Well it's been on for a week to make sure there were no problems. My rear Hellwig swaybar would not go on the way they wanted it to. I tried to mount it over the jackpod but it hit a metal tab that is cast into the jackpod and also hit the emergency break lines.
I fliped it over with the loop down and it went right on. It is down about a half inch from (and in front of) the jackpod so off-roaders may not want this option but THIS MAY WORK WELL FOR LOW RIDERS. It is much higher then the shock mounts...
Works really good with the matching front bar. Had a hardware problem I had to RIG for now. Will get that fixed soon. Togeather with the NITTO tires, its like having a 5000lb go-cart. Defenately nice.
Click here to see the tires. More pics to come soon.
http://wlf2000.f150online.net

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Black 1997 F-150 Supercab Flairside. 4.6L with Superchip, Jacobs DIS, K&N Generation II, Cat back Exhaust with Flowmaster 40 and MEG'S Stainless tip in front of rear wheel (nice rumble). 17" Off Road wheel pkg. Lots of body mods. 5 yrs old and still turns heads...and now paid for!! New is NITTO NT404 275/65/17's and Hellwig 1/7/16 front and 1 1/8 rear bar.

[This message has been edited by WLF (edited 04-01-2001).]

 

WLF,

The Hellwig rear swaybar installations I've seen were put in under the axle, apparently like you've figured out. I have not seen one above the axle on an F150.

Do the Hellwig instructions say to put it on top of the axle?

Also, someone else posted problems with interference with the brake line cabling. You might want to do a 'Search' to find and review.

Let me (us) know what your final install will be. As soon as they make one for my 2001 SCrew, I'll be ordering and installing.

Thank you!

 

Area,
My final and only install was under the axel. The instructions are bad with poor pictures and show (and discribe) the install over the axel.
Mine is in. Got the hardware I needed (Hellwig put the wrong thread size on the lock nuts needed for the install). I'm a little dissapointed in the fit and finish from a name like Hellwig. At least the bars work well...

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Black 1997 F-150 Supercab Flairside. 4.6L with Superchip, Jacobs DIS, K&N Generation II, Cat back Exhaust with Flowmaster 40 and MEG'S Stainless tip in front of rear wheel (nice rumble). 17" Off Road wheel pkg. Lots of body mods. 5 yrs old and still turns heads...and now paid for!! New is NITTO NT404 275/65/17's and Hellwig 1/7/16 front and 1 1/8 rear bar.

 

edit

[This message has been edited by max mitchell (edited 04-02-2001).]

 

It sounds like you just said mount the U bolts SIDEWAYS
It looks good under the axle and works well. Also the U bolts are facing forward and I only had to fab a bracket for the passenger side parking brake.

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Black 1997 F-150 Supercab Flairside. 4.6L with Superchip, Jacobs DIS, K&N Generation II, Cat back Exhaust with Flowmaster 40 and MEG'S Stainless tip in front of rear wheel (nice rumble). 17" Off Road wheel pkg. Lots of body mods. 5 yrs old and still turns heads...and now paid for!! New is NITTO NT404 275/65/17's and Hellwig 1/7/16 front and 1 1/8 rear bar.

 

Area 52 - I tried the other night to install the Hellwig Sway Bar and found that on the 2001 SCrew the passenger side shock mount on the axle falls directly in line with the bar.

Rotating the U-bolts up or down only pulled the bar furhter back so that the bushing rods no longer aligned vertically with the mounting angles I installed on the frame.

Yea, the brake lines were a problem, but I could have worked around them. I even tried installing the bar "loop down" but still ran into the shock interference.

Instructions from Hellwig S_ _ K! I sent it back! I'll do more research and see if anyone else had this problem. Maybe it's me, I couldn't figure out how to get the D_ _ N thing around the shock!


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T.Ray

My Ride:
2001 Lariat Screw, Dk. Highland Green/Arizona Beige, 5.4L 4x4,Tow Package, Off Road, 3.55 LS, Captain's Chairs, Slider, 6-Disc CD, Bed Extender

MODS:
K&N FIPK, Lund "Trident" Bug Shield, Lund "Solar" Visor, Catch-All Floor Liners, Stull Black Billet Grille, Westin Black Nerf Bars, Westin 1-Piece "Sportsman Grille Guard, Husky Splash Guards, V-Tech Slotted Tail Light Covers, Ventshade Vent Visors, Bedrug, A.R.E. Z-Series Top, Hellwig Rear Anti-Sway Bar, Dashmat Dash Cover.

