Rear Anti-Sway bar

[JasenMoore]

Does anyone have any information on an aftermarket rear anti-sway bar for the 2003 2500's? The 2002 had an option for camper ready, or something like that, that had a sway bar on the rear axle. I heard that it really helps when traveling with a truck camper.



Thanks,

Jasen

 

[Wiredawg]

Not Off hand, But...

I recommend you contact Hellwig and maybe do a search on suspension systems.



Personally, I would also install airbags w/ dual fill for the additional stability and leveling.



good luck and let us know results of your search.



Wiredawg

 

[JHardwick]

I was told before I ordered my '03 that the '02 and later would fit. I never researched it because I can't that I've felt the need.

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

JHardwick I'd seriously doubt an '02 swaybar would fit an '03/'04. The frame is totally different and so is the axle.



I think my '03 is more stable than my '01 with the camper (swaybar) option but I've never had a slidein in either truck.



Vaughn

 

[JHardwick]

I'm sure you are probably right Vaughn, thats what the salesman told me (after leaving the room and coming back) and if it was a problem I'd have thrown a fit til they made it right (verbal contract yanno).



As it worked out, I can't say that I've missed it.

It was one of the first things I noticed about the '03 over my '99 before placing my order.



My biggest concern so far has been the soft springs to achieve the soft ride that some need ... ... ... ... ... . it causes me wheel hop!!

 

[Metalaram]

sway bar

www.ipdusa.com i heard about them from jeff kelderman he has used them and recommended it to me. they make Volvo stuff but also for trucks and motor homes. go to suspension systems then suv/trucks... . pretty cool!

 

[ab7fh]

So any word on sway bars for our trucks yet???

 

[Prairie Dog]

Nope, but a couple of companies are making ladder bars now.

 

[JHardwick]

I'm in the process of designing a radius rod set-up as soon as I get a couple of other projects moving a little better over in the accessories forum.



The radius rod is way more free than a ladder bar.

 

[DPelletier]

1) The rationale behind the sway-bar delete was that the springs have been moved outboard (towards the wheels) from the second gen location. The new location makes the setup more stable and apparently negates the need for a sway bar.



2) That having been said, I'm sure adding one could only help.



3) I haven't felt I've needed one yet, but the new truck is a dually, so I'm comparing apples to oranges.



4) I respectfully disagree with some of Wiredawg's post. Airbags are extremely useful for load leveling, but in my experience they do very little (if anything) useful for sway control. A SRW truck with a large slide-in makes a good test platform!



Cheers

Dave

 

[JasenMoore]

This is what I have found so far. If you call Hellwig - http://www.hellwigproducts.com/antiswaybars/domestic4x4_dodge.html they will tell you they have one for the 2500 but it is not on there website. The other is here - http://www.ipdusa.com/productscat.aspx?CategoryID=1581&NodeID=5034&RootID=637



Thanks for the replies,



Jasen

 

[ab7fh]

Thanks for the info Jason. Dodge can claim that they don't need anti-sway bars all they want, but when you put a 4500lb high profile camper in your bed I strongly disagree with them.



My 2001 didn't come with an anti-sway bar either and it made a tremendous difference adding a bar. I know that it will do the same in this application.



My bar is now on order from IPD and even though it doesn't specifically say so on their website it does fit the dualies.

 

[XcumminsX]

is this just for people with campers or would this make my truck handle alot better in general?



Nick

 

[GBrzezinski]

I had an F-350 I added a Hellwig swaybar & Timbren load handlers to, what a difference!

 

[SOLER]

$315

Holy Moses! They ain't cheap



SOLER

 

[R.M.THOMPSON]

Is it a bolt on package or a weld on, I COULD NOT SEE ON THE WEB SITE, my eyes were crossing ?

 

[Wiredawg]

For discussion purposes

DPelletier:



I did find the air bags added a lot of stability on my 00 2500. Having separate fill valves and adding about 80 lbs of air to each bag had a tremendous stabilizing effect on it. I had 3200 lbs of pin weight from my 5th wheel.



If you have a single fill, the air actually shifts from one bag to the other, which seems to match the experience you are reporting about stability. Also, on a dual air fill setup, as the amount of air is increased in the airbags, so does the amount of increased stability that they provide.



In fairness, though, I have to also report that when I was removing all the accessories from that truck, I found that the bottom rear bolts of the upper mounting brackets had sheared.

So, that tells me that, although I had great handling with the air bags, that I could have had a serious failure under heavy load in a curve.



Everyone has their own experiences and these are mine.



Wiredawg