F150 2001 Xcab 4x4

I am looking for a clean and effective improvement of the onroad handling of my truck. I am thinking of adding a rear swaybar and maybe changing the rubber bushings on the front sway bar to the new poly type.

I have searched and read all comments for the last year. Heelwig swaybars are by far the most cost effective, but there seems to be a mixed crowd of pro and con. Everything else is 'expensive' and front and rear kits. I am looking at onroad handling only. What do you recommend for a rear only sway bar that will bolt up perfectly to existing structure and have well defined installation kits and instructions.

Also, is there any benefit to change the rubber bushings on my front sway bar to the new polyurethane type. If so, what are the pros and cons, and whose product do you recommend.

 

I have hellwig bars front and rear. Great kit, easy install. I put both on at the same time. Super big improvement, really stiffed up the suspension. Wish I had did the rear bar first and went form there. I don't know if the rear only would have made enough difference.

 

You have a 4x4 truck, which sits taller anyway. Tieing both sides together with sway bar will really throw the truck side to side when ever you go over un even ground or take a driveway skirt at a angle.

You can get the cornering feel of a sway bar by just stiffing the rear suspension, either springs and/or shocks. Thus you can still maintain somewhat independant suspension and performance of a 4x4. A bolt on type of leaf spring stiffener will greatly improve handling and load capacity as well.

 

I am not sure that I need additional stiffening. I already have the Offroad package. Most of my driving is city/highway. My real desire is to improve the handling capability for high speed on and off ramps. This is why I am looking to the addition of the rear sway bar.

 

talk to this dude http://www.fordtruckworld.com/forums....asp?id=116492

 

You may want to try something like the daystar poly body bushings, my understanding is they are much stiffer and actually add about 1" of lift, although they are not a "lift kit" per se' and als greatly reduce bodyroll etc.

I will be putting them on with my RCD lift in a few weeks.

 

HAZE10,...
For what you are looking for by all means a rear sway bar will help...I have a 2 wd and have added a sway bar and it makes a big difference...I then wanted to stiffen up the front a bit and added poly bushing to the front sway bar and now I'm totally satisfied...If you want to add the same poly bushings to the front bar...let me know I have an extra set from Energy susp. bushing kit...It comes with the replacement poly bushing for the bar at the frame and a new set of endlinks with poly bushing...the kit number is 4.5147R....$20 plus $5 for shipping and you can have them...let me know...email me at ny2azo1@aol.com ...