Guys, I'm ready to send my bar back to JC Whitney and get my money back. Hellwig technicians finally gave up in solving the ripping or crunching noises (develops when on inclined or slight hard cornering).
They found out the teeth on the shackles wears out very prematurely and cannot replace the shackles as of now and will take the sway bar back with no problem. Mine lasted only 4 months with no noises and when the noise develops it sound like your chassis is ripping apart. Hope this will help others with the same problems I had.

 

Before you send it back you might be able to find a comparable shackle with better quality at a hardware store. Could be worth a try.

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'97 XLT Reg. Cab, 4.2V6, 5spd, Lund Deflector, Dash Mat, MagnaFlow Muffler, Hellwig Rear Sway Bar, Edelbrock Shocks, Duraliner, Extang Saber Tonneau, 2" Rear Drop, Amer. Rac. Atlas Wheels Clad in 275/60/17 Eagle GTII Who stole my other 2 cylinders?

 

Just checking to see if there've been any more problems with the Hellwig sway bar. I'm thinking of buying one and was wondering about the installation. Is it strictly a "bolt on" procedure? or is there any cutting/welding involved?

 

IndyFan: I installed one and now had it for about 2 months. I had the poping and craking noise for about a month but now it nice and quiet. Its a bolt on product and real easy to install. You can go to f150 home page and click on PRODUCTS REVIEWS and print the installions procedures. Remember to grease the bushing before you install them. I must say it does perform well while pulling my trailer. I think its a good product/investment!!

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97 F150 XLT, 5.4, EXTANG, SUPERCHIP,EDELBROCK SHOCKS,REAR SLIDER, GIBSON CAT-BACK,BOSCH +4,HELLWIG SWAY BAR,AIRAID.

 

OK, teach me guys. What is this sway bar and what does it do. Someone looked under my truck and said it already had one. Is that possible? I have heard alot of talk about rear sway bars but the water is a little cloudy. Anyone out there who cant clear the H2O?



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White 1999 F150 4X4 XLT Regular Cab, 5.4L Short bed, 373 Rear, Towing & Off Road Pkg, 6 Disk CD, Keyless Entry

Mods Include : Superchip, Flowmaster exhaust, Chrome bed rails, Full window tint. Triton boats tag on front - BASS sticker in rear glass

 

Triton: Steve Bender has a great article about the Helwig Sway Bar under the "Product Review" section on the F150 main page. The sway bar helps reduce the backend sway from side to side. Also you can corner better because their won't be any body roll. Also I heard that the tires sidewall won't wear out as fast. After I installed the sway bar and pulled my trailer I don't get the back end of my truck moving around any more.


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97 F150 XLT, 5.4, EXTANG, SUPERCHIP,EDELBROCK SHOCKS,REAR SLIDER, GIBSON CAT-BACK,BOSCH +4,HELLWIG SWAY BAR,AIRAID.

 

I encountered a material problem while installing my Hellwig rear anti-sway bar last April.

One set of bolts was fine thread, but the nuts they sent along were standard thread.
And since I started installing it on a Sunday afternoon, all the hardware stores were closed in my area.

So I let the truck sit, drove my car the next day, and bought the right sized nuts to finish the installation Monday night.

So be sure to check the materials thoroughly before beginning installation.

 

Has anyone installed a rear anti sway bar on a 99 F150? I tried the Hellwig but ran into a problem. The bar could not be mounted above the diff because of the electrical sensor and the brake lining on the right side of the axle. Hellwig said to mount the bar below the axle but that would reduce the clearance.
Ford told me thay do not have a sway bar for the F150. The Lightning, however, has the bar. Ford SVT and SVO are of no help.

 

I ALSO HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I INSTALLED THE BAR UPSIDE DOWN JUST LIKE HELLWIG RECOMENDED AND I THINK THAT I MIGHT HAVE LOST 1/8" CLEARANCE. BUT MY OLD PROBLEM OF THE BAR ROTATING OR MOVING AROUND THE AXLE HAS NOT BEEN FIXED. I GOT NEW U BOLTS FROM HELLWIG BECAUSE THE THOUGHT THE ONES THAT CAME IN THE BOX WERE TOO BIG. WELL, THAT SOLUTION ONLY LASTED ABOUT A WEEK BEFORE I STARTED TO HERE THAT GRINDING NOISE FROM THE BACK OF THE TRUCK. AT THIS POINT I AM TRYING TO GET SOME KIND OF MEMO FROM HELLWIG SO I CAN GO TO THE RETAILER AND GET MY MONEY BACK. IT IS DISSAPOINTING TO HAVE TO GET RID OF SOMETHING THAT WORKS SO WELL DUE TO POOR DESIGN. I WILL LET YOU KNOW IF I FIND A SOLUTION ON THIS. GOOD LUCK.

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99 xlt sc,4.6 2w.d.,gibson catback,superchip,airaid,rsx shocks,hellwig sway bar(soon to be removed),3" front lift.

 

HI!... HUGH W. CHEN and VELOCI I have a 99 F-150 with a HELLWIG rear stabalizer bar. I've had it for about 6 months now and have had no problems what so ever. I installed mine on top of the 9.75 rear end and have about an inch of room to spare. The trick is to install the bar at a slight angle away from the ground and it will clear everything just fine. As for the bar making noises, I've never heard anything from mine and I pull 108mph runs through a 2 mile extremly curvy road on the weekends and I am very pleased how the HELLWIG keeps the truck almost perfectly level in hard corners. Hope you guys can solve your problems because it's a great product.

