I don't no much about sway bars. I can't unserstand how one would help with bed shakes--maybe someone can provide a theory on that.

Also, since this thread was started, I have noticed rear sway bars on several 4x4 heavy duty Dodge Rams and on an H2 and I am pretty sure that they were stock. This leads me to think that the articulation issue is not big deal, unless you plan to get into some serious stuff.

Is there anyway that a sway bar would make for a rougher ride? Seems like it would, but maybe the sway bar is much more flexible than I am imagining. The ones I see on the dodge rams and H2s are rather small in diameter (i.e. looks less than an inch)--so those you would assume are flexible.

 

They are more than likely sway-bar disconnects, for any real flexing you don't want a sway bar.

 

Sway bar diameters are matched to balance front and rear, with the front being stiffer, or larger diameter. I didn't measure the diameter of the OEM front sway bar, but the manufacturers size the aftermarket rear sways to perform in balance with the front. The longer the tortion bar is, the lighter rate it is, so the more shape they have to put into it to clear things, the larger the diameter. If you want even more control, you can always put a larger front and rear sway bar. As I said earlier, I'm very pleased with the quality, and finish of the Belltech kit I used, and the truck is much better balanced, the handling and steering are really nice now, much more responsive, and the tail end doesn't try to lead around corners. At first the improvement made the OEM shocks seem adequate, now that I can drive more agressively, the OEMs are back to being totally inadequate.......c'mon Bilsteins!!

 

Curious. Why did you choose Belltech and not another brand?

 

Curious to know if the addition of the rear bar helps keep the rear in better check in slick conditions. It's logical to me that less sway would equal less "chance" of the rear breaking loose.

 

Right now, I would assume our trucks are set up for understeer (plowing during high speed turn), since there is not a rear sway bar. If you put a big hefty rear bar on, your truck will now be set up for oversteer (rear end coming out on fast turns). The key is to find a bar that complements the front bar and creates a neutral setup.

 

I was thinking the same thing about driving on ice.

Adding a rear sway bar will ALWAYS make the back end slide out more. This would probably only be noticable on ice.

I'm still interested in adding the rear bar to control sway when we're towing. Thanks for the info!

Mitch
(Avid Autocrosser for the last 20 years)

 

I was thinking the same thing about driving on ice.

Adding a rear sway bar will ALWAYS make the back end slide out more. This would probably only be noticable on ice.

I'm still interested in adding the rear bar to control sway when we're towing. Thanks for the info!

Mitch
(Avid Autocrosser for the last 20 years)

 

Sorry for the double post. How the heck to you DELETE one of your own posts on this forum?

 

So a rear sway bar will help reduce "sway" or tilt in turns; however when encountering ICE, it will cause the rear end to "sway", tilt or slide out MORE?

Wouldn't it be the other way around?

Thanks,

Duke

 

I'm not an engineer....but I'm absolutly sure that when you stiffen the roll of one end of a vehicle, it reduces the traction. It's "kind of" like adding stiffer rear springs.....which would cause the rear to loose traction more then the front. Of course I'm over simplifying things.

It's common for racers to divide "handling" into many smaller parts. 1) What does the vehicle do entering a corner under braking? 2)What about in mid-turn/steady state? 3)What about corner exit?

Here's a great tuning guide you can use for more referance.
http://www.ssscc.org/info_corner/suspension.html

There are times when your logic does hold water. If a vehicle is very softly sprung, adding a sway bar will control roll, which will also help keep the tire flatter to the road. But this will only help overall traction "mid-corner" (like on a skid pad). The "balance" will be off and the vehicle will now oversteer more at corner entry and corner exit. (like on an icey roadway)

Shocks also effect the "balance". Stiffening the rear shocks will have almost the same effect as adding/stiffening the rear sway bar.

My wife and I will be towing the Miata to out-of-town events in Atwater, CA and Reno, NV this season. If anyone lives near by, it would be great to say hello!

 

That makes sense. I just know that my old Infiniti QX4 in 2WD would not swing the rear end around in slush as much as the truck will in 2WD. The Infiniti had a sway bar, but then again the truck is lighter in the rear, but then again the infiniti wasn't that heavy in the rear.

Hmm, I'd really like to get rid of the lean in turns and feel more "solid" in turns, but then again I don't want to drive through snow and slush in the winter with a bigger risk of the rear end coming out from under neath me.

Duke

 

That's easy to accomplish. Install the rear sway bar and use it Spring/Summer/Fall. Then when Winter comes, just disconnect one of the end links. You only have to disconnect one of them to disable the rear bar. Leave the other end link connected so that the bar doesn't flop around.

 

Thanks CCRider for the tip. This was an excellent mod! I just installed my Belltech rear swaybar and I’m giddy. The bed shake and general "jumpiness" is gone. The truck handles MUCH better. It stays flat in the corners, doesn’t jump/rattle around on bumps and just feels more refined in general.

Guys, unless you're an avid off-roader, this is one of the best and cheapest mods you can perform.

Installation was about 2.5hrs.

 

I just put the Bilsteins on this week, loaded up the motorcycles, and headed up to the mountains to get some ridin' in (250 miles round trip). I've got a different truck altogether. Unbelieveably smooth and stable down the freeway, very smooth and controlled going down a moderately rough desert road for 10 miles, with lots of rain ruts and speed ripples, and the sway bar really keeps things in control with a tall load. The truck should come this way.......... The dealer reflashed my ECU last week, and installed the new rotors and calipers, all warranty. The engine and shifts are much better than before. It's like a whole new truck!