Rear End Sway

[ronalddragon]

Hello All,

First I'm glad to be back!!!!!! This is the best site for HONEST Info.

Issue, wife bought a new used 2011 2500 crew short bed. I've not been abale to drive it much.

she complains about rear end sway on long sweeping corners and after bumps in the road.

I belive I heard the removed rear sway bar? Can I install one? and where do I find it?



Factory Michelin tires no Suspension mods. 80 psi in rear 70 in front.



Thanks



Ron

 

[Beast2B]

80 in the rear empty is way high. there's a light load setting for the TPMS system so you can run ~45 without lighting the TPMS dash light. Sway bar will help body lean, but have less effect on side-to-side sway. I have heard (no personal experience) that traction bars can help sway as well as eliminate axle wrap on low traction roads (sand/gravel) and pinion lift leaving a stop sign with a heavy load.

 

[Beast2B]

... and welcome back!!

 

[Jim W]

Welcome back also.



80 PSI for the rear tires and 70 PSI for the front tires seems awfully high to me. What does the air pressure placard say to inflate the tires to? I know mine placard (2008 Mega Cab 2500HD) states for the front tires 60 PSI and for the rear tires 70 PSI loaded or 45 PSI with no load in the bed.



I run the 45 PSI in the tires during the winter months since I do not pull the 5er then and the rear does not seem so bounce as much.



You might want to replace the shocks on the rear axle they might be worn out already. I am replacing mine this year with Bilstein shocks this year.

Jim W.

 

[Tryingit]

Yes this truck was down right scary on the highway. When you hit the bridge sections the rear feels like the rear suddenly kicks out. I have the roadmaster rear sway bar but hellwig makes one as well. The airbags I have installed stopped that with about 9-10 psi of air. I put the sway bars on afterwards so I don't honestly know if they would help out. I also installed the roadmaster (different company than the rear sway bar) active suspension. That did several things for me it took out any other remaining sway out of the truck especially while towing heavy( I was still getting pushed around by the big semi's. Now nothing at all) I really don't need the air bags anymore (used to air them up to 40psi for towing and that would cause a little more sway, now I air up to about 8psi for towing and 5psi is the min amount required for normal driving) and it really tames the rear end jumping out from you. It's also the most expensive out of the three enhancements.

 

[Tryingit]

Welcome back also.



80 PSI for the rear tires and 70 PSI for the front tires seems awfully high to me. What does the air pressure placard say to inflate the tires to? I know mine placard (2008 Mega Cab 2500HD) states for the front tires 60 PSI and for the rear tires 70 PSI loaded or 45 PSI with no load in the bed.



I run the 45 PSI in the tires during the winter months since I do not pull the 5er then and the rear does not seem so bounce as much.



You might want to replace the shocks on the rear axle they might be worn out already. I am replacing mine this year with Bilstein shocks this year.

Jim W.

My shocks were gone at about 20K

 

[AH64ID]

The standard hellwig sway-bar made a HUGE difference on my truck. I realize it's an 05, but the rear suspension is the same. My truck now drives on rails.

 

[ronalddragon]

Thank you all for the info, it is greatly appreciated!!!!

 

[Missouri Mule]

I run 70/80 on my Mule all the time. No problem unloaded or loaded.

 

[mwilson]

Front 65/Rear 55 in every one of these I have owned when empty. All are or have been 3/4 Ton 4 X 4 trucks.



Front 70/Rear 75 when loaded and towing.



Mike.

 

[CUMMINZ]

Front 65/Rear 55 in every one of these I have owned when empty. All are or have been 3/4 Ton 4 X 4 trucks.



Front 70/Rear 75 when loaded and towing.



Mike.

Ronald, I agree with MW. For a light truck your tire pressures are way to high. For your problem what is happening is that your suspension is heavy enough and tires are so tight that when you are in the least of a curve or beveled road and hit the slightest bump your tires may very well be leaving contact with the road and gravity takes over. You could run 40 #s in the rear and not hurt the tires. You need more in the front for the weight of the cummins.

 

[Regcabguy]

I run 70/80 on my Mule all the time. No problem unloaded or loaded.

No kidney problems? My Toyo MT's would jar fillings loose at that psi even with the camper on.

 

[ronalddragon]

Thanks Cumminz!!!

Regcabguy, I'm working out of town all the time, I got to go sign loan papers, and drive it 25 miles.

The wife says it drives better than my new chevy POS work truck

 

[Cummins12V98]

After 368,000 miles on my 98 12V 2500 4x4 quad cab I think I am just about an expert on what psi to run, I get 120,000 miles on Michelin tires running 72 in the front and 45 in the rear and rotating about every 15 to 20K. When I used to tow my 32. 5 Avion 5er I would leave the front at 72 and air the rear to 80 psi.

I alwayg get a kick out of people thinking 40K on a set of tires is okay. Most people over inflate the rear and under inflate the front.

That's my story and i'm stickin to it!

 

[Missouri Mule]

No kidney problems? My Toyo MT's would jar fillings loose at that psi even with the camper on.

No Kidney problems. Roads are pretty smooth down here. North of Georgia they get pretty bumpy but are getting better. I have to keep air in the tires because I never know when I am going to put Mule to work (this year Mule has been racking up the mile because of slow sales. the Liner is the one that has been sitting around having a vaciton most of the year and a roving Tire Man make sures I have 115 psi in the tires in it. ) I only haul produce in FL.

 

[pvanwig]

I have had Roadmaster Active Suspension on 3 trucks now and have ordered them for my 2012 I got last week!

 

[Tryingit]

I've had the roadmaster active suspension on for a while. While towing my 5th wheel I immediately noticed a difference. I hardly have to use my air bags at all. During empty riding I leave the airbags at 5psi (lowest allowed setting). The truck does handle much nicer and has better highway manors especially over bumpy roads. I wanted these right away after I bought my truck but it took a while for the company to develope a set for my 2010 model.

 

[muchsnow]

We put a Helwig in our 2011, nice difference on mountain roads. Took about an hour and a half with the spare dropped..... Could probably do it in 30 min now...