Hey guys,
Here is an update on the bars...
To the rest of you that have ordered the bars...
They have been shipped to Speed Technik last week and I should see them in the next few days of which I will turn them around to those of you that have pre-paid.
I will charge shipping when they go out and will include additional install instructions in the shipping docs.
If anyone wants them faster shipping than ground, email me and I will take care of it...
Brian@speedtechnik.com :s4addict:
As you requested, since you/your company does not want to deal with South Africa, I have contacted Hotchkis, and they told me that the RS6 sway bar is still a few months aways....
So what's the story?
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AvdhOriginally posted by avdh
As you requested, since you/your company does not want to deal with South Africa, I have contacted Hotchkis, and they told me that the RS6 sway bar is still a few months aways....
So what's the story?
Interesting how you never got a response. The reason I waited sooooooo long to post a reply is that I was waiting for Hotchkis to tell me when they were done with the prototype.
Back in April I met both the Hotchkis brothers (founders and owners) of H-Sport and Hotchkis sway bars. I told them I was interested in a sway bar set up for my Beast. They informed me they would like for me to come down for a test fit. I was suprised they said "test" fit as tuners were already marketing the "RS 6" bars ready for install. Sure enough the following month when I went down to their headquarters it was the very first time that they had test fitted their bars to an RS 6. I informed them that at rs6.com there was already ALOT of talk of the bars being ready. They assured me that the bars being sold were the standard offering the company had for an A6. Still a great product but by no means intended for the RS 6. They found that upon inspection of my RS 6, the brackets used for mounting were different than on the standard A6 and would certainly need to fabricate some custom brackets (they refused to mickey mouse fit it as we joked). They were to give me a call when the process was done (they did warn me to give them time
Well, quite some time has gone by (just look at the date of this post) but today I received a phone call from Mark Hotchkis letting me know that the prototype brackets and prototype sway bars are now ready for test fit. I again let him know that there are several people on rs6.com that have RS 6 sway bars on their Beasts already but again assurred me that they were the STANDARD sway bar upgrade they offer for the A6 (NOT S6, NOT RS 6, just A6). After all you could use the upgrade sway bars from a 330 on an M3 but that is not the same as sway bars SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED for an M3!
I will be taking the Beast down to their headquarters Wednesday morning for the test fit. Again, this is the very first set of Hotchkis sway bars SPECIFIC to the RS 6. Mark felt that the A6 bars will probably work well for the RS 6 but keep in mind they were never DESIGNED for the RS 6 spec suspension! These are!
Again I apologies for not posting earlier but I was waiting for a reponse back on when the bars would be done (why post if you don't know). After people started posting that they already had the "RS 6" bars on their Beasts I just figured they forgot about me and went about their daily business. Nothing could have been farther from the truth. They simply did not want to bug me until it was done and done right.
For those of you who already have the "RS 6" sway bars I can't say what the vendors told you, only that the Hotchkis brothers never sold them their sway bars as RS 6 specific. And they should know seeing as they're the ones who make em.
Ben(Dang, sorry that was so long!)
wonder what the price was on this special H bar ...... comparing to stock A6 .....
Note: I just want everyone to be aware about this. I've heard from Hotchkis sway bar previous owners, that they had problems where the axle broke or so... anyone else heard about this?
93 RX-7
2002 B6 A4 1.8T 6MT
2002 B5 S4 2.7TT 6MT
2003 C5 A6 2.7TT TIPTRONIC
2003 G35 6MT
2003 E46 M3 6MT
2003 996TT 6MT X50
2003 C5 RS6 Ebony Pearl/Silver Int.
2003 2ND C5 RS6 Daytona Pearl/Ebony Int.
2006 E46 BMW M3 SMG II
Current:
2007 B7 S4 6MT w/ EVERY option
2008 C350 with EVERY option
BMW M6 SMG III w/ EVERY option
vehicle coming soon:
2009 E93 M3 DCT
ben was it from the Norcal VS. Socal Event? i was the young kid with the rs6 =)
93 RX-7
2002 B6 A4 1.8T 6MT
2002 B5 S4 2.7TT 6MT
2003 C5 A6 2.7TT TIPTRONIC
2003 G35 6MT
2003 E46 M3 6MT
2003 996TT 6MT X50
2003 C5 RS6 Ebony Pearl/Silver Int.
2003 2ND C5 RS6 Daytona Pearl/Ebony Int.
