Rear Sway Bar, Worth The Trouble?

blackchevy06 · January 14, 2008

i found a rear sway bar by belltech on stylin trucks for $215. in the instructions, you have to unbolt and move the gas tank out of the way, drill a few holes in the frame, relocate the emergency brake cable, and a few other things. i'm wanting to know if anyone has done this modification, and if it GREATLY affects handling? thanks.

marcus

jnpaddison · January 14, 2008

i did install a Hellwig rear sway bar on a GMT900 CrewCab - it did greatly improve handling while hitting the twisties - if i ever decided to hit the trails - i will have to disconect one of the links to gain articulation .. if your rear end sways and wobbles while making aggressive hard turnings - this will rememdy body roll - your next weakest link will be tire traction ..

( about the modification itselt to the GMT800 - cannot comment )

Wingnut · January 14, 2008

It's one of the best mods I've done on my TBSS. It handled good when I got it, the rear sway and stiffer bushings all around made it handle even better. A LOT better.

But it was a simple bolt-on job that took 30 minutes or so.

badmeds · January 14, 2008

The Hellwig bar is a better solution as the endpoints point to the rear of the truck and have better clearance. I used a Belltech on my old 99 Silverado and it was a nice addition but the ends of the bar pointed toward the front of the truck and these got roughed up when I used my truck off the pavement. (as well as making a hell of a clatter when dragging over a curb)

If you decide to go with the BellTech I used a magnet to drag the nuts to the appropriate location on the frame rather than mess with the gas tank. I recommend the Hellwig. BellTech may have changed since I installed mine in early 2000. I haven't ordered one for my new truck yet but a Hellwig is on the list.

Kevin

Wingnut · January 15, 2008

Oh, and every time I read something that tells me to remove the gas tank, it's usually 100x easier to just unbolt the bed to get at that location. It's 6 or 8 very easily accessed bolts and a few little things like the tail lights and gas filler neck. It really takes less than 10 minutes to remove the bed without power tools. Can't say the same about the gas tank.

Darkanion · January 15, 2008

Oh, and every time I read something that tells me to remove the gas tank, it's usually 100x easier to just unbolt the bed to get at that location. It's 6 or 8 very easily accessed bolts and a few little things like the tail lights and gas filler neck. It really takes less than 10 minutes to remove the bed without power tools. Can't say the same about the gas tank.

Good to know! I hadn't thought about that. Thanks!

dlstewart01 · January 15, 2008

You don't have to remove the gas tank. Just measure and drill the hole. About a foot from where drilled is a hole in the frame. Using a length of wire fastened to the anchor bolts slide through the frame and into the hole. Iv'e done this and it works.

If you are using an aftermarket diff cover that sticks out further than stock, the Belltec will not clear it.

Helwig will clear aftermarket diff covers, but will interfere with some aftermarket exhaust. Helwig will work with Corsa, at least the single pipe.

And yes its worth it.

Don

Edit: This is on 99 through 2007 Classic. I don't know about the New Body style.

Draenor · January 15, 2008

IMO, any type of swaybay addition is worth it. I'd do it in a heatbeat if I had the cash.

....well two heartbeats, The maggie is first.

Vmax08 · March 21, 2008

Just got done installing a Hellwig rear sway bar on my 2008 Sierra CC. Has anyone else done this? How is the fit in your opinion? I barely fit the spare back up there. Do you have the end links to the inside or outside of the bar? I mounted things the way they show and the end links hit my exhaust. Thanks in advannce.

jnpaddison · March 21, 2008

i ended up getting (2) rear stab bars sent to me - the first was a sh*t fit - it wasnt manufactured sysmetrical

are both of the hangers on the upper tube touching the frame - had to do some grind-work there ..

Vmax08 · March 21, 2008

i ended up getting (2) rear stab bars sent to me - the first was a sh*t fit - it wasnt manufactured sysmetrical

are both of the hangers on the upper tube touching the frame - had to do some grind-work there ..

I had to grind an 1/8 inch off the shock mount per the instructions on the drivers side. The upper hanger actually fits over the the shock mount not between the mount and the frame with the bar centered on the axle. I left every thing loose per the instructions and centered everything up then tightened in place. The bar is centered on the axle but I had to move the passenger side end link to the inside because it hit the exhaust pipe which made for a tight fit for the spare. Do you have your upper mounts hanging straight down or rotated to the back of the truck? Are your end links to the inside or outside of the bar? How hard were the nuts to tighten? I had a hard time with the lock nuts. Thought about just using regular nuts. Thanks.

jnpaddison · March 21, 2008

I'll take a look

jnpaddison · March 22, 2008

axle brackets from horziontal = about 30 degree down ,,

bracket from spare tire is vertical - 'tie rod vertical

stab bar is mounted in-between 'tie-rods' - bolts facing inbd ..

Vmax08 · March 22, 2008

axle brackets from horziontal = about 30 degree down ,,
bracket from spare tire is vertical - 'tie rod vertical

stab bar is mounted in-between 'tie-rods' - bolts facing inbd ..

Thanks for checking. I think I have the brackets on the axle rotated to close to horizontal. If I rotate them down a bit I should be able to rotate the spare tire brackets back to vertical.

jnpaddison · March 24, 2008

make sure the unit is symetrical - especially where it mounts to the axle - the 'flat' of the bar where the bushings go - should be about the same amount of length