I noticed there was an article in Diesel Power about rear swaybar up grade. Has anyone ran one of these? Worth it?
Truck & SUV Sway Bars | Hellwig Products
Truck & SUV Sway Bars | Hellwig Products
Galaxie
Rear Sway Bar Upgrade
My truck doesnt have a rear sway bar.
I installed Pro Comp trac bars last year.
HUGE difference in handling, and stability while towing.
I installed Pro Comp trac bars last year.
HUGE difference in handling, and stability while towing.
Front and rear sway bars need to be matched if you want it to handle right. Either get a Ford rear sway bar or add the Helwig Front and rear. The Helwig option will handle better but cost you more since you really need to do both.
I run a Helwig up front, OEM rear bar with OUO traction bars. Truck doesn't body dip while taking curves. The BIG Helwig up front made the difference for me.
My truck came with no rear stabilizer bar. Added a Hellwig rear bar (the standard one; before the Big Wig). Made a huge difference with the truck camper. Then added a Hellwig front bar (#7676).
Handled great, but never could get the front to not make contact with the tires on sharp turns (stock 20s with factory tire size). Called Hellwig and they explained that they never designed the bar for the 05 - 07 trucks to work with the 20" wheels. They offered to custom make me a new bar using the factory one as a template (oem bar has much more reveal near the front to prevent the tires from rubbing at full lock). Sent them my OEM bar and a few weeks later received a custom bar. Long story short, still didn't work. Bar wasn't even bent the same on both sides and wouldn't bolt-in.
Next stop was to try a OEM front bar from a 2008 to 2010 truck, as it's significantly larger diameter than the OEM bar for the 2005 to 2007 trucks. No dice on this one, as the 2008 to 2010 bar is longer since it mounts further forward on the trucks with 6.4s due to the bigger radiator. This one the also went into my "stabilizer bar pile".
Next step was to admit defeat and return to an OEM 2005 to 2007 bar. Ordered one online and what do you know, it looks a lot like the original Hellwig bar (#7676). It's thicker (like the 2008 - 2010 bar), but has no relief for the front tires at full lock. Turns out that there are 2 different front bars for the 2005 to 2007 trucks. Seeing that the return shipping cost and bar price were almost the same, this one also went into the "stabilizer bar pile" :doh: And yes, for those that are paying close attention, that's 3 front bars now in the "pile".
In a last ditch effort to be done with this project, went to my local Ford dealer with VIN in hand. The parts guys then walks out from the rear of the store with the correct OEM one in hand. Put it on later that day. Done. End of story. Never doing that again :crazy:
As an aside, during this whole ordeal, I changed my front coils from the original 5,200 LB versions, to 6,000 LB ones, and then to 7,000 LB ones. During much of my front stabilizer bar ordeal I was running with no bar installed. Frankly, with the 7,000 LB coils up front I couldn't even tell the front bar was missing. Never hauled the camper without the front bar, but during everyday driving it was fine. My biggest concern during that time was knowing that the only thing keeping my coils from flying out from under the truck was my shocks.
Handled great, but never could get the front to not make contact with the tires on sharp turns (stock 20s with factory tire size). Called Hellwig and they explained that they never designed the bar for the 05 - 07 trucks to work with the 20" wheels. They offered to custom make me a new bar using the factory one as a template (oem bar has much more reveal near the front to prevent the tires from rubbing at full lock). Sent them my OEM bar and a few weeks later received a custom bar. Long story short, still didn't work. Bar wasn't even bent the same on both sides and wouldn't bolt-in.
Next stop was to try a OEM front bar from a 2008 to 2010 truck, as it's significantly larger diameter than the OEM bar for the 2005 to 2007 trucks. No dice on this one, as the 2008 to 2010 bar is longer since it mounts further forward on the trucks with 6.4s due to the bigger radiator. This one the also went into my "stabilizer bar pile".
Next step was to admit defeat and return to an OEM 2005 to 2007 bar. Ordered one online and what do you know, it looks a lot like the original Hellwig bar (#7676). It's thicker (like the 2008 - 2010 bar), but has no relief for the front tires at full lock. Turns out that there are 2 different front bars for the 2005 to 2007 trucks. Seeing that the return shipping cost and bar price were almost the same, this one also went into the "stabilizer bar pile" :doh: And yes, for those that are paying close attention, that's 3 front bars now in the "pile".
In a last ditch effort to be done with this project, went to my local Ford dealer with VIN in hand. The parts guys then walks out from the rear of the store with the correct OEM one in hand. Put it on later that day. Done. End of story. Never doing that again :crazy:
As an aside, during this whole ordeal, I changed my front coils from the original 5,200 LB versions, to 6,000 LB ones, and then to 7,000 LB ones. During much of my front stabilizer bar ordeal I was running with no bar installed. Frankly, with the 7,000 LB coils up front I couldn't even tell the front bar was missing. Never hauled the camper without the front bar, but during everyday driving it was fine. My biggest concern during that time was knowing that the only thing keeping my coils from flying out from under the truck was my shocks.
Quick question? On some 08 and up you will find a rear bar that hangs below the rear axle .Looks to be pretty small. I have 06 and the rear bar is above the axle and that bar is pretty large. Any reason for the change? Do the new trucks have both bar installed? Just curious why the change.. Most of the 08 and ups you see with the lower bars are FX4 trucks.
Wow.... there is a TON of good info here. Glad I didnt just order away.
The most I had in my bed was 5000 lbs. (I know, too much). But when I tow its not more than 7k most of the time. I dont have a sway issue, just thought it has been a long time since this big girl got any upgrades.
Thanks for the info everyone!!!
The most I had in my bed was 5000 lbs. (I know, too much). But when I tow its not more than 7k most of the time. I dont have a sway issue, just thought it has been a long time since this big girl got any upgrades.
Thanks for the info everyone!!!
first I ever heard of matching sway bar size front and rear
no MFG's state that ?
hell OEM come's with a front and no rear how bad could you be adding a larger rear bar?
in my experience I have an OEM and added a Helwig ( smoking deal on craigs)
plus I wave air bags it takes a curve 10 times better body roll wise
,, a sway bar is fighting twist and the front and rear of a truck specially with a camper will have way different loads
no MFG's state that ?
hell OEM come's with a front and no rear how bad could you be adding a larger rear bar?
in my experience I have an OEM and added a Helwig ( smoking deal on craigs)
plus I wave air bags it takes a curve 10 times better body roll wise
,, a sway bar is fighting twist and the front and rear of a truck specially with a camper will have way different loads
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