[neuropr]

i got the megan rear. i ordered the same hotchkis front.

today i am home and i swapped out the rear shocks for bilsteins (oems were completely shot) and i realized i dont even have an oem rear sway bar. so no brackets or end links. i do have the megan bar and it doesnt come with either of those. im trying to track some down now

A bit off-topic but i have to ask,

I guess you installed Bilstein 19-164687 (B4 Touring Class) or other custom ones? How is the Bilstein's at the rear, did you test drive after installing? I've them on my 2006 for the last month, at first week they were excellent, but now they feel too slow/soft.

About the front struts, i have installed custom hand-made struts with adjustable B6 Bilsteins inserts (off-car adjustable). The ride was very good, stable & turns with high speed were much better, but a bit harsher at bumps/bad roads. I currently took them out and will send them for re-valving for a softer/slower feeling.

 

[marshun]

A bit off-topic but i have to ask,

I guess you installed Bilstein 19-164687 (B4 Touring Class) or other custom ones? How is the Bilstein's at the rear, did you test drive after installing? I've them on my 2006 for the last month, at first week they were excellent, but now they feel too slow/soft.

About the front struts, i have installed custom hand-made struts with adjustable B6 Bilsteins inserts (off-car adjustable). The ride was very good, stable & turns with high speed were much better, but a bit harsher at bumps/bad roads. I currently took them out and will send them for re-valving for a softer/slower feeling.

well for the rear i felt they were good. a little more solid than i'd like. but seem to be stiffening up

maybe we're both going after different results? i want a smooth straight drive with a flatter turning feel.

do you have pictures of the front? im interested to see how that looks. i was thinking of using the newer bilstein shocks and im guessing just the sway bar end links were different lengths

would be cool if someone else did that before i try to haha

 

[neuropr]

well for the rear i felt they were good. a little more solid than i'd like. but seem to be stiffening up

maybe we're both going after different results? i want a smooth straight drive with a flatter turning feel.

do you have pictures of the front? im interested to see how that looks. i was thinking of using the newer bilstein shocks and im guessing just the sway bar end links were different lengths

would be cool if someone else did that before i try to haha

We both want the same i guess, a smooth, straight drive. On my situation, maybe is the rear springs compatibility with the shocks (i have replaced the OEM springs with Lesjefors which are stiffer).

Sure i will take some photos from the front bilsteins and upload later today. It's just out of the car right now.

 

[neuropr]

do you have pictures of the front? im interested to see how that looks.

Just took 2 photos of them.

 

[TEKSMRT]

#1 Hotchkis 22429F 32mm hollow bar ( ~$143 USD) - UNVERIFIED fitment
#2 Cusco 951-311-A25 30mm hollow bar (~$300 USD) - UNVERIFIED fitment

Another mistake I made, the Cusco front sway bar part # is 925-311-A30 - NOT 951-311-A25.

I discovered this when after a month of waiting on my order from Summit Racing, I found out that Hotchkis moved their production location and wasn't fully operational until December 2019. They are now only working on filling the highest backordered items and the xB 22429F 32mm sway bar wont be ready till mid to late January 2020.

I then started looking at the more expensive but smaller 30mm Cusco option only to find what I had originally posted was a 25mm bar, not the 30mm.

925-311-A30 is actually the correct one.

In the mean time, I'll see if i can manage the Cusco 25mm rear sway bar install since it arrived in less than a week from Japan when ordered from RHDJapan.com. My issue will be the rusty bolts securing the sway bar to the rear subframe.

 

[TEKSMRT]

Apparently, the front sway bar on the 3rd gen Rav4 is shared with at least 5 other Lexus/Toyota/Scion platforms...if not more! Found this out by talking with Paul Sexton @toyotechwv on PriusChat.com who had swapped a 2011 Rav4 sway bar into his SCCA autocrossing prius. Long story short, the cross platform use by Toyota/Lexus/Scion is coming in handy.

Toyota Rav4 XA30 2006-2012
Toyota Rav4 XA40 2013-2018
Toyota Harrier XU60 / Lexus RX350 ZSU6#W 2013-present
Toyota Prius V/Alpha ZVW40 2012-present
Toyota Prius ZVW30 2010-2015
Scion xB E150 2008-2015

Here are probably the best two FRONT sway bar options - keep in mind the XA30 oem is 25mm:

#1 Hotchkis 22429F 32mm hollow bar ( ~$143 USD) - UNVERIFIED fitment
#2 Cusco 925-311-A30 30mm hollow bar (~$300 USD) - UNVERIFIED fitment (I incorrectly listed 951 311-A25 in my first post - it is NOT the correct part number.)

If I can get someone to verify that the 4th gen Rav4 share the same rear sway bar as the 3rd gen, we also have a few more rear options as the XA40 share with several platforms as well. When searching images, the XA30 and XA40 bars look identical.

