Hellwig or Stableload
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Junior User
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 99
Likes: 0
From: Fraser
Hellwig or Stableload
I've got an Adventurer 89 RBS on my 2018 F350. Camper and Plow package. Installed upper Stableloads from the get go.
With the camper loaded up, the Stableloads are on the springs, but not fully "hard" loaded.
Driving down the road there is a bit of sway, but nothing radical. Definitely not anywhere near white knuckle.
My problem is with slow speed rough roads. Not rock crawling! The rig really sways hard. Visualize driving over a hard curb at slow speed.
It seems like the upper Stableloads are disengaging left to right. (Although I do not know if this is true.)
I am not convinced that a Hellwig sway bar will help with this problem.
Maybe some lower Stableloads would be more effective?
With the camper loaded up, the Stableloads are on the springs, but not fully "hard" loaded.
Driving down the road there is a bit of sway, but nothing radical. Definitely not anywhere near white knuckle.
My problem is with slow speed rough roads. Not rock crawling! The rig really sways hard. Visualize driving over a hard curb at slow speed.
It seems like the upper Stableloads are disengaging left to right. (Although I do not know if this is true.)
I am not convinced that a Hellwig sway bar will help with this problem.
Maybe some lower Stableloads would be more effective?
More Turbo
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 642
Likes: 14
I've got an Adventurer 89 RBS on my 2018 F350. Camper and Plow package. Installed upper Stableloads from the get go.
With the camper loaded up, the Stableloads are on the springs, but not fully "hard" loaded.
Driving down the road there is a bit of sway, but nothing radical. Definitely not anywhere near white knuckle.
My problem is with slow speed rough roads. Not rock crawling! The rig really sways hard. Visualize driving over a hard curb at slow speed.
It seems like the upper Stableloads are disengaging left to right. (Although I do not know if this is true.)
I am not convinced that a Hellwig sway bar will help with this problem.
Maybe some lower Stableloads would be more effective?
With the camper loaded up, the Stableloads are on the springs, but not fully "hard" loaded.
Driving down the road there is a bit of sway, but nothing radical. Definitely not anywhere near white knuckle.
My problem is with slow speed rough roads. Not rock crawling! The rig really sways hard. Visualize driving over a hard curb at slow speed.
It seems like the upper Stableloads are disengaging left to right. (Although I do not know if this is true.)
I am not convinced that a Hellwig sway bar will help with this problem.
Maybe some lower Stableloads would be more effective?
Put some spacers underneath the mounting surface for the upper Stable Loads to get them to engage sooner. Torklift sells some or you can make your own with heavy wall steel box tubing if you need a particular amount of thickness. Ive added 2” to the front Stable Loads and 1.5” to the rears.
I tried the lower Stable Loads and did not like them, as they take a fait bit of the action away from the main spring pack. I went with a long leaf 1” add-a-leaf rated for adding 1,000 lbs capacity. To offset the height increase I got a 3/4” shorter rear spring block from PMF fabrication. I also doubled up the upper auxiliary springs by adding an upper auxiliary leaf from a 2005-2007 truck. The two upper leafs work well together.
You do need a rear sway bar with a TC as the center of gravity is so high. The Hellwig Big Wig works well.
Senior User
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 164
Likes: 1
From: Olympia, WA
I just added the Stableload lower kit on my F250, A7310. I use it for bumper pull towing but it made a huge difference going down the road for the side to side bounce and the up and down wash board affect. Not sure of course if that would be the fix for you, but I was sure impressed how they would work.
Mountain Pass
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 248
Likes: 11
The Hellwig or the even larger Roadmaster swaybar will definitely help with the sway. I put it and the lower stableloads on my 2012 F-250. The lower stableloads engage the lower overload spring much sooner to help with support but the Roadmaster swaybars are the cure for side to side sway!
