HPI Savage Sway Bar Set. HPI Part # 102538

[Londoner]

This is my review of the new HPI savage sway bar set i recieved today.

HPI PART # 102538

http://i703.photobucket.com/albums/ww35/fourtwenty2009/102538_002p.jpg

http://www.hpieurope.com/piw.php?lang=en&partNo=102538

http://i703.photobucket.com/albums/ww35/fourtwenty2009/017-10.jpg

Parts included:

An instruction booklet.
http://i703.photobucket.com/albums/ww35/fourtwenty2009/018-6.jpg

A small parts/screw bag.
http://i703.photobucket.com/albums/ww35/fourtwenty2009/019-5.jpg

2 Different thicknesses of sway bars, 2mm and 2.4mm plus a 1.5mm hex key.
http://i703.photobucket.com/albums/ww35/fourtwenty2009/020-7.jpg

And a tree of plastic parts.
http://i703.photobucket.com/albums/ww35/fourtwenty2009/022-5.jpg

Installation of the set:

The booklet instructs you to remove the wheels, bumpers and plastic skids however i found this unneccesary as im running XL axles and 1/2" off set rims so my wheels are well clear of the areas where you need access but standard length axle and 0 offset rim users may want to remove them for easier access and i just removed the bumper mount ear clips from the shock tower and pulled down the plastic skid, this gave me all the room i needed, but for the rest im following the instructions.

First assemble the ball links, using the M3x10mm set screws, making 4 in total then push a ball stud into ONE end of each link only.
http://i703.photobucket.com/albums/ww35/fourtwenty2009/025-2.jpg

Then assemble the sway bars/ball link stops leaving 5mm of bar protruding from the stop, M3x3mm set screws are used to hold the stops on the bar.
http://i703.photobucket.com/albums/ww35/fourtwenty2009/026-3.jpg

Then press the ball end stops onto the links made earlier. I used the 2.4mm chrome bars.
http://i703.photobucket.com/albums/ww35/fourtwenty2009/027-2.jpg

Now the bars are made, i put the first piece of hardware on the truck, the upper bar retainer, which also serves a neat dual purpose of keeping the upper arm hinge pins in place aswell! One 10mm binder screw is used for each retainer.
http://i703.photobucket.com/albums/ww35/fourtwenty2009/030-3.jpg

Then the bars can be put in place and the lower bar retainer fitted, again using 10mm binder head screws.
http://i703.photobucket.com/albums/ww35/fourtwenty2009/045-1.jpg

Here you can see where the lower bar retainer screws to either side of the bulk.
http://i703.photobucket.com/albums/ww35/fourtwenty2009/042-1.jpg

Then another 2 M3x3mm set screws are used in the lower retainer just to snug the bar back into the groove thats already in the bulk, do not overtighten these.
http://i703.photobucket.com/albums/ww35/fourtwenty2009/031-2.jpg

Then all thats left to do is to fit the bar links to the pre-drilled holes in the lower arms using M3x18mm screws.
http://i703.photobucket.com/albums/ww35/fourtwenty2009/032-2.jpg

Repeat for the other end of the truck, the rear in my case and i was done in around 45mins!
http://i703.photobucket.com/albums/ww35/fourtwenty2009/037-2.jpg
http://i703.photobucket.com/albums/ww35/fourtwenty2009/034-3.jpg
http://i703.photobucket.com/albums/ww35/fourtwenty2009/033-3.jpg
http://i703.photobucket.com/albums/ww35/fourtwenty2009/036-4.jpg
http://i703.photobucket.com/albums/ww35/fourtwenty2009/046-1.jpg

Testing

Took her out straight after fitting the kit, and the difference was noticable straight away, i really have to try hard or just be plain silly with the truck to get it to roll, im already running the RSC so id ideally like to see the difference before and after on a stock truck for true comparison but it definately helps to keep your truck flat.

Heres a few short vids that were taken, before just mucking around like this she would have been on her lid at least half a dozen times, i appologise in advance for my youngest son having a tantrum in the background lol kids.

http://i703.photobucket.com/albums/ww35/fourtwenty2009/th_vid1.jpg (http://s703.photobucket.com/albums/ww35/fourtwenty2009/?action=view&current=vid1.flv)

http://i703.photobucket.com/albums/ww35/fourtwenty2009/th_vid2.jpg (http://s703.photobucket.com/albums/ww35/fourtwenty2009/?action=view&current=vid2.flv)

http://i703.photobucket.com/albums/ww35/fourtwenty2009/th_vid3.jpg (http://s703.photobucket.com/albums/ww35/fourtwenty2009/?action=view&current=vid3.flv)

Marks out of 10 scores:

Price: 10/10 I paid £22.30 for the kit, not from eBay just from a normal online hobby store and considering the price of most HPI parts in the UK and you do get quite a few parts in the bag i think its good value.