Toyota Rav4 XA40 2013-2018
Toyota Harrier XU60 / Lexus RX350 ZSU6#W 2013-2018
Lexus NX200t 2015-present

If they are compatible here are probably the better REAR sway bar options - keep in mind the XA30 Sport oem is 22mm:

#1 Cusco 978 311 B25 25mm solid bar - VERIFIED fitment (~$303 USD)
#2 Ultra Racing UR-AR23-171 23mm solid bar - VERIFIED fitment (~$348 USD)
#2 Megan Racing MRS-TY-1291 25.4mm hollow bar - VERIFIED fitment (~$176 USD)
#3 HardRace 7997 25.4mm hollow bar - UNVERIFIED fitment (~$287 USD)

Knowing this cross breeding on platforms may open up other XA30 Rav4 suspension options... !!

We now have 3 options, I have successfully installed the CUSCO 978311B25 solid 25mm rear sway bar. Posted more pictures in my personal thread: https://www.rav4world.com/threads/teksmrts-2009-v6-4wd-sport-sap-build.264721/page-6

 

[marshun]

So my front sway was for another car. I called Jegs and they called hotchkis. They said there was 1 more bar and it was for someone else. I’m home for the holidays and was hoping to knock this out.

mom trying to track down another one. Might have to get a whole set

also.... I have the oil burn problem. Hope Toyota can help me out

 

[TEKSMRT]

Summit just refunded my order yesterday since Hotchkis kicked the ETA back till late January. Like Steven told me, I may just spring for the Cusco and call it good. Sucks since it's at least $100 more and smaller. Love the upgraded rear tho!!

 

[marshun]

i got a refund as well. lol.

i think i'll track down some thing online. im sure theres a couple lingering around somewhere.

let me know how your hunt goes or if you end up with the cusco!

 

[TEKSMRT]

Talked to Hotchkis sales directly today and they said they have 3 single front bars showing in their system, however they haven't been able to find them since the relocation and its highly likely they will actually discontinue the front due to lack of interest. I placed a new order with Hotchkis directly in case they find the 3 and if not, in late January I'll order the Cusco.

 

[marshun]

i had my order in with them as well. i got the same story last week. apparently they found 1 bar but it was for another order that was ordered before me. but i was told in november that they'd make another run of them. but last week they said there wasnt that much interest for them anymore and they would stop.

i found a bar on ebay. we'll see if it turns up or not.

 

[TEKSMRT]

i found a bar on ebay. we'll see if it turns up or not.

Hotchkis front only?? I've seen the whole F & R kit but then you'd have to sell the rear bar and that to me was too much of a hassle. If you found a front only, that's awesome!

 

[marshun]

i didnt. just got the front and rear. hopefully i can sell the rear. if not, no biggie.


but the hotchkis fits! i had some time in between the rain.

 

[marshun]

im happy. sways and bilsteins is one of my favorite simple set ups for vehicles

 

[TEKSMRT]

i didnt. just got the front and rear. hopefully i can sell the rear. if not, no biggie.


but the hotchkis fits! i had some time in between the rain.

Awesome to hear...how's the handling improvement?

 

[marshun]

definitely much flatter. we'll see how it does in the dry tomorrow.

 

[TEKSMRT]

So I did some shoddy MS Paint detective work comparing some similar sway bars and came up with the following.

The Megan Racing MRS-LX-1290 32mm adjustable hollow bar for the Lexus NX fits the Gen3 Rav4!

See more photos on my IG account.

 

[TEKSMRT]

This thing handles soo much better now! Very flat on turns and curves, honestly much more like a sports car. Anyone in the DFW area that doesn't believe me can come for a ride.

 

[Shooter920]

I have been following the build big fan!! I am borrowing some ideas in employ on my Rav4. I just received my front (Megan Racing) and rear (Cusco) sway bars in the mail. Waiting on the Rock auto delivery with end links and a few other front strut mounting parts. Last weekend I swapped out the rear shock (Toyota OE for sport) and sprayed down all the mounting point for the sway bar mount with a PB Baster letting my 10 year old bolts marionate. Can't wait to see the difference.

 

[SoNic67]

I like the option to put in a stiffer sway bar, but I would like to do it in both front and rear, so the handling in turns remains neutral.

Anti-Roll Bars: How to Choose the Right Sway Bar for Your Driving Style

A guide on how to choose a sway bar that will work both for your car and your driving style. Suspension components and vehicle dynamics are complicated systems, but a proper sway bar upgrade can make all the difference when it comes to performance handling.

axleaddict.com

So I was wondering if Megan Racing or similar made that calculation when they manufactured their sway bars (pair front/rear).