey (still a good deal as far as actual tunes go), and the rear brace is pretty low cost. So ideally you could get the tune and then be able to get the brace fairly soon afterwards. Plus how can you compete with plus 35hp and 50tq .

The brace ( DDM Works ) or the sway bar ( ZZ Performance ) ?? I'm getting confused. Which is the most preferred ??

 

[barrstev]

The ZZP sway bar doesn't require drilling. I'm not a straight line guy so my preference is always suspension mods first. Thanks for the review of the ZZP sway bar. I'm sold...