[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]

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]

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]

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.

 

[skanj0]

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 earlier style rear bar..

Cary-

Long story short, the Hellwig front sway bar never did work out. Tried two of them and my front tires (stock size) rubbed on both. I recently picked up an 08 front sway bar, which is darn near the same diameter as the Hellwig, but the bends are right so as not to allow the tires to rub.

Anyway, question for you on retrofitting the 08 front sway bar on a 05 to 07 (4x4). Obviously the 08 bar is designed to work with the shorter 08 end links. The problem is that the 05 to 07s use the longer end links with a vertical bottom mount. The 08 links have a "clevis style" lower mount.

How have you made this work?

Thanks
JS

 

[CT Performance Inc.]

PM sent.............

 

[fifty]

I just cant get the helwig bar (08 helwig bar) to not hit the icon drop track bar bracket (also an 08 piece).

This is on a 02 frame with and 08 axle...

The bar is pointing about 3 inches down from horizontal. I cant push it over either...its centered and maxed out with the bushings...

 

[ZMANN]

PM sent.............

well thats real helpful to us who search threads for answers "PM" sheesh :hehe:

lol hey Carry I was looking at doing the 08 bar on my 06 also because it looks like it has better clearance I know the axle end ling is different but no biggie
however the frame mounts look like they are in a different spot ?

i could probably move my drop brackets to accommodate if needed

can you help me figure out the best plan I have a camper also and have the big rear sway but want to up the front without tire rub issues like Skanjo had

thx

 

[skanj0]

well thats real helpful to us who search threads for answers "PM" sheesh :hehe:

lol hey Carry I was looking at doing the 08 bar on my 06 also because it looks like it has better clearance I know the axle end ling is different but no biggie
however the frame mounts look like they are in a different spot ?

i could probably move my drop brackets to accommodate if needed

can you help me figure out the best plan I have a camper also and have the big rear sway but want to up the front without tire rub issues like Skanjo had

thx

ZMANN - I gave up on the Hellwig and Ford 08 bar and went back with a stock 06 bar and end links. No rubbing, though I was it was a tad stiffer bar.

The 08 bar needs to mount further forward on 06s because the 08s have a larger drop in the frame rail to accommodate the larger radiator. Since I only have a 2.5" front lift I just didn't have room to do that.

 

[ZMANN]

thanks for the update
I did just find a side shot of an 08 I had no idea the frame changed that much

WTH was Hellwig thinking on the 05-07 bar ?

this sucks because with my camper the stock swaybar isn't cutting it

 

[skanj0]

thanks for the update
I did just find a side shot of an 08 I had no idea the frame changed that much

WTH was Hellwig thinking on the 05-07 bar ?

this sucks because with my camper the stock swaybar isn't cutting it

When I first talked to one of their engineers he first tried to blame it on aftermarket wheels or larger than stock tires. I told him what I had (oem 20s with 275/65/20 tires - which are stock size) and he said that Hellwig designed the #7676 bar around OEM 17 and 18" wheels and never tested the bar with OEM 20s.

One thing that really helped me was going to a stiffer front coil spring. My truck originally came with 5,200 LB coils which were rediculously soft. After a few spring swaps now happy with Tuff Trucks Coil #2813s, which are 7,500 lb coils (3,750 each) with a 2.5" lift. I've paired these with Icon VS. 2.5" CDC shocks and its a perfect setup. I run the soft setting without the camper and then crank up the compression for the camper.

Have you looked at the Skyjacker front sway bar? Looks like it has the right bends to prevent the rubbing problems that the Hellwig bar does. http://www.summitracing.com/parts/sja-fsb550/overview/make/ford/model/f-350-super-duty