Adding a Rear Sway Bar
Logistics Pro
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 3,778
Likes: 153
I like the addition of the Big Wig!
Drove to and from work @75mph along I-280 from Hwy 92 San Mateo to Hwy 85 SJ and it was much more responsive to steering input. Very little body roll- even with a quick jerk of the wheel.
Not uncomfortable at all. I did not notice any new harshness or anything I'd consider negative. I have a Weatherguard tool box that weighs ~600lbs? and a headache rack that did create a little more body roll once I filled up the box a few weeks ago- hence the BigWig addition...
Full disclosure: 280 is one of the nicest, smoothest drives in the state and very well maintained, so it may not tell the story as compared to a pothole riddled or dirt road...
It felt a lot like my stock 2006 F350 CCLB with camper pkg.
Next time I'm under the truck I may move the end links to the middle hole in the bar just to try it out...
Worth every penny in my book.
Drove to and from work @75mph along I-280 from Hwy 92 San Mateo to Hwy 85 SJ and it was much more responsive to steering input. Very little body roll- even with a quick jerk of the wheel.
Not uncomfortable at all. I did not notice any new harshness or anything I'd consider negative. I have a Weatherguard tool box that weighs ~600lbs? and a headache rack that did create a little more body roll once I filled up the box a few weeks ago- hence the BigWig addition...
Full disclosure: 280 is one of the nicest, smoothest drives in the state and very well maintained, so it may not tell the story as compared to a pothole riddled or dirt road...
It felt a lot like my stock 2006 F350 CCLB with camper pkg.
Next time I'm under the truck I may move the end links to the middle hole in the bar just to try it out...
Worth every penny in my book.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,784
Likes: 8
From: Tomball, Tx
+1
I had one on my 2004 diesel, CC, LB, 4x4 - huge difference in body roll reduction.
It will also help reduce body roll/sway in a panic/evasive (lane change) maneuver as well
I had one on my 2004 diesel, CC, LB, 4x4 - huge difference in body roll reduction.
It will also help reduce body roll/sway in a panic/evasive (lane change) maneuver as well
Elder User
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 682
Likes: 4
From: SF Bay Area
Same bar but longer end links and no frame brackets supplied.
Thats what I ordered and had to get shorter links and brackets...
Posting Guru
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 1,039
Likes: 6
From: Jacksonville, FL
Ah, thanks for the confirmation on those part numbers. Still waiting for a black Friday deal. Best so far is 320.91
Mountain Pass
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 180
Likes: 8
So I fall in the stock camp. I wanted the 3.31 gears but adding the camper package automatically switched to the 3.55's. So I ordered the gears I wanted and added the sway bar after the fact. Thanks to rjoseph for posting the parts list, my local guy was a little out of his league on this one. I ended up with a slightly different parts list, this one include large nuts for the ends of the links and but not the small nuts for the bushing retainer (the M275 on my F350 already had captive nuts, see pic). Anyway, here's my list:
HC3Z-5A772-A BAR
7C3Z-5486-B RETAINER (2)
HC3Z-5K484-D LINK (2)
HC3Z-5L499-A BRACKET (2)
W500634-S309 BOLT (4)
W500644-S439 BOLT (4)
W717462-S439 NUT (4)
W717497-S439 NUT (4)
HC3Z-5A772-A BAR
7C3Z-5486-B RETAINER (2)
HC3Z-5K484-D LINK (2)
HC3Z-5L499-A BRACKET (2)
W500634-S309 BOLT (4)
W500644-S439 BOLT (4)
W717462-S439 NUT (4)
W717497-S439 NUT (4)
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 180
Likes: 8
Leo,
Yes, if you have a 4x4 SRW F-350 or F-250 with the HD Tow Package.
If you have a 4x4 F-250 then you will need these nuts if the Sterling axle doesn't have provision for attaching the bushing retainers:
W520214-S440 NUT (4)
I suspect that two wheel drive trucks should use a different link. On my truck the ends of the sway bar point up quite a bit unloaded, but level out when the truck levels out under a load. Since two wheel drive trucks sit lower, the ends of the sway bar probably sit level unloaded and point to the pavement when loaded.
Mountain Pass
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 180
Likes: 8
There are pro and con arguments for factory and Helwig. That's why they make chocolate and vanilla ice cream!
I'm not going to debate which is better, because is depends on what you want your truck to do. For me, the factory bar was a better choice as I will have a relatively light pop-up truck camper and want the rear axle to flex running down sandy two tracks...
