Rear Sway bar

[PaulG]

i was just wonder if a rear sway bar on my truck would help at all? not that it has any problems but i havn't towed a big trailer before and wanted to make sure i won't have a problem.

i will be towing a 30' camper with a dry weight of 5,500 pounds and thats about all i tow with my truck.

i looked to see if my truck had the camper package the other day (sway bar) and it didn't have a sway bar so i figure i'd ask to see if it would be worth whild to get one?

if so what kind and how much do they cost?thanks

Paul G

 

[Straight6Jeff]

the rear bars do make a huge difference. These trucks weigh a bunch, so any means of helping to control the roll is definitley an improvement.



You can tow without the bar, but with a 30' trailer, cross winds are felt more.

 

[krs]

PaulG,



The Hellwig bar sold by J. C. Whitney (and others) works well on our trucks and costs something around $150. for the whole installation kit. It's actually a thicker (stronger) bar than the one included in the OEM camper package.

 

[PaulG]

thanks guys

anyone else who can suggest a bar?

looked at JC whitney bar i have a 2000 which they don't have the mounting kit for.

 

[Forrest]

Paul ... I don't have a source, but I can tell you, Jeff is right on.



I had a different truck, no sway bars & hooked up the 5th wheel. It's white knuckes time. The high "hitch point" of the 5'er makes it easy to "roll" the trick, side to side. I don't know if the roll causes a geometry change in the alignment, but it makes the truck squirrely with side winds & cornering.



I put on a front & rear bar, end of problem, rock solid.



I wish the aftermarket bars were swappable with the stock rear bar. I'd change mine for a bigger one in a second.



Forrest

 

[24V-DSL]

PaulG....

I have a Hellwig bar on my 01. Replaced the stock bar with it. It's ~1/8" thicker than stock. Sorry, don't have a PN, but don't know why you can't access one.

 

[slmwilli]

Yes, you will find a sway bar stops rolling, and front-end trailer diving on turns in wind. Was worried for a while pulling 29' fiver in strong wind, so changed OEM sway for itp bar, cost just under $210. Stiff... . yes... . I was delighted until I hitched the fiver and checked underneath before pulling out. The bar was much, much too close to the Mag-Hytec cover. So, back it was returned, no questions asked and even return shipping covered. I always run tires at 80 psi when towing to stiffen the sidewall, and Bilsteins shocks are a must.

Happy hauling,

M. Williams

 

[frijole]

DC didn't offer the camper special package for '03, and left the sway bar off all the trucks. Some of the things those people do just amazes the he!! outa me. Soon as I can find one aftermarket, it'll be on the truck. These people in the engineering section must never drive anything but Neons..... Oo.

 

[krs]

"looked at JC whitney bar i have a 2000 which they don't have the mounting kit for".



PaulG,

I'm looking at page 154 in JCW catalog #682j-01 (came here on thursday) and seeing kits for 94-01 2 and 4wd 2500 and 3500. For your truck it would be part number 55sa5693a @ $129. 95

 

[PaulG]

thanks for all the help guys. my 30' camper is not a 5th wheel jusy FYI not that it matters much but still.

i guess i'm going to end up putting one on before i pick my camper up in the spring. thanks everyone

 

[CHornsby]

I ended up putting a Hellwig on. I wasn't too impressed with their directions, but got it on nonetheless.