Quality: 10/10 I cant find any quality flaws with the kit, its usual HPI quality, seems fairly stury and doesnt look as though anything may break in a hurry.

Installation: 9/10 I found it fairly easy to fit the kit, there is some small parts so those of use with hands like bunches of bananas may find it a bit fiddly but there is an extra one of every screw included in the pack so if your like me and drop n lose one of the tiny M3x3mm set screws theres a spare lol took me around 45mins to fit it and most of that time was spent assembling the links and bars, fitting to the truck was a piece of cake.

Function: 10/10 I noticed the difference straight away on the slow turns but its on the long sweeping turns that the most improvement is gained, the truck stays much flatter, anything that improves the handling of our savages for a small price is a worthy upgrade IMO

Look: 10/10 Not really important to me how it looks but it does look good on the truck, i think it kinda gives my truck more of a truggy look and i used the chrome bar which looks good against the FLM chassis and other bits on the truck.

Overall this kit gets a total of 9.8 from me, im still yet to put it through some heavier testing, jumps etc though but if any problems do arise il post them back here.

[Hypnotiq]

wow.. awesome review! I hope to grab one of these myself in the future!! How long do you think it took you to get it all together?

[Londoner]

It took me around 45mins from opening the pack to completely finished, and also thats mucking around with my camera trying to get decent shots lol

[Pope]

nice review.

[Hypnotiq]

and also thats mucking around with my camera trying to get decent shots lol

We all appreciate it man!! Great pics / review. If im not mistaken your the first to try these out so its good to hear about them after install!

You must spread some Re****tion around before giving it to Londoner again.

[M0rphin3]

very nice, always wanted a straight forward setup for sway bars and HPI answered the calling very well, thanks londoner, will be waiting for these to hit the web

[tugsan]

It's awesome, i m waiting for mine.

[Mickey]

nice londoner whats the zip tie on the bumper supports for? also what is the part number on the plastic tree with the upper arm pin caps?

[Londoner]

I used the zip ties to keep the bumper supports together and keep the upper arm pin in place, its not really needed anymore but ive left it there to stop the bumper supports from spreading apart on nose dives and rear end landings.

The part # on the plastic parts tree is 102520, didnt think to look for that :resp:

Edit: at one end of the tree it has part # 102520 and the other end has 102521, its the 102521 end of the tree that has the upper hinge pin caps, but neither numbers are showing on HPI Europe site yet.

[Bulldaddy]

I learn something new every day!

looks like more AWESOME SAUCEfor my SAVAGE.

[frddyj]

great review Londoner. thx for takin the time for the great pics & write up. +rep.

[Londoner]

No problem, i was looking forward to trying these and doing the review.

[kvnnets]

Nice review Londoner. Very informative and great pics. Rep given.

[Londoner]

The spare parts list/part numbers.

http://i703.photobucket.com/albums/ww35/fourtwenty2009/006-16.jpg

The 2 different thickness bars have the same part number but the black 2mm is (a) and the chrome 2.4mm is (b)
http://i703.photobucket.com/albums/ww35/fourtwenty2009/007-19.jpg

[tugsan]

Great review londoner!

I was looking at the HPI website and i saw it s available in http://www.hpiracing.com/products/en/102538/

[texasavage]

Sweet review Londoner! :resp:

[necromaster]

nice review londoner... i wish lhs near me sell it..

[Combuster]

nice review. +rep

[wildchild27]

nice review man i have the blue groove sway bars but i dont like how it rubs on the center rear dogbone tho.


eric....

[Scott]

Nice Review!!!

[Londoner]

Thanks fella's!! :resp:

[soulja]

gotta get some for a build i'm doing for someone....OOOPPPPPsss....did I say that??????

[soulja]

ordered.....on the way straight of HPI's website!

[Londoner]

Nice1 Soulja, theyre holding up well so far, taken a beating and plenty of bad landings without any breakages.

[soulja]

cool....another quality HPI product!

[Londoner]

Have you got them yet Soulja?

