rear sway bar?

sonomadude4x4 · Post by **sonomadude4x4** » Tue Aug 16, 2011 8:19 pm

need to raise the rear of the crew i sit 1 1/2 inches higher in the front need to level it out some but really dont wana do the add a leaf to the rear so shackles in the rear seem the way to go but i do a fair amout of towing and have read that towing with shackles isnt the best thing so my question is what about shackles and a rear sway bar good or bad idea?

riceburnr2005 · Post by **riceburnr2005** » Wed Aug 17, 2011 12:22 am

All depends on what your gonna be towing. I have 2" shackles and i can put my motorcycle in the bed and pull a trailer with 2 atv's at the same time and have no problems.

riceburnr2005 · Post by **riceburnr2005** » Wed Aug 17, 2011 12:23 am

Oh and i dont have a sway bar in the rear.

Horsehammerr · Post by **Horsehammerr** » Wed Aug 17, 2011 4:37 am

The only thing a rear sway bar helps is Highway cornering. Very stable with very little cab lean. You will notice a titer steering and a little understeer but it is very controlable with practice.

Post by **HenryJ** » Wed Aug 17, 2011 4:52 am

The rear sway bar will not help locate the rear axle for towing with extended shackles. Pulling a trailer the longer shackles may allow too much lateral movement and the driveshaft can rub the fuel tank. Ask Hobie how he knows

You should be able to find the tale of his experience.
A track bar or panard rod might help this, but that would mean relocating a shock and adding brackets.
If you plan to tow a heavy trailer the best advice is to avoid longer shackles and opt for springs on the back.

sonomadude4x4 · Post by **sonomadude4x4** » Wed Aug 17, 2011 6:10 am

I would go for the springs but I don't want it to ride like a dump truck lol

Post by **HenryJ** » Wed Aug 17, 2011 6:42 am

Don't add a single leaf if you don't want the harsh ride. A progressive pack is what you want. Talk to your local spring shop and do some reading about the Boise Springworks kit.
I too did not want a harsh ride. It was a little firmer, but by no means harsh. A very nice ride.
There are quite a few who did the BSW kit and had similar results. In fact I think the wrong choice of shocks can be a much worse decision when it comes to a smooth ride.
If you plan to pull a heavy trailer there is no good answer other than to make the rear springs function as needed.

Horsehammerr · Post by **Horsehammerr** » Wed Aug 17, 2011 9:03 am

HenryJ wrote:The rear sway bar will not help locate the rear axle for towing with extended shackles. Pulling a trailer the longer shackles may allow too much lateral movement and the driveshaft can rub the fuel tank. Ask Hobie how he knows You should be able to find the tale of his experience.
A track bar or panard rod might help this, but that would mean relocating a shock and adding brackets.
If you plan to tow a heavy trailer the best advice is to avoid longer shackles and opt for springs on the back.

Not sure what you mean by " locate the rear axle for towing ". All I said was that the sway bar reduced the cab lean and tightened up the steering to a little understeer. I'm happier with the understeer in hot corners, a lot more control .

I am only up 1 1/2" and that was simply to get rid of the chevy sag and level it out.

riceburnr2005 · Post by **riceburnr2005** » Wed Aug 17, 2011 9:46 am

Oh yea i forgot all about the bsw kit. I agree that would do u good

Post by **HenryJ** » Wed Aug 17, 2011 10:09 am

Horsehammerr wrote:
HenryJ wrote:The rear sway bar will not help locate the rear axle for towing with extended shackles...
Not sure what you mean by " locate the rear axle for towing "...

With extended shackles and a side load the axle can shift to the side since we do not have the panard rod that the ZR2 package includes. This became very evident when Toby pulled a racecar on a trailer after installing extended shackles.
A panard rod or track locator would act to keep the axle centered under the frame and eliminate this problem. A sway bar doesn't help in this case.
My post was directed at the OP in this thread and his concerns over towing with shackles. I just wanted to be clear that a sway bar will not correct the problem.

paintballrocker · Post by **paintballrocker** » Wed Aug 17, 2011 3:58 pm

ladder bars?

Post by **HenryJ** » Wed Aug 17, 2011 4:09 pm

Ladder bars serve to locate the axle fore and aft. They limit axle rotation. They will not help with side loading either.
With ladder bars a track bar can be installed. This bar is installed from the front of one bar to the rear on the other side to triangulate the axle and prevent it from shifting to the side. SW Racecars shows a couple examples of axle locators

I run Alston ladders and track bar on the HenryJ

You can see the track bar in that picture.

I am not suggesting that this would be a good option. I really don't think there are adequate clearances for a "stock truck"

killian96ss · Post by **killian96ss** » Wed Aug 17, 2011 9:07 pm

A new spring pack will prevent rear end sag when towing a heavy load and it will help reduce some body sway, but not as much as a sway bar. Helper springs whether half or full leaf will give similar results but will not be progressive like a good multi leave spring pack. A sway bar alone will not help control side to side axle movement while towing and it will greatly reduce rear end flex when off roading. Longer shackles will work just fine for towing if you also upgrade the bushings to polyurethane which nearly eliminates any side to side axle movement. When I had my CC I tried some half leaf Summit sway control plus helper springs, and then I tried some Daystar 2-1/2" lift greasable polyurethane shackles. Both worked pretty good, but had different results. The helper springs lifted the rear about 2", firmed up the rear end, and made the truck corner really good, while still allowing the rear to flex when off roading. The only downside was that the firmer rear end amplified bumpy roads and potholes. My wife liked everything except the bumpy ride so I switched to shackles and polyurethane bushings. After the switch I lost some of the cornering, but gained more height, a better ride, and better rear end flex. Because I also did the bushings, I actually reduced side to side axle movement. As far as cost the most expensive option is a new spring pack, then shackles & bushings, followed by helper springs. I can't say that any one of these options is better than the other, but I can say that all 3 will work with towing and to raise the rear. Your planned usage for the truck and budget should make the decision easy for you.

Steve

Horsehammerr · Post by **Horsehammerr** » Thu Aug 18, 2011 4:14 am

Thanks for a " complete " explanation Steve.

And I never suggested that a sway bar had ANY effect on towing ability.

green02crew · Post by **green02crew** » Sat Aug 20, 2011 3:39 am

I have a single add a leaf and also 2" lift shackles in the rear. I tow a LOT and heavy loads. 4 place snowmobile trailer loaded w/ sleds, atv in the back and so on. I have had the driveshaft rub on my gas tank skid plate. Without that, I don't think I would have any rub. A BFH can cure lots of rubbing issues.

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