Soon:
Superchip,
Gibson or Ravin Exhaust.

 

Funny this came up. I just installed my Hellwig yesterday. I have to agree that the instructions are real bad. I had to call for tech support because the bar will not go over the pumpkin because of the anti-lock sensor in the pumpkin will hit the bar and one of the smaller u-bolts was all burred up and the nuts would not go on. Robert in tech support was quite helpfull and was sending out parts the same day to replace the bad ones. He also said that most f150's require the bar to be turned down not up like the instructions.

The only advise I can give is read the instructions over and over so you know them back and forth before going to town. Do not tighten anything up until it is all on and then double check everything and then tighten the system. Do not use the short shackles on a f150 install! they are for some other app. and are in the hardware bag. Make sure you get the correct nuts on the correct bolts otherwise you will be taking a trip to the hardware store for replacements. Also pay attentin to the washer types you put where. There are thick ones for certian places and skinnier ones for others places. The directions stated gold tone washers and silver ones. I only got silver ones in the kit so it was harder to tell the difference. Oh yeah, doing this by yourself is a wrestling match, so if you can get help it is much eaiser to install. I did it by myself and could have trimmed off a bunch of time on the install if I had help. The way I have the bar installed does not mess with any of the brake cables except for the passenger side emergency brake cable. The place it connects to the rear end interfears with the bar and can either be removed or make a longer brace for that part of the cable. I just took it off and I'll watch it to see if it rubs on anything.

The whole deal took about 2.5 hours if I take out the trip to replace a nut that went on the wrong shackle bolt (that I should not have used if the directions were better).

After a little driving I like the difference in the ride and way it turns. Not a bad upgrade for the money.

 

TRAY,

both my shocks go towards the rear and the sway bar goes towards the front. I know on some older fords they split the shocks for and aft and perhaps have started doing that again on the screw. I had no clearance problems and in fact the brackets are about 2 inches from the shock hangers on the axle.

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Black 1997 F-150 Supercab Flairside. 4.6L with Superchip, Jacobs DIS, K&N Generation II, Cat back Exhaust with Flowmaster 40 and MEG'S Stainless tip in front of rear wheel (nice rumble). 17" Off Road wheel pkg. Lots of body mods. 5 yrs old and still turns heads...and now paid for!! New is NITTO NT404 275/65/17's and Hellwig 1/7/16 front and 1 1/8 rear bar.

 

Follow up to the install and opinion. First I did not mention that I have a 4x4 f150 and all the notes I stated are for that application. the 2x4 may use the shorter shackle bolts, I do not know. After having it on for 2 days I am totally happy with the bar and what it does for the ride and control of the truck. We had some very high winds here in the chicagoland area yesterday (25-35 MPH with gusts up to 45 MPH), before installing the bar the truck would have been all over the road with winds like that. Even though the truck weights 4800 pounds it still would have been pushed around by winds like that. With the bar installed the truck drove like there was no wind at all. A real nice improvement from the stock condition. I can only imagine that on expressway entrance ramps and high speed driving on the expressway with cars and trucks passing there will be no affect on the truck like there was before. Well worth the money for the drivability improvement.

Has anyone replaced the front factory sway bar with a hellwig? I was thinking that the factory bar is not as stiff as the hellwig (like Familyride said about the rear bar on his expy). So I look at the truck and think for the money involved it would be a good thing to do. Hellwig says it is a simple install but I cannot believe it. the front bar is installed above the torsion bars and I do not think it can be fished out without taking off the torsion bars. If anyone has done this please respond, I am interested in knowing. Thanks.

 

samjluck,
Your post is like you were standing there taking notes as I did my install. I did the install on a 2x4 and used the shorter shackles. I too did the install by myself and would also recommend having a friend with you. The front bar (on my 2x2) is almost impossible to get on without help (I had to use jack stands).
The hardware was just plain poor in the kit and they put nuts in with the wrong thread thus sending me to the hardware store also.
Good posts!!!!