Anybody else have theirs/running them yet?

[tugsan]

I ve got mine, installed but not run yet.

[Londoner]

Cool! Let us know how you like them.

[soulja]

[QUOTE=Londoner;143162]Have you got them yet Soulja?

got 'em but haven't put them on yet....but i will definitely post when i do.....QUOTE]

[J1A1H]

Sorry to bring this post back from the dead...

But great review and write up!

I am just wondering... And from someone who has tested them if you can answer some questions.

Does running the sway bar on the front really kill your turn in that much.

Would it be beneficial just running a single sway bar on the rear?

In your videos, were you running front and back sway bars?

THANK YOU

[Londoner]

[QUOTE=Londoner;143162]Have you got them yet Soulja?

got 'em but haven't put them on yet....but i will definitely post when i do.....QUOTE]

You fitted 'em yet Soulja? :stickpoke:

Sorry to bring this post back from the dead...

But great review and write up!

I am just wondering... And from someone who has tested them if you can answer some questions.

Does running the sway bar on the front really kill your turn in that much.

Would it be beneficial just running a single sway bar on the rear?

In your videos, were you running front and back sway bars?

THANK YOU

Alright mate,

Yea was running front and rear sways in those vids, I can't really comment on how it would run with just one set on the rear as I've only run them as a pair.

I didn't notice any loss of turn/steering after fitting them, the handling improved loads and the truck stays flat pretty much all the time now.

Here's another vid with the same set up but on Pro-line Calibre VTR's on soaking wet grass, no grip at all lol

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMgFXr9zU4I

[Bankrupter]

looking good Londoner! thanks for this review...

[Londoner]

No probs Bank, I enjoyed doing it :resp:

[Gage]

Sorry to kick up a old thread but i have a set for my flux but im just not sure i want to put my stock lower arms back on just to use these .... anyone know if there is a way to still use them on the RPM arms ?

[thesmilingpirate]

I haven't done this mod yet but thanks to Londoner for providing an excellent review and install procedure, I am ordering the parts as we speak and looking forward to doing this mod.

+Rep

[Pope]

Sorry to kick up a old thread but i have a set for my flux but im just not sure i want to put my stock lower arms back on just to use these .... anyone know if there is a way to still use them on the RPM arms ?

No they will not work because to make them work you would need to drill out a mounting hole in the arm and RPM arms are just to thin to do it with. If you want to keep using the RPM arms check out Blue Groove sway bars.
http://www.bluegrooveconcepts.com/Anti-sway-bars.html

[xsavage3148]

I would love to do this but at some point I'm going to switch to rpm arms so i may end up with the blue groove.

[Axoman]

For those that have the sway bars, does it replace the need to shorten the shock travel to have the truck sit closer to the ground?

In other words, can you not shorten the shock travel and just run the sway bars and have great handling?

[Pope]

still need to limit the shock travel.

[luke1983]

Hi everyone,

I'm interested in doing this mod but not sure it would work on my 3.5. I'm running stock front and back bulk heads and all the related components. From what I can gather I need to

a) drill some holes in the lower suspension arms
or
b)replace the ones I have with some from an "X" version savvy.

Can anyone confirm this for me please? Also if there are any other parts i'd need a heads up would be greatly appreciated! Of course I'll be looking myself so if I find out I'll let you good folk know.
Thanks

[solo]

In order for everything to run proerly with the hpi sway bar you would need the following.

-Full set of savage x,xl a-arms
http://www.hpiracing.com/products/en/85238/

-2 savage x,xl composite bulkheads
http://www.hpiracing.com/products/en/85235/

then the stuff that you need to use to mount the sway bar kit comes with the kit

[luke1983]

Nice 1. Cheers Solo!

[Slimshamis]

Does anyone know where I can just purchase the 2 eyelets fir the endlink

[thesmilingpirate]

Just finished up this mod and ran a tank through last night. I noticed the difference right away. Huge. :10: Sick handling.

Thanks again to Londoner for the details at the beginning of the thread. :resp:

If you are looking into doing this mod, have patience. The parts are small. Put down a white sheet of paper on your work area so the parts stand out and don't get lost.

I always use a second white sheet of paper for all of the parts and screws I remove during a mod. I put the parts on the paper and circle them and write what they are above so there is no confusion if you walk away to take a break and go back later to put the parts back on.

Enjoy!

[luke1983]

So the composite bulkheads are just a direct replacement for the existing ones right?