Rear Sway Bar for 3/4 Ton with Hawk

[dasadab]

Hi Folks,
I have a 2015 Chevy Silverado 2500HD and a Hawk. We are about to put about to head off on a month long trip to Alaska. I have been reading about sway bars and spoke with someone at Hellwig.
I am interested in improving tracking and stability. I am also interested in improving the quality of the ride over potholes, etc.

I would appreciate hearing about your experiences with rear sway bars.

Thanks a lot.

 

[PaulT]

I found the Hellwig rear sway bar improved handling on my 2010 Tundra considerably even before the Hawk was mounted. Cornering was flattened, control seems more sure. I would definitely do it again.

Paul

 

[Vic Harder]

I found the Hellwig rear sway bar improved handling on my 2010 Tundra considerably even before the Hawk was mounted. Cornering was flattened, control seems more sure. I would definitely do it again.

Paul

+1

 

[srileo]

Absolutely put them on. After the swaybar install, I was able to go around canyon corners like as if it were a much lighter vehicle. Even a passenger who did not know about them was surprised i was able to go around corners so smoothly. They should be the starting point for suspension upgrades, even before putting on shocks. Best part is that they are super-easy to put on. I think you dont even need to jack up the truck. Just slide under and starting bolting up.

 

[ACEBLACKDOG]

thx for opening this topic...
i have never felt like i needed a swaybar...
2013 silverado 2500hd crewcab...
my camper is heavier than a hawk...
i look forward to more opinions...

 

[Durango1]

So I would like to put a sway bar on my slightly overweight, 2012 2500 (non-diesel) Ram and can't find one listed anywhere. Any ideas? (Not trying to high-jack your thread, dasabab! But this reminded me of it!)

Steve

 

[Ace!]

A Google search returned quite a few hits for a 2012 Dodge 2500.

 

[smlobx]

So I would like to put a sway bar on my slightly overweight, 2012 2500 (non-diesel) Ram and can't find one listed anywhere. Any ideas? (Not trying to high-jack your thread, dasabab! But this reminded me of it!)

Steve

Google is your friend..

Go to www.sdtrucksprings.com

 

[2tallDA]

On highway handling will be improved at the cost of less articulation offroad.
The swaybar strives to keep the body and axle in a parallel plane. This makes the ride rougher going into driveways at an angle,uneven street surfaces and dirt roads.
I ran a Hellwig standard one for a few years but like the softer handling truck without it now.
If I had a hardsided camper a Big Wig Hellwig would be on there.

 

[rotti]

I have a 2012 Chevy 2500HD with a Hawk that has been on full time for 4 years. My scaled load is 2,000 pounds and I never felt the need for any kind of suspension additions. In fact I think this thing handles great. I'm in the Colorado mountains so I have more than my share of twisty roads.

Very surprised you feel the need for sway bar.

 

[Vic Harder]

Hey, I know something about sway bars! I've been largely lurking here for a while, and finally here is something I can add info to! First of all, here is a great reference article: More than you EVER wanted to know about (anti)sway bars and handling - http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/articles/lean-less/

In short, Increasing the stiffness of the rear sway bar will increase your vehicle's ability to oversteer. Anytime you stiffen the rear, whether its by bumping up the tire pressure or by increasing the swaybar, shock, bushings, whatever -- it increases the car's ability for the rear to skip out. So be aware that the rear will want to rotate faster with a rear sway installed.

That said, I love the Helwig on my Tundra. The truck corners substantially flatter and seems more stable with a load in it too.

 

[EDR]

I have an '06 Ram 2500 with the cummins and I too never felt the need for a rear sway bar. The truck handles well and while I can feel the Hawk while cornering, I never feel like it's pushing the truck around.

I don't know if they make them for 2500s, but there are sway bar disconnects that allow you to disconnect the bar ends for better off road articulation.

 

[Lighthawk]

Interesting info, Vic. I appreciate your input.

We use a Helweg on our 06 Tundra AC/Hawk with good results. I am very happy when we are wading through alternating divots/humps , left and right, to have some dampening on the side to side sway. The control is very nice and I wouldn't do without.

That said, the physics of oversteering with a stiffer rear end make sense to me. My daily driver has become a Subaru Forester (AWD), so when I drive the Tundra I notice the sensitivity of the steering and how quickly the rear end can take charge of the the lighter front end.

 

[Vic Harder]

Thanks for the kudos Lighthawk/Andy. I played around with suspension mods a lot when I tracked my v8 Miata. I learned that the feel of the car changes greatly when lowering/stiffening the vehicle in ways that are not fun. Stiffer equals better handling on smooth surfaces... and more time at the Dentist because your teeth are rattling the fillings loose! Shocks that can't cope with the stiffer springs make it worse. I had one combo that had too stiff a rear spring and not enough shock... hitting and expansion joint could toss you out of the car (convertible) if not wearing seat belts!

Long story short, I would add stiffer sway bars to most ANY vehicle as the best handling mod you can do with minimal side effects. Add in some quick disconnects and you can also get the articulation when you need it.

 

[longhorn1]

Have F-250 and Grandby. Rides smooth and never given a thought to adding anything. jd

Sent from my SM-G900V using Wander The West mobile app

 

[cdbrow1]

I have a 2105 GMC with a loaded HAWK. I have not done the rear, but I did upgrade the front bar. I highly recommend it. Much of the "sway" is in the front since the weight transfers to the front as you slow for corners. I do plan to do the rear eventually too.

The Helwig front is a simple swap out install.

 

[Vic Harder]

Have F-250 and Grandby. Rides smooth and never given a thought to adding anything. jd

Sent from my SM-G900V using Wander The West mobile app

Most obvious times you will notice it is:
- when you need more articulation and hate them
- when driving over a curb and it feels stiffer
- when doing a quick lane change and the truck behaves nicer

 

[ntsqd]

I would be hesitant to stiffen up one end without also stiffening up the other end unless this sort of chassis tuning is something that you're well familiar with. If it is not I suggest buying the same mfg's front and rear bars at the same time and installing them both at the same time.

The axle with the stiffest roll spring rate will have the least cornering traction. If that is the front then you get Understeer and the truck plows straight when you're trying to turn. If that is the rear then you get Oversteer and that is when the rear axle tries to pass you around the outside of the corner. Of the two, Understeer is generally considered safer for most drivers and is how US vehicles are traditionally set-up by the OEM's, but too much of a good thing is bad.