GoldenVelvet

I was going to d a write up on a front sway bar install but its pretty straight forward

1. Unbolt and remove rodends.
2. Unbolt and remove scrape plate.
3. Unbolt and remove two swaybar mounts.
4. Remove unbolted swaybar.
5. Revers processes with new swaybar.

That's it.

Ill take this time to go over some of the differences between a stock sway bar and a typical aftermarket bar.
The pic is HUGE and I put notes on it. ENJOY!

nightrunner

iTrader: (4)

great write-up

GoldenVelvet

Thanks man. The install took about half an hour with my roommate helping me.

Man that pic is HUGE.

nightrunner

iTrader: (4)

how much did it help with handling and did it help with anything besides body roll

04sierra

Why the Hellwig over the more used Hotchkis? Price? Bigger diameter? Just curious.
Let us know how it handles.

GoldenVelvet

The Hotchkis is a great product. I have there springs. But the Hotchkis rear sway bar is over engineered IMO. The rule of thumb for tuning sway bars is go as thick as you possibly can in the front and tune the rear to taste. I have an Addco rear sway bar that I purchased several years ago. Addco makes the largest front sway bar available (1 1/2 inches solid vs 1 7/16 hollow for the Hotchkis) After having a Addco front sway bar on back order for 4 months I gave up and went another route. Hotchkis does not sell there sway bars individually only as a set.

The rear Hellwig way bar is AWSOME and I will have to eventually trade my Addco for it.

As far as improved handling.... I cant really say as it was night and day. The truck is flater in a turn now. The tire complaint I get now is from the back tires now. At the limits of traction there is a bit of overstear now where as before it was more neutral. The real question is are the limits of traction higher now? I can already take a turn harder then the seats can keep you put (are seats considered part of the suspension?) so its hard to say. Ill take it out the weekend and through the hills and see.

Next suspension mod is a panhard bar.

Sport Side

iTrader: (6)

Will the HellWig rear sway bar fit on a dropped truck? I'm looking at one from Summit but, it doesn't say.

GoldenVelvet

Hellwig sway bar part number 7634, adjustable sway bar part number 7800

04sierra

So do you consider the Hellwig a compromise or do you think it is better than the Addco?
I'm watching to see if you can hit your 1 g goal. Good luck.

GoldenVelvet

Well I have an Addco rear.
I really would have like to have kept them matched.
It looks like Hellwig adjustable mounts will fit on the Addco rear bar.
That will be a good compromise.
But I need a panhard bar next.