2006 E46 BMW M3 SMG II
Current:
2007 B7 S4 6MT w/ EVERY option
2008 C350 with EVERY option
BMW M6 SMG III w/ EVERY option
vehicle coming soon:
2009 E93 M3 DCT
How can a manufacturer develop 'special sway bars' for an RS6 without ever seeing an RS6?
Its not something you do by specification, you try a certain ARB, see how it behaves and then try different ones and adjustments until you have one that offers optimal performance.
R+C
Originally posted by Nordschleife
How can a manufacturer develop 'special sway bars' for an RS6 without ever seeing an RS6?
Its not something you do by specification, you try a certain ARB, see how it behaves and then try different ones and adjustments until you have one that offers optimal performance.
R+C
exactly. hkis tend to have a bad rep with their sway bars. i would stay far away from it.
93 RX-7
2002 B6 A4 1.8T 6MT
2002 B5 S4 2.7TT 6MT
2003 C5 A6 2.7TT TIPTRONIC
2003 G35 6MT
2003 E46 M3 6MT
2003 996TT 6MT X50
2003 C5 RS6 Ebony Pearl/Silver Int.
2003 2ND C5 RS6 Daytona Pearl/Ebony Int.
2006 E46 BMW M3 SMG II
Current:
2007 B7 S4 6MT w/ EVERY option
2008 C350 with EVERY option
BMW M6 SMG III w/ EVERY option
vehicle coming soon:
2009 E93 M3 DCT
Exactly. Hotchkis NEVER developed a sway bar for the RS 6. It was merely marketed for the RS 6 by vendors.Originally posted by Nordschleife
How can a manufacturer develop 'special sway bars' for an RS6 without ever seeing an RS6?
Its not something you do by specification, you try a certain ARB, see how it behaves and then try different ones and adjustments until you have one that offers optimal performance.
R+C
The prototype they have made is base off the specs of the RS 6 (not the A6 as previous bars were.) They already have plenty of feedback from A6 owners on what is and is not liked about their sway bars and used that as a starting point for these prototypes. The new brackets that are fabricated are based on the measurements taken from my own personal vehicle while at their shop. This is the very first REAL RS 6 application for sway bars.
As for previous owners having problems it is a very real possibility. But consider this, if someone sells you sway bars for a Golf R32 and in reality they are sway bars for a BASE MODEL Golf is it Hotchkis's fault that problems might occur? I think vendors should be more accountable for accually knowing what they are selling. At no point did Hotchkis tell anyone that they had RS 6 specific sway bars. All involved knew they were A6 bars. They made it clear to me that they would be willing to make prototypes specifically for the RS 6 and that it would take time. I will let everyone know how it went after the drive on the 8th. We will be doing a before AND after back to back drive with the owner (Mark) on some back mountain roads.
Audi RS 6 sport
You'd be more than welcome to show up for the test drive. just send me a pm and I'll get back to you before the Wed. am appointment.
Ben
Hey Ben!
Where are Hotchkiss located and what time is your test drive?
Hello Hy Octane,Originally posted by Hy Octane
Hey Ben!
Where are Hotchkiss located and what time is your test drive?
They are in Santa Fe Springs. Wednesday morning @ 10-11 am. Send me a pm
Ben
I just got off the phone with hotchkis. And they told me that the rs6 bars they are selling now ( the ones you are picking up) are A6 bars with modified brackets, that speedtechnik tested them out for them. Thats what speedtechnik was doing modifing the brakets for the RS6. The ones he was selling then are the ones you will get now.Originally posted by Benman
Avdh
Interesting how you never got a response. The reason I waited sooooooo long to post a reply is that I was waiting for Hotchkis to tell me when they were done with the prototype.
