Need sway bar advice

[Jet noise]

Hey all. I’m new to truck campers but here’s my setup: 2018 Ram 2500 Cummins, Northstar TC 650, and a Jeep on a trailer weighing #7K. Total package is #17K with everything attached. The truck has the airlift bag setup, and factory front and rear sway bar. Torklift frame mounted tie downs and springload XL turnbuckles. Also have power stop brake upgrades on the way. I’ve read a bit about the Hellwig sway bars, and unsure if I should buy one. So far I have no complaints about the ride or the handling, and I’m not going to Offroad the truck and camper besides gravel/forest service roads. I’m planning a cross country trip next month and I just want to make sure I have the right upgrades. Would I benefit from the Hellwig sway bar? Appreciate your expertise!

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

My F350 did not have sway bars, so I added a Hellwig Bigwig and Firestone air bags. They made a big difference, but my camper is a big hardside, and pushing 4000 pounds when loaded.

If you have no complaints about how your truck handles now, I’d save the money and stick with what you have.

 

[buckland]

Agreed. The truck has a rear seat bar and if handling is good on curves.. no sway... then you are good to go. I hour a Hellwig on my truck and it helped a lot but I have a high center of gravity.

 

[Jet noise]

Thanks for the replies. Makes sense to leave it alone, since everything is handling fine. When it comes to vehicles, I’m always looking for the next upgrade to do. Maybe this time around I will get some miles on the truck before throwing parts at it! [emoji23]

 

[Dirt Rider]

Would it be more important to get a rear or front sway bar if just getting one, which gives the most bang for the buck?

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

I believe the rear would be your best choice.

 

[Vic Harder]

Would it be more important to get a rear or front sway bar if just getting one, which gives the most bang for the buck?

most rear wheel drive vehicles already have a front sway bar

Here are some good short reads
https://www.truckspring.com/sway-bars/rear-sway-bars.aspx
https://axleaddict.com/auto-repair/Anti-Roll-Bars-How-to-choose-the-right-sway-bar-for-your-car

Please note that if you add a rear sway bar it reduces understeer. Most vehicles understeer by design, as the average driver can handle a car that "plows" by adding more steering input. A car that OVERsteers tends to want to hang out the tail, or even swap ends! So, if your sway bar reduces understeer... it could INDUCE oversteer. Talented drivers love a neutral handling car, and are not afraid to step on the gas when the tail starts to hang out (drifting with a camper on .... any takers???)

I'm just staying that trucks are tail happy already when empty. Beware of the changed handling when adding a big rear sway bar.

 

[Dirt Rider]

Unfortunately my truck never had sway bars and I never felt the need till I put the camper on. It came as a shock how much I felt it lean, thinking a rear bar may be the first step, then if it still leans a front bar.

 

[Vic Harder]

You mentioned air bags... are they plumbed separately? If they are not, they pass air between them making sway much worse. I've used Helwig products before... good stuff.

 

[ntsqd]

......
drifting with a camper on .... any takers???

BT, DT! Only sort of on purpose. It was the kind of fun one should have, ONCE. I'm good, no need/desire to do that again. I think my wife would've rather not had the experience at all.

Unfortunately my truck never had sway bars and I never felt the need till I put the camper on. It came as a shock how much I felt it lean, thinking a rear bar may be the first step, then if it still leans a front bar.

As Vic has pointed out, only a rear sway-bar would be a disastrous move. On trucks like these the front roll spring rate should always be greater than the rear roll spring rate. Think of it this way, the axle with the HIGHEST roll spring rate will have the LEAST corning traction.

If the axle with the highest roll spring rate is the front, then at the limit the vehicle plows into corners and turning the steering wheel more is a simple correction.

If the axle with the highest roll spring rate is the rear, then at the limit it typically passes you around the outside of the turn. There is no simple correction for this that keeps you on the road and in your lane. And hopefully still on your tires.