Product Review: Hellwig Anti-Sway Bars
08-15-2014, 04:20 PM
#121
Senior Member
Is the Hellwig rear anti sway bar a person with below average mechanical skill can do himself or is it better to take it to a professional mechanic? Is a lift necessary to instal?
08-15-2014, 05:12 PM
#122
Senior Member
No need for a lift. I didn't even bother to jack mine up to fit it!
08-16-2014, 07:22 AM
#123
American member
One tip; measure the s-shaped links so they are both equal length.
08-16-2014, 09:21 AM
#124
Senior Member
Yeah, I know. I did mine in similar time. I was responding to the original poster. While I have long experience and these things are simple, I always err on underestimating the competence of someone with no real experience. Usually find it is a correct assumption!
08-16-2014, 10:11 AM
#125
[UPDATE]
Well, 10 months and 13,000 miles) after installing the sway bars, I'm still loving how my truck drives but my tires are due for replacement (after 38,000 total miles). I was hoping for around 40,000 miles on the original Pirelli Scorpions, but the inner shoulder tread blocks have taken a serious beating causing them to need immediate replacement. I should have noticed the visible cords sooner but the tires looked fine (no missing rubber) when I inspected them before my last road trip around July 4 and even though I already had new tires sitting in the basement, I didn't want to put 2000 miles on the new tires when the old ones still had 3-4/32nds of tread remaining (again, they didn't have any visible damage like shown below at the time). I think the inside "trauma" has occurred since that trip (or perhaps during?), and I'm just glad I noticed them when I examined my tires last night when they were turned all the way. If they weren't turned enough I might have missed the missing chunks.
In any case, I recommend everyone check their tires more carefully (I know I will from now on) because the sway bars may exacerbate wear on the inner tread blocks. I'm going to have an alignment performed when the new tires are installed to see if there was something else (excessive camber?) causing this wear pattern (the same on both front tires). Either way I'm pretty sure the sway bars put more stress on the contact patch and the slip angles and increased loads are causing the sidewall to roll over higher on to the shoulder. (Or maybe it's just wear from parking lots and driveways?)
Well, 10 months and 13,000 miles) after installing the sway bars, I'm still loving how my truck drives but my tires are due for replacement (after 38,000 total miles). I was hoping for around 40,000 miles on the original Pirelli Scorpions, but the inner shoulder tread blocks have taken a serious beating causing them to need immediate replacement. I should have noticed the visible cords sooner but the tires looked fine (no missing rubber) when I inspected them before my last road trip around July 4 and even though I already had new tires sitting in the basement, I didn't want to put 2000 miles on the new tires when the old ones still had 3-4/32nds of tread remaining (again, they didn't have any visible damage like shown below at the time). I think the inside "trauma" has occurred since that trip (or perhaps during?), and I'm just glad I noticed them when I examined my tires last night when they were turned all the way. If they weren't turned enough I might have missed the missing chunks.
In any case, I recommend everyone check their tires more carefully (I know I will from now on) because the sway bars may exacerbate wear on the inner tread blocks. I'm going to have an alignment performed when the new tires are installed to see if there was something else (excessive camber?) causing this wear pattern (the same on both front tires). Either way I'm pretty sure the sway bars put more stress on the contact patch and the slip angles and increased loads are causing the sidewall to roll over higher on to the shoulder. (Or maybe it's just wear from parking lots and driveways?)
Jack up the side in question on the LCA. Grab the tire at the 12 and 6 o'clock position attempt to move back and forth, have a helper note any play from the attached components. Suspect components during this test, ball joints, and or hub. Grab the tire at the 3 and 9 o'clock position attempt to move back and forth, have a helper note any play from the attached components. Suspect components during this test, inner tie rode, outer tie rod, steering rack, and or hub.
It's possible the increased lateral performance of the sway bars has highlighted a component(s) that may not be sufficient in supporting induced lateral force now being observed.
As a secondary inspection, any steering rack bushings should also be inspected for cracking, tearing, or compromised material integrity.
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Scotsskier (08-16-2014)
08-16-2014, 03:13 PM
#127
American member
I can't fundamentally comprehend how a sway bar of which has zero direct relation to steering, or tire/wheel orientation to be the root cause of this. Possible dealing with a coincidence in timing alone with a failure of another component. I would perform a shake down of the side affected to see if symptoms can be isolated.
Jack up the side in question on the LCA. Grab the tire at the 12 and 6 o'clock position attempt to move back and forth, have a helper note any play from the attached components. Suspect components during this test, ball joints, and or hub. Grab the tire at the 3 and 9 o'clock position attempt to move back and forth, have a helper note any play from the attached components. Suspect components during this test, inner tie rode, outer tie rod, steering rack, and or hub.
It's possible the increased lateral performance of the sway bars has highlighted a component(s) that may not be sufficient in supporting induced lateral force now being observed.
As a secondary inspection, any steering rack bushings should also be inspected for cracking, tearing, or compromised material integrity.
If any thing the sway bar is designed to distribute the weight more evenly. Isn't that the goal..to keep the body from rolling up onto the front tires to eliminate them scrubbing off precious rubber around corners or lane changes.
08-17-2014, 07:46 AM
#129
Senior Member
Thread Starter
I can't fundamentally comprehend how a sway bar of which has zero direct relation to steering, or tire/wheel orientation to be the root cause of this. Possible dealing with a coincidence in timing alone with a failure of another component. I would perform a shake down of the side affected to see if symptoms can be isolated.
It's possible the increased lateral performance of the sway bars has highlighted a component(s) that may not be sufficient in supporting induced lateral force now being observed.
It's possible the increased lateral performance of the sway bars has highlighted a component(s) that may not be sufficient in supporting induced lateral force now being observed.
It's my fault for letting the inside tread get that thin, but I definitely didn't expect to see missing rubber chunks like that. Anyway, all is good now (new tires and alignment).
08-17-2014, 12:31 PM
#130
American member
The Scorpions on my 2013 are wearing really well. I do only have 8,500 miles on them and have rotated them twice already.
When I had my 05, I bought the silver alloy 20's from a 2010 fx4 with a 1000 miles. The rims themselves were mint, but only after they were shipped, did the guy tell me the tires were a little rough from off-roading a couple times. Kind of an understatement. The sidewalls were scuffed to hell and two had an entire block of tread missing. They were impossible to get balanced enough so they wouldn't vibrate on the highway, unless I kept the two bad one's on the back
I did only pay $500 for all 4, so I sucked it up and didn't call him out on it.
Anyways, what I'm getting at is, if not careful these tires can get away from you quick. They did have nearly all the tread. So to see a couple complete blocks of tread missing was a little concerning, even with the new ones on this truck.
When I had my 05, I bought the silver alloy 20's from a 2010 fx4 with a 1000 miles. The rims themselves were mint, but only after they were shipped, did the guy tell me the tires were a little rough from off-roading a couple times. Kind of an understatement. The sidewalls were scuffed to hell and two had an entire block of tread missing. They were impossible to get balanced enough so they wouldn't vibrate on the highway, unless I kept the two bad one's on the back
I did only pay $500 for all 4, so I sucked it up and didn't call him out on it.
Anyways, what I'm getting at is, if not careful these tires can get away from you quick. They did have nearly all the tread. So to see a couple complete blocks of tread missing was a little concerning, even with the new ones on this truck.
Last edited by Masi1926; 08-17-2014 at 01:22 PM.