2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Rear Sway Bar?

[EBottema]

Hey- My 96 2500 doesnt have the factory installed sway bar. I noticed that newer dodge 2500's came equipped with the sway bar on the dana 80 axle. Anyone notice a difference and what advantage have you seen on your lifted trucks?

Thanks

Erik

 

[Thomas]

Hey- My 96 2500 doesnt have the factory installed sway bar. I noticed that newer dodge 2500's came equipped with the sway bar on the dana 80 axle...

I think you'll find that the "newer" second-generation 2500's only got the rear stabilizer bar (along with heavy-duty auxiliary springs) as part of the Camper Special Group. No Camper Special Group = no rear stabilizer bar on the 2500, regardless of axle.

 

[scotmartin]

Thomas is correct. My 99 had the Dana 80 and was missing the rear sway bar and the floating overloads. Because of the lack of the Camper Package.

 

[nfox]

Rear Sway Bar

My 96 2500 with the dana 80 has a rear sway bar, does make the truck feel alot better when hauling a loaded trailer than one with out the rear sway bar.

 

[Heavy Metal]

If you look in your owner's manual under capacities, you'll notice that the only things that affect towing capacity are drive (2WD vs. 4WD), axle ratio, engine (ETH vs. ETC), etc. It says nothing of optional equipment such as overloads or sway bars (camper package). The presence of these two things do nothing to increase GVWR, they only increase side to side stability for high center-of-gravity loads such as cab-over campers or large (tall) fifth-wheel trailers. They also make an empty truck ride horrible. The sway bar makes both sides of the entire rear axle move in the same direction (up or down) at the same time even if only one side hits a bump or hole. This is what causes that awful "jackass kick" on moderate to large bumps.

The distance between the overloads and the pads they are intended to contact is much smaller than the distance between static ride height and full bottom. In other words, when the rear axle hits a bump, it only moves a very short distance before the overloads make contact with the pads on the frame and make the rear suspension suddenly and significantly more stiff which causes the rear suspension to stop compressing in response to an impact or even worse-rebound. This further contributes to the jackass syndrome and additionally causes the back end of truck to boingboingboingboingBOINGBOINGBOINGBOING( #@$%! ) while going down rough roads and over freeway expansion joints. I yanked the overloads and the sway bar from my truck and now both are taking up residence with the banjo bolts at the county dump. But then again, I don't haul or tow anything with a high C. G.



Bryan

 

[Heavy Metal]

To make long story short (you asked your question with regards to lifted trucks): every lifted truck that I have driven or rode in bounces more going down the road and donkey kicks more over objects such as speed bumps so unless you have a Filo Betto camper on your truck, the rear sway bar is nothing more than useless scrap iron hanging on the back of your rig.



Bryan

 

[Chris N5CWM]

Bryan, ya ought to add to your sig, 'real trucks don't have rear sway bars'.



Joking! LOL.



I'm glad mine has the swaybar and overload springs. I never felt that they made the ride any worse. It is a 3/4 ton truck with E rated tires anyway isn't it!



Did you actually notice a difference in the ride with your truck after you removed those items? For me tire pressure made the most difference in ride. Everybody thinks that the sidewall says 80PSI so pump it up to that! 45-50 is more like it. Just my 2 bits worth.

 

[Heavy Metal]

I run my rears at 35psi when not towing and hauling, and yes, I did notice a difference (improvement) when I removed the sway bar and overloads. However, I should mention that I don't tow (or haul) high, heavy loads. If I did, then I definately would have left both pieces of equipment on the truck. You have to consider what you use your truck for before doing something like this-it's not an improvement if it comprimises safety. I was answering a specific question-in my opinion a suspension lift also has some effect on ride (empty or loaded) and stability under load.



Bryan

 

[CORed]

Speaking of rear overload springs... I noticed that some trucks have 1 extra leaf (overload) and others, like mine, have two. The weird thing is. I saw one overload on a longbed auto and mine is a shortbed 5-speed. Both were quadcabs. I would have thought one on mine and two on the longbed auto would make more sense.



Did you have one or two?? Any ideas as to why one or two?? Maybe I could remove just one of them (the top one) and realize a ride improvement. Hmmmmm.



Steve

 

[WestTN]

My truck also has the camper special package. There is no Jackass kick in it. I have Rancho 9000's and they do an excellent job. I did notice something really surprising last week. I have 82,000 miles on the original Michelins and still have about 1/8th ince tread left on all four. When I filled up, I noticed the left rear looked a little low. I drove it home and drug out the portable compressor to see what the pressure was. I was amazed to find that tire had less than 10 psi pressure! It was only saggig about a 1/2 inch! I double checked it with another gauge and got the same reading. I had ran over something which left a shallow circular groove in thetread of about a 1/2 in diameter with a hole in the center. After thinking about it a while I realized that a few days earlier I had stepped on the accelerator coming out of a turn and the left rear squealed a little. This surprised me at the time because it had never squealed before. I believe I had been driving with a virtually flat tire for close to a week! This tire showed no signs of damage when the tire shop repaired it. I really like the way that sway bar forced the right side tire to share the load.