Senior User
Joined: Aug 2019
Posts: 188
Likes: 7
My bet would be on the larger Anti-sway bar. My F-450 comes with a decently sized one unlike the much smaller ones found on the SRW variety. Ive got both Upper and Lower StabilLoads and Airlift 7500XLs (20-25 psi loaded/ 10 psi empty) and while hauling 6300 lbs, I'm pretty rock steady (even rolling through Guadeloupe Pass which is sketchy in a car due to 40-50 mph cross wind gusts). I'm going to experiment on my next trip in February and disengage the lowers and see how much they actually prevent/ or don't, swaying motion.
I did a write up on Lower Stabil Loads- might be worth a read- One take away I got recently is to use machinist grade bits and not Cobalt/ titanium variety. The drilling took forever and springs chewed up bits.
Almost anyone whose done the swap to Big Wig (RoadMaster is pretty much the same) is the bolt for the lower links on the drivers side is a PITA to get to due to the placement of the DEF tank/ fuel filter. Some state its better to pay someone. One thing they all state is a massive improvement in loaded and unloaded stability. Most keep them on the center hole.
I did a write up on Lower Stabil Loads- might be worth a read- One take away I got recently is to use machinist grade bits and not Cobalt/ titanium variety. The drilling took forever and springs chewed up bits.
Almost anyone whose done the swap to Big Wig (RoadMaster is pretty much the same) is the bolt for the lower links on the drivers side is a PITA to get to due to the placement of the DEF tank/ fuel filter. Some state its better to pay someone. One thing they all state is a massive improvement in loaded and unloaded stability. Most keep them on the center hole.
Tuned
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 375
Likes: 69
I've owned Truck Campers since the 70's. My most recent is a Lance 975 I carried on a 17' SRW F350. Before I ever loaded the 975 I installed Rancho 9000's, a Helwig Big Wig, Lower Stableloads and Air bags. They each have a purpose. The Shocks and Sway bar make the ride so much better, the Lower Stableloads did help to engage the lower Over Loads sooner, but the Upper Over Loads still had an inch before they engaged with the camper weight, and Air Bags .. they help with Lt to Rt weight differences. I recently returned from a 7 month, 22,000 mile trip around the country. I couldn't have asked for a better handling truck. We enjoyed being on the road so much we've decided to go full time. We've ordered a DRV Mobile Suite and I just traded the 350 for a 450. So .. if by chance you're in the Tampa area, I have the Helwig Big Wig I took off my 17' before I traded it .. Fortunately the Air Bags and Stableloads are going to work on the 450.
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 1,304
Likes: 177
From: Vancouver, BC
I installed the Hellwig Bigwig on my 17 and it made a big difference in the rocking when loaded and mine is a tall camper.
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Tuned
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 370
Likes: 10
From: Salt Lake City UT
I've owned Truck Campers since the 70's. My most recent is a Lance 975 I carried on a 17' SRW F350. Before I ever loaded the 975 I installed Rancho 9000's, a Helwig Big Wig, Lower Stableloads and Air bags. They each have a purpose. The Shocks and Sway bar make the ride so much better, the Lower Stableloads did help to engage the lower Over Loads sooner, but the Upper Over Loads still had an inch before they engaged with the camper weight, and Air Bags .. they help with Lt to Rt weight differences. I recently returned from a 7 month, 22,000 mile trip around the country. I couldn't have asked for a better handling truck. We enjoyed being on the road so much we've decided to go full time. We've ordered a DRV Mobile Suite and I just traded the 350 for a 450. So .. if by chance you're in the Tampa area, I have the Helwig Big Wig I took off my 17' before I traded it .. Fortunately the Air Bags and Stableloads are going to work on the 450.
When you had the SRW, what tires did you have with the camper on?
Thanks.
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 10,060
Likes: 491
From: Bristol, TN.
My bet would be on the larger Anti-sway bar. My F-450 comes with a decently sized one unlike the much smaller ones found on the SRW variety. Ive got both Upper and Lower StabilLoads and Airlift 7500XLs (20-25 psi loaded/ 10 psi empty) and while hauling 6300 lbs, I'm pretty rock steady (even rolling through Guadeloupe Pass which is sketchy in a car due to 40-50 mph cross wind gusts). I'm going to experiment on my next trip in February and disengage the lowers and see how much they actually prevent/ or don't, swaying motion.
