I have seen the pro's & con's of both systems listed here. I am wondering which is the better way to go for the money for everday handling on the street. Steeda seems to have any easy system to install for a swaybar and the Roadmaster also looks good. Anyones thoughts would be appreciated.

 

A sway bar on the rear of your truck is always a good addition. I have heard people that have the roadmaster and most seem to like it especially if you do a lot of towing. I would start with a swaybar first though.

 

I have the Steeda rear bar and would not recommend it. Delivery took much longer than they said and Steeda did not include the front urethane bushings that I special ordered, then Steeda had no record that I'd even ordered them at all (even though I went through the trouble of multiple phone calls to provide Steeda with the correct Energy Suspension Part #).

The Steeda rear bar hangs well below the differential and costs about 2" of ground clearance.

But the BIGGEST problem was the metal plates for the mounting of the middle section of the bar. These plates are designed to sandwich over your truck's lowerlower shock mounts. Unfortunately, the holes in the plates are too far apart to use the existing holes in the shock mounts. Also, there is insufficient clearance between the sway bar mount bolt heads and the bottom of the shock eye (w/ Edelbrock shocks).

The only solution was either to send the bar back (big hassle after waiting a month) or do what I did - modify the Steeda mounting plates by cutting out a section the plates. I still had shock/bolt interferance so I had to go to the hardware store and get bolts with thinner heads. There still wasn't enough room so I had to forgo running the innner metal plat and replace it with big washers between the bolt head and the shock mount. VERY POOR design, does not work with the parts provided.

Don't get the Steeda rear bar! BTW, the Edelbrock shocks do a surprisingly good job reducing body roll during cornering.



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1999 XLT S/C, 4.2 V-6, auto, 3.55 rear, dark torreador red/harvest gold, Ford bed liner

Clarion ARX8570z Head Unit, Sony 10 disc CD, Infinity 610cs components & JBL GTO7520 speakers; USAcousitcs 4065 amp and Polk 8" subwoofer

Edelbrock IAS, Energy Suspension anti-sway bar bushings, Steeda Rear Anti-sway bar, 2" rear drop.

Superchip, Airaid FIPK, Flex-a-Lite Black Magic electric fan



[This message has been edited by dirt bike dave (edited 05-26-2001).]

 

I tried to order a Steeda Bar the day before yesterday and was told that it was not available for an F150 with rear disc brakes. I am not a mechanic but I can turn a wrench and I can not figure out why that would make a difference. Oh well looks like a roadmaster system. I had the hellwig but sent it back as I was not happy with the fit or the hardware.

[This message has been edited by BlckF150Lariat (edited 05-27-2001).]

[This message has been edited by BlckF150Lariat (edited 05-27-2001).]

 

Could someone fill me in on this "roadmaster" system mentioned in this post? I am not familiar with it. I have been thinking about a rear anti-sway bar to tame some of the body roll, but it sounds like some of you have experienced some problems. Any suggestions? Thanks.