No rear swaybar on 3rd gen??

[jraker]

My '01 had a swaybar on the rear axle but noticed my '06 doesn't. Is this normal? Sorry for the dumb question, I feel I should know the answer but I don't. Been wondering awhile now, but today I was behind a second gen and decided I would go ahead and ask. I have noticed my truck does lean alot more than the last in the corner, perhaps its the megacab, just feels different.

 

[Bill Stockard]

My '01 had a swaybar on the rear axle but noticed my '06 doesn't. Is this normal? Sorry for the dumb question, I feel I should know the answer but I don't. Been wondering awhile now, but today I was behind a second gen and decided I would go ahead and ask. I have noticed my truck does lean alot more than the last in the corner, perhaps its the megacab, just feels different.

With the introduction of the 3rd generation (beginning in '03) trucks with the hydro-formed box type frame which is wider than the frames on earlier models, Dodge claims no anti-sway bar is necessary. I haul a heavy high center of gravity slide-in truck camper and added a Hellwig rear anti-sway bar. It was an easy bolt-on/no-drill installation and made a difference in handling both with and without the camper on the truck.



Bill

 

[AH64ID]

There are several reasons Dodge didn't keep the sway bar, but the increased width of the frame and IIRC the wider/longer springs reduced much of the necessity for it. There are still instances where they are helpful and companies like Hellwig have a solution.

Airbags do double duty, they help level and support a load as well as help decrease sway, maybe not as much as a bar, but it is noticeable.

I had my truck at 10,500 GVW last week and with 25 psi in the airbags and 80 psi in the tires I felt very stable. My CG was higher than normal based on loading, but much lower than a slide-in but the truck was heavy and it drove like it was empty.