BTW These bars are a great improvement on the handling of my truck. I also added NITTO NT 404's and the handling is outstanding...
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Black 1997 F-150 Supercab Flairside. 4.6L with Superchip, Jacobs DIS, K&N Generation II, Cat back Exhaust with Flowmaster 40 and MEG'S Stainless tip in front of rear wheel (nice rumble). 17" Off Road wheel pkg. Lots of body mods. 5 yrs old and still turns heads...and now paid for!! New is NITTO NT404 275/65/17's and Hellwig 1/7/16 front and 1 1/8 rear bar.

[This message has been edited by WLF (edited 04-08-2001).]

 

WLF, It is nice to know I am not totally out of my mind with this install and its bad instructions. While doing the install I was thinking I was not so bright. Auto mechanics is not something new to me and I was totally amazed at the poor instructions and pictures provided by hellwig. One exploded detail picture, two actual photos of an installed bar and 6 sentences, that is that complete instructions provided by hellwig! It is a good thing that the actual product they sell is great otherwise they would have been out of business long ago.

So you did do the front bar and it was a bear? I would like to do it but I am still concerned with the torsion bars on the 4x4 and if it will go on without removal of them. Anyone else out there who has done the front sway-bar on a 4x4?

 

So if not Hellwig, what other brand is there to buy? Sounds like "Hell"wig needs to work on their QC dept.

 

After reading all of the posts (mostly negative) about the Hellwig rear stabilizer bar, mine is sitting in the garage collecting dust. When I purchased my rear stabilizer bar, the part number indicated that it was specifically designed for my model of F150. However, it is my opinion that the bar is generic in nature, designed to fit many applications. Also, I don't understand why Hellwig does not provide Grade 8 hardware for their product, especially as it is being used as part of the suspension. The installation instructions are a joke. My instructions look like they have been photocopied 100 times, barely legible. The finish on the bar is terrible. When mine arrived, it was sealed in the packing carton. However, it had numerous scratches and places where the finish was down to bare metal. Someone should research and print out the numerous postings regarding the Hellwig stabilizer bar and send them to their CEO. As a consumer, I think we should expect to purchase a quality product designed for a specific application, not having to make modifications after purchase. That's my 2 cents worth!

 

It appears that the guys that have been successful installing the Hellwig have the older model Fords.

As I indicated in my earlier post, I turned the bar upside down to see if there was a differnece in the install. Same problem with shock mount and rotating the u-bolts to allow for the bar to pass the shock. It pulls the mounting bolts out of vertival alignment with the angle mounts on the frame.

I have not heard back from (Summitt Racing)who I ordered the bar from. I'll call them again for an update.


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T.Ray

My Ride:
2001 Lariat Screw, Dk. Highland Green/Arizona Beige, 5.4L 4x4,Tow Package, Off Road, 3.55 LS, Captain's Chairs, Slider, 6-Disc CD, Bed Extender

MODS:
K&N FIPK, Lund "Trident" Bug Shield, Catch-All Floor Liners, Stull Black Billet Grille, Westin Black Nerf Bars, Westin 1-Piece "Sportsman Grille Guard, Husky Splash Guards, V-Tech Slotted Tail Light Covers, Ventshade Vent Visors, Bedrug, A.R.E. Z-Series Cap, Dashmat Dash Cover.

Soon:
Superchip,
Gibson or Ravin Exhaust.

 

If you mount the bar under the axle chunk, the install should go fine. Mine did and I own a 97. Only thing i had to do was slightly bend one of the steel brake lines, hardly noticable. The u-bolts do not have to be vertically aligned for this bar to function properly. Just make sure that the bolts are not pointed toward the ground and the bar is centered under the frame rails of the truck. I agree the instructions stink, but this isnt like installing an engine.

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1997 XLT Reg. Cab, 4.2L V6, 5spd, Superchipped, K&N Air Filter, Lund Deflector, Dash Mat, Clear Corner Lenses, MagnaFlow Muffler, Hellwig Rear Sway Bar, Edelbrock Shocks, Duraliner, Extang Saber Tonneau, Painted Tailgate Handle, Bell-Tech 2" Rear Drop, Amer. Rac. Atlas Wheels Clad in 275/60/17 Eagle GTII. Likes straightaways, loves twisties.