Rear Anti-sway Bar

[NeverForget]

I just obtained a Hellwig rear anti-sway bar for my new Sierra 2500HD 4WD D/A Crew Cab Short Bed and am having trouble with the installation. I plan to call the company for technical support. Have any of you successfully installed a Hellwig rear anti-sway bar? I bought one thinking that it would help while towing my fifth wheel.

Thanks

[NeverForget]

I've just spoken with Robert of Hellwig who advised that the wrong instructions and mounting diagrams had been shipped with the kit. I plan to attempt the installation again this weekend and to post a note thereafter.

NeverForget

2002 GMC Sierra 2500HD D/A Crew Cab S/B

[Joe Dawson]

Thanks for the update. I was thinking of getting one for the same reasons. Let us know how things turn out.

[NutNbutGMC]

Quote:
I've just spoken with Robert of Hellwig who advised that the wrong instructions and mounting diagrams had been shipped with the kit. __________________________________________________ ______________________

Can anyone say "quality control?" Gotta' love it. :confused: tongue.gif :confused:

[MaxACL]

NeverForget

I have always had a pickup truck, usually the '70s vintage but until resently when I purchased my '02 3500 ZF6, I hadn't thought much about the behavior of the truck under heavy load. I will be pulling a 40ft gooseneck for hire (and make a million) and will be upgrading the truck when I return to the states

In a nutshell, how does a sway bar help?

And by the way... Welcome to the DieselPage. It's great.

Mike

PS My second "Ex" is from Red Dirt. Where abouts are you? :D

[NeverForget]

Mike, I copied the quote below from the hellwig products web site.

"What does an anti-sway bar do?"

"An anti-sway bar is designed to reduce body roll. It keeps your vehicle flatter in the turns by transferring the pressure exerted on the outboard wheels and applying opposite pressure on the inboard wheels. In this way weight is more evenly applied to all four wheels, helping the vehicle stay more level with the road."

"Why would I want an anti-sway bar on my vehicle?"

"Odds are that you already have an anti-sway bar on the front of your car or truck. In some cases this is sufficient, but often it can be improved upon. A greater diameter bar will give you more resistance to body roll. Adding a rear bar will make an even greater improvement. By keeping the vehicle more level in a turn you will have significantly more control, giving you better handling. A good combination of front and rear bars can also keep your motor home or heavily loaded truck more stable on the open road."

"Any time you alter a vehicle's ride height you change its center of gravity, and a good suggestion to compensate for the handling change is to upgrade the anti-sway bars. As a good general rule, any time you add an anti-sway bar or upgrade an existing bar you will receive a noticeable improvement in the way your vehicle handles."

Mike, my thinking is that because the kingpin mounts to the fifth wheel hitch one foot or more above the bed of the truck, there is the potential for it to impart lateral forces under certain conditions over the rear axle. A rear sway anti-sway bar should serve to limit such sway and to have downward forces more equally applied to both rear tires. If I were interested in serious off-roading more than trailering, then I don't think that I would want to possibly limit wheel travel.

Thanks for the welcome. I've enjoyed the site for months. I ordered my DMAX in September and took delivery on the last day of February.

Take care.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[MaxACL]

Thank You for detailed info. I can see where weight transfer would help keep all 4 (or 6) wheels on the ground.

Glad you're on board.

Mike

[MAXed Out]

NeverForget,

Mind if I ask what you paid for the sway bar? I too have the 2500 HD CC SB. Also, if you have the part number handy, could you post that also?

Thanks!

[NeverForget]

MAXed Out,
I ordered the Hellwig Anti-sway bar from JC Whitney. In the Customer Appreciation Sale catalogue it was on sale for $119.95. The regular price is listed as $134.95.
Hellwig's part number is 7652.

I'm still planning to work on the installation this weekend. The correct installation instructions, photos and diagrams look good.

(You'd be pleased to know that I currently have 277,000 original miles on an '87 Turbo Regal and that I'm still using the original stock turbo. I attribute the incredible longevity to the use of Mobil 1.)

Take care.

[Kennedy]

I've found that a dual control air bag kit does wonders in the anti-sway dept. The key is in the dual contriol as the outside bag (in a turn) will not share it's air with the passengers bag so the psi increases as it compresses and vice versa.

[Mudflap]

Check out the Active Suspension package from Roadmaster, you won't need a sway bar and it installs in about 1/2 hour www.activesuspension.com

[JF]

Mudflap -

what was the part number from roadmaster? Did it stiffen suspension at all?