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NEAL [ the horsepower freak ] NEWMAN
'99' F-150 XLT SPORT, oxford white, reg cab shortbox stepside,5.4, auto, 3.55L.S, captain's chairs, bedliner, GTS carbon fiber headlight covers, **** CEPECK clear halogen driving lights, GTS slotted tailight covers (painted oxford white), FORD locking lug nuts, tinted windows,true duel exhaust with 2.5 inch mandrel bent pipes and FLOWMASTER 3 chamber mufflers with 3' tailpipes exiting before the rear wheel like the LIGHTNING, HELLWIG rear stabalizer bar, AUTOMETER guage pod and tranny temp guage, custom fabricated air intake trac and huge K/N filter, TPS mod, BELLTECH 2-inch rear drop, SUPERCHIP (truck won't start,"DAM"!!, soon to be installed 4.10 gears.

 

Well, it seems some of us had problems and some not. Hellwig has agreed to take my bar back anytime and just shipped it back to
JC Whitney. The techs at Hellwig gave up on my truck for now and they said they will tried to solve the problem in the future.
Hate to ship the bar back but can't live with the grinding and ripping noise.
Good luck guys.steve

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1997 XLT Supercab emerald green,4.6 auto superchip, rear dual exhaust, Atlas wheels w HP 275/60/17 tires, Lund steps and quarter window shades, Outland grille guard w KC daylighters, piaa 1000 in bumpers openings, Trenz billet grille, edlebrock ISA shocks, Powerslider, stainless steel fender trim, Delta toolbox, putco bars, fluidyne cooler, Airaid kit, Gentex electronic compass dimming mirror. customize hood next.

 

Hi Neal: Do you have photos of your installation? I have already shipped my bar back to Whitney. I don't know if the 3.55 regular diff makes a difference. The next attempt is to find out if the bar for the Lightning wil work. I checked a local dealer and the bar is listed. Unfortunately they don't have a kit. I'd have to identify each part from their drawing.

 

HI!... HUGH, sorry I don't have any pictures of my instalation.It really is a simple alteration to HELLWIGS instructions. Instead of having the "U"- bolt and toothed shackle aiming at 9 and 3 (MILATARY CLOCK ANGLES) swivel it up on the rearend housing tube to about 10 and 4. That will give you more than you need room to clear the top of the rearend housing. I was under my truck today getting it ready to bring to the dealer tomorrow for leaf spring sag on the passenger side and I checked my HELLWIG bar to make sure it had not moved. The bolts were still tight and it has'nt moved one bit, so I can't seem to figure out the problem you guys are having. Anyway I hope this explanation of sorts helps you guys out.

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NEAL [ the horsepower freak ] NEWMAN
'99' F-150 XLT SPORT, oxford white, reg cab shortbox stepside,5.4, auto, 3.55L.S, captain's chairs, bedliner, GTS carbon fiber headlight covers, **** CEPECK clear halogen driving lights, GTS slotted tailight covers (painted oxford white), FORD locking lug nuts, tinted windows,true duel exhaust with 2.5 inch mandrel bent pipes and FLOWMASTER 3 chamber mufflers with 3' tailpipes exiting before the rear wheel like the LIGHTNING, HELLWIG rear stabalizer bar, AUTOMETER guage pod and tranny temp guage, custom fabricated air intake trac and huge K/N filter, TPS mod, BELLTECH 2-inch rear drop, SUPERCHIP (truck won't start,"DAM"!!, soon to be installed 4.10 gears.

 

HI!... HUGH remember that the LIGHTNING rear stabalizer bar is only 23mm (7/8") in diameter. The HELLWIG is 1 1/8" in diameter. Since the LIGHTNING uses the same rearend as the NAVIGATOR and the EXPEDITION would'nt their stabalizer bars work as well?

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NEAL [ the horsepower freak ] NEWMAN
'99' F-150 XLT SPORT, oxford white, reg cab shortbox stepside,5.4, auto, 3.55L.S, captain's chairs, bedliner, GTS carbon fiber headlight covers, **** CEPECK clear halogen driving lights, GTS slotted tailight covers (painted oxford white), FORD locking lug nuts, tinted windows,true duel exhaust with 2.5 inch mandrel bent pipes and FLOWMASTER 3 chamber mufflers with 3' tailpipes exiting before the rear wheel like the LIGHTNING, HELLWIG rear stabalizer bar, AUTOMETER guage pod and tranny temp guage, custom fabricated air intake trac and huge K/N filter, TPS mod, BELLTECH 2-inch rear drop, SUPERCHIP (truck won't start,"DAM"!!, soon to be installed 4.10 gears.

 

All these posts are about problems and solutions with the Hellwig... are there any other quality anti-sway bars out there to consider?
I'd love to have the improved handling the bars provide, but before I purchase the Hellwig, I'd like to know if there is anything else out there that F-150 owners have had good experiences with.
Thanks a lot!

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'INTIMIDATOR' Black '99.5 F150 XLT 4X2, R/C, SS, 5.4L V8, 3.55 LS, Superchip, Dual Chamber Flowmaster, LineX Bedliner, Keyless Entry, 4W Disk Brakes, Sl Rear Window, Trailer Towing Pkg, P255 OWL, Cast Aluminum Wheels.
Coming this weekend... BFG 275/65s on Pro 57 16x8s
Next weekend... Alpine CDA-7845 and CHA-1214 (12 disk) to add to my Infinity Kappas and 65x4 USAcoustics amp!
Next mod... Anti-sway bar