Back in April I met both the Hotchkis brothers (founders and owners) of H-Sport and Hotchkis sway bars. I told them I was interested in a sway bar set up for my Beast. They informed me they would like for me to come down for a test fit. I was suprised they said "test" fit as tuners were already marketing the "RS 6" bars ready for install. Sure enough the following month when I went down to their headquarters it was the very first time that they had test fitted their bars to an RS 6. I informed them that at rs6.com there was already ALOT of talk of the bars being ready. They assured me that the bars being sold were the standard offering the company had for an A6. Still a great product but by no means intended for the RS 6. They found that upon inspection of my RS 6, the brackets used for mounting were different than on the standard A6 and would certainly need to fabricate some custom brackets (they refused to mickey mouse fit it as we joked
Well, quite some time has gone by (just look at the date of this post) but today I received a phone call from Mark Hotchkis letting me know that the prototype brackets and prototype sway bars are now ready for test fit. I again let him know that there are several people on rs6.com that have RS 6 sway bars on their Beasts already but again assurred me that they were the STANDARD sway bar upgrade they offer for the A6 (NOT S6, NOT RS 6, just A6). After all you could use the upgrade sway bars from a 330 on an M3 but that is not the same as sway bars SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED for an M3!
I will be taking the Beast down to their headquarters Wednesday morning for the test fit. Again, this is the very first set of Hotchkis sway bars SPECIFIC to the RS 6. Mark felt that the A6 bars will probably work well for the RS 6 but keep in mind they were never DESIGNED for the RS 6 spec suspension! These are!
Again I apologies for not posting earlier but I was waiting for a reponse back on when the bars would be done (why post if you don't know). After people started posting that they already had the "RS 6" bars on their Beasts I just figured they forgot about me and went about their daily business. Nothing could have been farther from the truth. They simply did not want to bug me until it was done and done right.
For those of you who already have the "RS 6" sway bars I can't say what the vendors told you, only that the Hotchkis brothers never sold them their sway bars as RS 6 specific. And they should know seeing as they're the ones who make em.
Ben
And what they are doing with "test fit" is that they are doing the samething speedtechnik is doing, by fiting the bars for the A6 to fit with RS6 by using different brackets.
btw they even have the same product number for the A6 and RS6
You can call hotchkis and hear for youreslef. Thats exactly what they told me.
My car:
2010 Subaru WRX STI Special Edition in WRB
speedtechniks RS6 tested it too. They personally never put one on. But speedtechnik did.Originally posted by Benman
The new brackets that are fabricated are based on the measurements taken from my own personal vehicle while at their shop. This is the very first REAL RS 6 application for sway bars.
Ben
My car:
2010 Subaru WRX STI Special Edition in WRB
This is all very interesting.................
I for one care too much about my 85G investment to just put stuff on it without doing the proper homework. Good stuff BenMan!
what exactly are sway bars?
what would be the purpose to add it to the beast?
any pics?
does it improve performance?
:thumb: Buckle Up and Enjoy The Ride.
One purpose would be to dial out some of the understeer, if that is what you so desire.Originally posted by RS4Ever
what would be the purpose to add it to the beast?
'01.5 Stg3 S4 (Dahlback Racing software)
'01 X5 3.0
'04 Mini Cooper
'03 RS 6 (Avus/Silver/NAV/Rear Side Airbags) --gone but not forgotten
Sway bars are located across the front and back suspension with the front one connecting the left and right suspension and the rear one the same. What they do is limit the amount of body roll the suspension will allow. If you are going around a right turn, the weight of the car will be shifted to the outside or left of the car which will cause the suspension on the left side to load up or compress. While a little roll is ok, our heavy quattros can cause the car to lean left too much which makes the car want to push left while turning right.. The sway bars limit this roll by connecting the left and right suspension and thus keeping the weight more centered, which results in better handling. The RS6 comes with fornt and rear sway bars. The Hotchkiss sway bars are even thicker than stock so they limit the body roll even more thus improving turn in and cornering.. ( in theory.. too stiff and it can cause the car to 'hop' over bumps which is not so good).. So the trick for H=sport bars is to make them just thick enuff to improve the handling and not to stiff to take it away.. Since the A6 4.2 and the RS6 are similar in weight, it would make sense that they would use the A6 bars as a starting point. Hope this makes sense..
They already exist on every car. In this case, you can replace the ones in your car with stiffer ones. Usually the metal is stiffer, or the diameter of the bar is larger.Originally posted by RS4Ever
what would be the purpose to add it to the beast?
Here is a good thread with pix and shows installation.
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