[NeverForget]

The anti-sway bar was only 120 bucks. How much are the dual air bags and the Roadmaster? It seems to me that if you have enough air in the bags to have any effect, then the rear end would be raised and more weight would be placed on the front springs, causing the suspension to be imbalanced. Previously, when I tried air bags on my Turbo Regal, the rear end felt too stiff and the front end felt too loose. Regarding the Roadmaster, what are the long-term effects of giving extra support to only half of the leaf spring? At this point, I don't see any downside to sticking with the anti-sway bar approach.

[Kennedy]

The last dual control air bag kit that I did was around $400IIRC, They run at 5 psi, but when you load it up, you can add air. TRULY adjustable suspension!

[SHOPMAN426]

As far as more weight being shifted to the front I can't see this happening, when most campers make the rear sag. My '96 Lance is 11'3" long and it weighs 3020 lbs dry. I am running Airlift bags and I still get alot of rear wheel steering. Sooty has the Quickor bar on the back of his truck. Swaybars are the way to go because they don't change the up and down of the suspension travel. Alot of use that are running these big campers should have bought a Dooley, but for reasons haven't. Bags and a bar looked to be the best overall settup.


SHOPMAN426,

Mike. :D :D :D

[NeverForget]

According to Firestone, you have to keep a minimum of 5psi in the rear bags at all times. Given that I'll be unloaded most of the time, I don't want the ride to be any stiffer than it needs to be. I might change my mind if I see that I need the support when I hich up the 13,000 lb. 5th wheel for the first time. I'm still waiting on the hitch to be shipped.

[NeverForget]

OK. I'm pleased to report that I completed the installation of the anti-sway bar and that it definetly improves cornering and handling. But, written instructions were horrible. The photos got me through the install. If any of you need any tips, let me know.

[kburati]

Very interesting topic but I want to raise the question of which truck? I'm assuming most who have added the rear Anti-sway bar have 2500, is there a need for this on a 3500? I guess I'll just have to wait and see when I get my camper on my truck how it behaves. I'm going to start with just Rancho 9000s and see how it handles without airbags and sway bars first, then I'll add as needed.

[56Nomad]

kburati wrote: <<<is there a need for this on a 3500?>>>

I added front and rear sway bars to my 56 Nomad...
what a difference in handling!

I have a 3300 lbs Lance camper which I used to
carry in my 2000 3/4 ton Chevy HD. It needed air
bags, but no rear sway bar.

My new 3500 D/A does not need air bags or
sway bars with regard to handling. The handles
the camper with out any problems. I doubt
whether there would be any benefit in adding
a rear sway bar.

Today I brought the truck into the dealer to
have them install rubber caps (insulators) on the ends of
the helper springs. When we go over large bumps
the helper springs slap the upper rubber stops and
it makes a clunk noise.

Here are the photos of the insulators installed:
I took pictures of them now installed. See photos at:
http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?p=999&gid=774856&uid=469559&members=1

If these rubber caps do not solve the problem,
I may go to airbags.

[ 04-22-2002: Message edited by: 56Nomad ]</p>

[Road Kill]

56-No-Mad

[Road Kill]

56-No-Mad are the Insulators free or did you have to buy them? Did your dealer know of the problem and have them on hand or did he order them. If so how much were they. Thanks tongue.gif

[carnutsx2]

I just added the Hellwig sway bar on Wed. eve. Like everyone says the instructions are way wrong. They sent me an email that has pictures of the correct install. I took just over an hour with simple hand tools. There is no drilling involved at all. I havent put the camper on yet to test it out but Im planing on installing airbags next week to help with the load. I ordered the bar from Performance suspention on the 22nd an I got here the 25th. cost 134.95 plus 19.00 shipping

[56Nomad]

Road Kill wrote:
56-No-Mad are the Insulators free or did you have to buy them? Did your dealer know of the problem and
have them on hand or did he order them. If so how much were they. Thanks

The insulators were provided under warrenty. The
dealer did not specifically know of the problem
but it was quite visible that the helper springs were
"kissing" the upper stops.

He had the parts in stock and used four of them
two on the frt. and two on the rear of the helper
springs. If not under warrenty, I think each
insulator costs about $30 bucks each.

[carnutsx2]

Just an update I added the air bags . If I had to do it all over again I would put the airbags in first. The little bracket that relocates the brake line and parking brake need to be bent in a vice. My right rear lower shock bolt hit the sway bar and needed to be cut down. all in all it took just under 2 hrs.