Front Tire Rubs Hellwig Sway Bar

[skanj0]

Tried searching and didn't find anything. Recently installed a Hellwig front sway bar (#7676) on the truck described in my signature. Install was smooth and straight forward, but front left tire rubs on the sway bar when making right turns. I've tried adjusting the sway bar side to side and it makes no difference. I've also searched the web and found no instances of front tire rub with Hellwig sway bars on these trucks.

Any ideas or suggestions?

One thought I had is that the new 6,000 Ford coil springs I installed 2 years ago, with 1" ICON TEI spacers beneath, may have settled a bit. This combined with the adjustable track bar which I used to re-center my axle, may now be pushing the axle too far to the right, allowing the front left tire to contact the sway bar during tight right turns????

[skanj0]

Problem solved. Here's how:

First re-centered my front axle and it had very little effect on the rubbing. It lessened it, but didn't eliminate it.

I then tried to shift the sway bar toward the passenger's side by prying it with a bar, using the frame for leverage. No dice. The sway bar wouldn't move side to side.

In a last ditch approach I disconnected both end links from the sway bar and then loosened the sway bar mounting bolts. I then used a bar to slide the sway bar approximately 1/2" to the passenger's side (moved easily this time), and torqued the mounting bolts. After this I reconnected both end links, using a bar to gently lean both end links over slightly to meet the sway bar. Torqued the end link bolts down and rechecked clearances. I can now turn all the way to the right with no rubbing.

Project done.

[fifty]

Nice fix. Glad it worked out. Looking towards a helwig for my conversion. Did the bar come with all the brackets or did you have to reuse an factory stuff?

[CT Performance, Inc.]

Why use a aftermarket bar at all?
I've never seen a reason..99-04 use the factory front and the factory 30mm rear

'05-07 use the '08 front if you need a stiffer bar or adding 4 link arms and the 30"" rear
'08 up convert to the earlyer style rear bar..

[skanj0]

Originally Posted by CT Performance, Inc.

Why use a aftermarket bar at all?
I've never seen a reason..99-04 use the factory front and the factory 30mm rear

'05-07 use the '08 front if you need a stiffer bar or adding 4 link arms and the 30"" rear
'08 up convert to the earlyer style rear bar..

I didn't realize the 08 sway bar was any different than the one on the 05 - 07 trucks, or that it would even fit those trucks.

The Hellwig bar is much larger in diameter than the factory one, and comes with larger polyurethane bushings and new mounting clamps. Truck handles MUCH better than with the factory one - especially with the camper on-board.

[skanj0]

Originally Posted by fifty

Nice fix. Glad it worked out. Looking towards a helwig for my conversion. Did the bar come with all the brackets or did you have to reuse an factory stuff?

Only two items need to be re-used:

1) The factory end links and bolts which connect them to the sway bar
2) The factory mounting bolts which hold the sway bar to the frame

[fifty]

Ok, I am throwing an '08 front axle on my '02 with a 4 link. Trying to figure out the sway bar portion of it. I havent looked to see where the 08 sway bar mounts and if my 02 has any holes there...

[CT Performance, Inc.]

Mounts in front of the axle...

[fifty]

The bar or the links? I thought the links mount on the axle and the bar is on the frame...

[skanj0]

Originally Posted by fifty

The bar or the links? I thought the links mount on the axle and the bar is on the frame...

Correct. Bar on the frame. Links between bar and axle.