Hellwig Sway bar installed
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Senior User
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 173
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Hellwig Sway bar installed
Just got done installing the Hellwig Rear sway bar on the Excursion. Cant wait to take it for a ride. Picture and video below 
Such a nice piece and easy to install. Only problem was the e-brake holder was in the way. Just unbolted it and used a zip tie.
My only complaint. In the install instructions it has a picture of it installed on a lifted excursion. That being said the end links were extended in the pictures and in my case they needed to be as short as possible. Just screwed me up a little because I didnt think I was installing in on the frame rail in the correct spot. Also the other thing is it surprised me that the bushings didnt already come installed in the end links. No big deal a little grease and I worked them in by hand then pounded the metal sleeve in with a hammer
enjoy
"
Such a nice piece and easy to install. Only problem was the e-brake holder was in the way. Just unbolted it and used a zip tie.
My only complaint. In the install instructions it has a picture of it installed on a lifted excursion. That being said the end links were extended in the pictures and in my case they needed to be as short as possible. Just screwed me up a little because I didnt think I was installing in on the frame rail in the correct spot. Also the other thing is it surprised me that the bushings didnt already come installed in the end links. No big deal a little grease and I worked them in by hand then pounded the metal sleeve in with a hammer
enjoy
"
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 1,812
Likes: 88
From: Thousand Oaks, CA
Link works fine on my ThinKPad Win 7 Pro 64 bit.
From the video the bar is set to medium.
I recommend moving the connection to the shortest hole to give maximum tension.
You should feel a big improvement in cornering with the addition of the rear bar.
Adding the matched front bar would provide an improvement to the front steering, too, not as noticeable as the rear.
If Hellwig made bars another 1/4" larger diameter I would put them on.
From the video the bar is set to medium.
I recommend moving the connection to the shortest hole to give maximum tension.
You should feel a big improvement in cornering with the addition of the rear bar.
Adding the matched front bar would provide an improvement to the front steering, too, not as noticeable as the rear.
If Hellwig made bars another 1/4" larger diameter I would put them on.
Last edited by R&T Babich; May 11, 2016 at 09:13 AM. Reason: typo
Moderator
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 12,050
Likes: 1,549
From: Media PA
The "new design" is the bar with three holes in each end to adjust the amount of force applied while cornering and it will have the adjustable end links. The old design, like I have only has a single hole in the bar end and fixed length end links. If you bought your Hellwig within the past year it should be the new design, it's been out for a while now.
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 300
Likes: 6
From: Tampa
[QUOTE=R&T
Adding the matched front bar would provide an improvement to the front steering, too, not as noticeable as the rear.
If Hellwig made bars another 1/4" larger diameter I would put them on.[/QUOTE]
Improvement over the stock front bar?
Adding the matched front bar would provide an improvement to the front steering, too, not as noticeable as the rear.
If Hellwig made bars another 1/4" larger diameter I would put them on.[/QUOTE]
Improvement over the stock front bar?
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 1,812
Likes: 88
From: Thousand Oaks, CA
Changing the front bar to a larger one like the Hellwig will make an improvement.
Whenever I drive on twisty mountain roads or have high cross winds I like the vehicle to stay as stable as possible.
A larger front bar will keep the vehicle flatter in turns and cross winds.
Not as much as the huge improvement when installing a large diameter bar on the rear when there was no bar to begin with.
I used to slalom race a '69 Mustang and had sway bars on it the size of the Hellwigs on our Excursion.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-roll_bar
Whenever I drive on twisty mountain roads or have high cross winds I like the vehicle to stay as stable as possible.
A larger front bar will keep the vehicle flatter in turns and cross winds.
Not as much as the huge improvement when installing a large diameter bar on the rear when there was no bar to begin with.
I used to slalom race a '69 Mustang and had sway bars on it the size of the Hellwigs on our Excursion.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-roll_bar
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Freshman User
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 38
Likes: 1
Which Model Sway Bar?
I have a 2001 2wd excursion with a 6" procomp lift that fishtails like a mug... Trying to figure out which sway bar I need. The Hellwig 7878 says its for lifted excursions but says it is for 2-4" lift. There's also the 7643 that is for excursions but doesn't say if it fits with a lift.
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Cargo Master
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 2,079
Likes: 63
From: Florida and Tennessee
Link works fine on my ThinKPad Win 7 Pro 64 bit.
From the video the bar is set to medium.
I recommend moving the connection to the shortest hole to give maximum tension.
You should feel a big improvement in cornering with the addition of the rear bar.
Adding the matched front bar would provide an improvement to the front steering, too, not as noticeable as the rear.
If Hellwig made bars another 1/4" larger diameter I would put them on.
From the video the bar is set to medium.
I recommend moving the connection to the shortest hole to give maximum tension.