 

[TMills]

I can't speak much for the rear sway bar, but after I installed my KORE front suspension it was horrible. I then removed the front sway bar and it made a world of difference. Almost night and day. I now realize the full potential of this suspension and it is awesome, but with the sway bar I never would have.

 

[RLinkins]

I took my sway bars off after I lifted it. Don't tow and I don't notice a differnce. The only reason I took them off was because the rear hung extremly low and the front was hitting. You don't need that crap anyway :-laf

 

[Heavy Metal]

TMills,

You are 100% correct about the front sway bar-it holds the KORE system back big time. As for the rear, I removed it before I bought my KORE suspension and even without it the rear kicked-just not as bad. Slowly drive over a speed bump and let the rear wheels hit it without nearly coming to a stop and then easing over it. It will kick, I guarantee it. I'm talking stock suspension (including stock-style aftermarket shocks-I had Bilstiens).

KORE suspension is a different story. I can blitz speed bumps (or parking blocks and curbs for that matter) at 40MPH. PM MDW if you don't believe it. Should have seen the look on his face as I veered off of Texas Ave. right into a 4" curb. Should have seen his face a moment later after we cleared it and were in the parking lot. :--) I installed KORE suspension (T-Rex at the time) 61,000 miles ago and I have abused it daily on and off road. Ball joints are still tight, no rattles or squeaks, axle is still straight, tires are severely battered. This suspension works. Amazingly well. But we were talking about rear sway bars were'nt we? Sorry.

 

[AlFischer]

My 96 2500 with the dana 80 has a rear sway bar, does make the truck feel alot better when hauling a loaded trailer than one with out the rear sway bar.

I am considering removing the swar bar a overload springs. The trailer I tow is a 28 ft ultralight (loaded about 7,000) and is not what I would call a high vehicle. Is this adviseable?



Exactly what on the overloads needs has to be removed?



The swaybar got disconnected when a chunck of iron on the freeway hit it. Have not noticed any noticeable sway from the removal.

 

[AH64ID]

I have a 3rd gen, but recently added a rear sway-bar and wish I had done it sooner.

It made the truck better to drive empty and loaded. I don't even have a high center of gravity load, but could fell the 1400 lbs of tongue weight (8. 5K total) pushing the rear a little, but not anymore with the sway bar. When empty the truck is on rails.

They are well worth the upgrade, and I wouldn't remove an existing one.

The overloads are another story. I have never used mine, I use airbags instead.

 

[Bob4x4]

You can. remove the over load stops on the frame the easiest

 

[Regcabguy]

To make long story short (you asked your question with regards to lifted trucks): every lifted truck that I have driven or rode in bounces more going down the road and donkey kicks more over objects such as speed bumps so unless you have a Filo Betto camper on your truck, the rear sway bar is nothing more than useless scrap iron hanging on the back of your rig.



Bryan

My useless scrap of iron Hellwig swaybar made a major improvement in highway/mountainous handling with my Northstar popup. If I chuck the camper someday in favor of a shell,I'll remove the swaybar.

My buddy hauls a 9. 5' Sixpak cabover and installed Hellwig's Big Wig stouter bar and experienced the same improvement.

 

[ABennin]

I have the factory camper package with the equipment mentioned and I like it. The 2000 tows much nicer than my 91 W350 CTD SRW. When I am empty the overload springs don't even come close to contacting the rubber stops when driving. Loaded with a fifth wheel with 1500ish lbs on the hitch contacts momentarily when driving. If I never towed anything, I could live without it. I bought a diesel to pull trailers and geared my modifications toward towing. For a 3/4 ton it tows nice. I can't comment on the lifted part, I have no experience. I actually wish my truck was a few inches lower for towing. I have seen the revised blocks for the rear springs, but it was never bad enough that I needed them.

 

[mpaulson]

Do your overloads even hit the stops? On my 07, I'm loaded with 9,300# on the rear axle and they are still at least 1. 5 inches from touching. If they aren't hitting why bother? If you are hitting them only when you hit a decent bump and then get the sudden stop in travel and causes a rough ride then that is a diffferent story.

 

[AlFischer]

Do your overloads even hit the stops? On my 07, I'm loaded with 9,300# on the rear axle and they are still at least 1. 5 inches from touching. If they aren't hitting why bother? If you are hitting them only when you hit a decent bump and then get the sudden stop in travel and causes a rough ride then that is a diffferent story.

Yes I am pretty sure that is what is happening. The truck rides like a sled. The sway bar got damaged about a year ago (right hand link torn loos and bar bent by a scrap of iron dropped on the freeway) and I have not noticed any instability.



Tomorrow I am removing the remains and the ovrloads. I can always replace them if need be. Don't know if the bar can be bent back to shape. It was probably needed when I had a cabover, but now towing a trailer.



The metal scrap also bent the end of one of he spring u-bolts and I will replace. Looks like a potential problem.



Also I am planning to readjust the hitch as it appears to be wrong for the tongue weight. Found a good procedure to follow. Planning on doing it RIGHT (not like the dealer did it)!