I did a write up on Lower Stabil Loads- might be worth a read- One take away I got recently is to use machinist grade bits and not Cobalt/ titanium variety. The drilling took forever and springs chewed up bits.
Almost anyone whose done the swap to Big Wig (RoadMaster is pretty much the same) is the bolt for the lower links on the drivers side is a PITA to get to due to the placement of the DEF tank/ fuel filter. Some state its better to pay someone. One thing they all state is a massive improvement in loaded and unloaded stability. Most keep them on the center hole.
I did a write up on Lower Stabil Loads- might be worth a read- One take away I got recently is to use machinist grade bits and not Cobalt/ titanium variety. The drilling took forever and springs chewed up bits.
Almost anyone whose done the swap to Big Wig (RoadMaster is pretty much the same) is the bolt for the lower links on the drivers side is a PITA to get to due to the placement of the DEF tank/ fuel filter. Some state its better to pay someone. One thing they all state is a massive improvement in loaded and unloaded stability. Most keep them on the center hole.
I made my own upper Stableloads as I had so little clearance above my uppers that the upper Stableloads from Torklift were always engaged, even running empty. I discussed the situation with tech support at TorkLift and they recommended I return them which I did.
Steve
Mountain Pass
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 151
Likes: 4
With the upper Stableloads, how much clearance should there be before the uppers make contact with the springs? I have a 1979 F-350 that I cary a Lance 1161 on and the truck has been lifted 6 inches. Im riding on 35 inch tires and the upper factory springs were taken off by the previous owner. I also have air bags on the truck and with the larger stack of springs I have from what the factory put on, I have the air bags to max 100Lbs that gives a 1.5 inch lower stance than with the load off of the truck. The camper is 4600lb and I feel most of the weight is on the air bags and not the springs. Would adding in a couple more leaf springs be advised and cutting the air bag psi to half be the better choice? There is a bottom flat spring that is on the leaf pack, probably OEM, would this be as good as the lower Stableloads with the mechanism added?
I also have a large rear sway bay from the factory (1.125 in diameter), would this be as good as the Hellwig or Roadmaster?
Thanks!!
I also have a large rear sway bay from the factory (1.125 in diameter), would this be as good as the Hellwig or Roadmaster?
Thanks!!
Mountain Pass
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 151
Likes: 4
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 10,060
Likes: 491
From: Bristol, TN.
Cougar,
I can't find a Hellwig or Roadmaster listing for a sway bar for your truck. It looks like you are hauling about 4,300-4,500 pounds when you are ready to roll. Do you know what your axle and tire ratings are? When you go back to 1979 options are scarce with add-ons although you can get "helper springs". I am not sure your problem is a not a mismatch between your truck and camper, but I am just not familiar with Fords of that vintage outfitted with truck campers. Maybe someone else will chime in.
Steve
I can't find a Hellwig or Roadmaster listing for a sway bar for your truck. It looks like you are hauling about 4,300-4,500 pounds when you are ready to roll. Do you know what your axle and tire ratings are? When you go back to 1979 options are scarce with add-ons although you can get "helper springs". I am not sure your problem is a not a mismatch between your truck and camper, but I am just not familiar with Fords of that vintage outfitted with truck campers. Maybe someone else will chime in.
Steve
Mountain Pass
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 151
Likes: 4
My Tires are a BF Goodrich Ko2 35/75 16 that are rated for 3860Lbs. When I got home from getting the camper I went to the local scale and came in at 10,207Lbs with just me and a half tank of fuel with no water in the fresh tank and nothing in the black or grey tanks. The truck in it's self is 5550Lbs. So the camper is 4657Lb but the dry weight from Lance campers is 3495Lbs but this does not include options like the AC or the slide out it has.