You should feel a big improvement in cornering with the addition of the rear bar.
Adding the matched front bar would provide an improvement to the front steering, too, not as noticeable as the rear.
If Hellwig made bars another 1/4" larger diameter I would put them on.
New User
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
I have a 2001 2wd excursion with a 6" procomp lift that fishtails like a mug... Trying to figure out which sway bar I need. The Hellwig 7878 says its for lifted excursions but says it is for 2-4" lift. There's also the 7643 that is for excursions but doesn't say if it fits with a lift.
Thanks!
Cargo Master
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 2,844
Likes: 925
From: Kaufman TX
This is often misunderstood, but a swaybar decreases grip in a turn on the end it's installed on. They are used to establish a balance in grip front to rear but they don't do it by increasing grip, they do it by reducing grip.
So rear sway bars do not help oversteer aka "fishtailing". The stiffer the rear swaybar the easier it is to oversteer. Don't add or stiffen a rear swaybar if you have an oversteering problem. Check that the front swaybar is still in good shape. If the front swaybar is disconnected that allows the front to grip too hard in a corner which is why the rear will break traction and oversteer.
So rear sway bars do not help oversteer aka "fishtailing". The stiffer the rear swaybar the easier it is to oversteer. Don't add or stiffen a rear swaybar if you have an oversteering problem. Check that the front swaybar is still in good shape. If the front swaybar is disconnected that allows the front to grip too hard in a corner which is why the rear will break traction and oversteer.
Freshman User
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 37
Likes: 1
Anybody, have the bolts through the sway bar and end links come off? This has happened at least two times with the hardware supplied by Hellwig. My solution was to buy longer grade 8 bolts/nuts and double nut the bolt. So far so good.
Cargo Master
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 2,844
Likes: 925
From: Kaufman TX
Yeah it's really well documented that Hellwig supplies inadequate bolts.
I know others are happy with it but this is the main reason I haven't purchased one of theirs. They don't even need to make the bolts, their engineers just need to do the math to know what bolts are sufficient. If they failed at that I don't trust the adequacy of their engineering of the other items they actually need to make.
I know others are happy with it but this is the main reason I haven't purchased one of theirs. They don't even need to make the bolts, their engineers just need to do the math to know what bolts are sufficient. If they failed at that I don't trust the adequacy of their engineering of the other items they actually need to make.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 1,812
Likes: 88
From: Thousand Oaks, CA
They all had inadequate hardware.
The bars have been great and improved the handling significantly of all the vehicles.
I think the latest example above was with the nuts working loose, not the bolts.
Most bars come with distorted-thread locknuts, and those really are single use.
I use stainless nylon lock nuts and have never had one come loose.
Ford's omission of a rear anti-roll bar was probably a cost saving measure.
Our 1st gen Explorers have them.
The addition of a rear Hellwig bar improves the rear end roll resistance dramatically, but I doubt it takes the vehicle into an oversteer condition.
It didn't on ours and a diesel would be even less likely.
Cargo Master
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 2,844
Likes: 925
From: Kaufman TX
I've used 6 or 7 Hellwig bars over the years, along with Addco and Ford bars.
They all had inadequate hardware.
The bars have been great and improved the handling significantly of all the vehicles.
I think the latest example above was with the nuts working loose, not the bolts.
Most bars come with distorted-thread locknuts, and those really are single use.
I use stainless nylon lock nuts and have never had one come loose.
Ford's omission of a rear anti-roll bar was probably a cost saving measure.
Our 1st gen Explorers have them.
The addition of a rear Hellwig bar improves the rear end roll resistance dramatically, but I doubt it takes the vehicle into an oversteer condition.
It didn't on ours and a diesel would be even less likely.
They all had inadequate hardware.
The bars have been great and improved the handling significantly of all the vehicles.
I think the latest example above was with the nuts working loose, not the bolts.
Most bars come with distorted-thread locknuts, and those really are single use.
I use stainless nylon lock nuts and have never had one come loose.
Ford's omission of a rear anti-roll bar was probably a cost saving measure.
Our 1st gen Explorers have them.
The addition of a rear Hellwig bar improves the rear end roll resistance dramatically, but I doubt it takes the vehicle into an oversteer condition.
It didn't on ours and a diesel would be even less likely.
No doubt an Excursion can benefit from a rear anti-roll bar in many situations. I actually think Ford excluded them because it was marketed as a a people mover. The soft springs are no rear anti-roll is more comfortable for passengers because the suspension will articulate more freely rather than throw the passengers around.
On the oversteer I was mostly talking to the guy who said he wanted to fix his oversteer by adding a rear anti-roll bar. Incase anybody else might come along and read that and think that's true I thought it a good idea to explain that he's got it backwards.
