Helwig rear sway bar install?

[Jaybr]

I’m installing rear sway bar and in order to clear the leaf spring clamps I’ve had to rotate the axle brackets much further up than most of the pics I’ve seen. Anyone think this will be an issue? Thought I’d better get some expert opinions before I drill holes in the frame.

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[Oldtimer]

You have sway bar mounted on TOP of axle.
Hellwig shows it mounted on FRONT of axle.
Can you show a picture of interferance when sway bar is rotated forward?

 

[Jaybr]

You have sway bar mounted on TOP of axle.
Hellwig shows it mounted on FRONT of axle.
Can you show a picture of interferance when sway bar is rotated forward?

View attachment 898634

View attachment 898635

Thanks for the response. When I started with the bar mounted on front of axle the end of the bar makes contact with the clamp on the leaf springs. The picture you posted must be a newer version in which the sway bar is narrower than mine. My links are straight, the ones in the pic you posted are offset. Mine is a brand new unit I purchased 3 years ago and just got around to installing.

 

[Oldtimer]

I got the picture from Hellwig's website.
You might contact them, and see what they recommend.

 

[.94 OR]

Maybe I have been bending wrenches all wrong this whole time. On the last picture with the diagram of which tool goes on which end of the bolt, I try to hold the bolt with the wrench and turn the nut with the socket. This requires less effort since I'm not spinning the bolt until it gets tight. Thoughts? Or should I completely change my ways?

 

[Jaybr]

Maybe I have been bending wrenches all wrong this whole time. On the last picture with the diagram of which tool goes on which end of the bolt, I try to hold the bolt with the wrench and turn the nut with the socket. This requires less effort since I'm not spinning the bolt until it gets tight. Thoughts? Or should I completely change my ways?

Lol, I tend to turn the nut too, but does it really matter? I also tend to use a tool with batteries.


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[Jaybr]

I got the picture from Hellwig's website.
You might contact them, and see what they recommend.

I’ll call them or James Duff where I purchased tomorrow. I was hoping someone had run into this and respond so I could finish this up this weekend. Really busy at work these days and don’t get to the garage as much as I’d like during the week. The fact that they redesigned it making it narrower tells me others have run into this issue on the old style like I have.


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[.94 OR]

I would wonder if the actual bar was originally designed for a wider width axle/frame and they attempted to shoehorn it in there. Realizing this wasn't the best option, they drew up a narrower bar.

 

[Jaybr]

I would wonder if the actual bar was originally designed for a wider width axle/frame and they attempted to shoehorn it in there. Realizing this wasn't the best option, they drew up a narrower bar.

Good question! The inside of the bar is about the exact width of the outside frame rails. I took a couple more pics that will hopefully give a better idea of what I’m dealing with.

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[DirtDonk]

More than likely, they designed it around the original spring, which didn’t have a clamp there. At least not one with a bolt.
Since a lot of the sway bars were being installed with aftermarket springs, they probably started getting these kinds of phone calls pretty quick. Maybe that prompted them to build a narrower bar?

Another thing you can try is reversing the bolt in the clamp. If the nut side sticks out slightly farther than the hex head side, reversing that one bolt would give you at least a slight improvement.

 

[Jaybr]

More than likely, they designed it around the original spring, which didn’t have a clamp there. At least not one with a bolt.
Since a lot of the sway bars were being installed with aftermarket springs, they probably started getting these kinds of phone calls pretty quick. Maybe that prompted them to build a narrower bar?

Another thing you can try is reversing the bolt in the clamp. If the nut side sticks out slightly farther than the hex head side, reversing that one bolt would give you at least a slight improvement.

The pic in instructions show lift blocks which move the spring out of the way. They also have the axle mount between front and top of axle, mine is just more toward top but not all the way to top. The position I have it in now looks like it will clear everything, but if the axle moves forward while driving the bar could make contact.

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[Jaybr]

Just got off the phone with Helwig, there is a new version of the swaybar that is narrower to provide clearance with the springs. My solution of rotating the axle clamps up to pull the bar ends back is the right solution and will work fine. The main thing they want is the bar parallel to the ground, which I will have with my setup.

 

[Jaybr]

Finished it up tonight, along with the front.

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[gnsteam]

Well I guess you are not the only one with this issue. Saw this thread and headed out to check my set up. Mine is a little different, with working around the JD torque tammer. But still very close to the spring clamp plate and the leaf bracket. Mine is loosely mounted at this point so I can move it around. As you I purchased the kit in early 2021. Which must have been before they changed the design. Always something to have to work around. Oh well.

 

[Oldtimer]

Finished it up tonight, along with the front.

Can you post photos of front swaybar showing now it fits around steering box/pitman arm, and relationship of attach point at axle with tie rod ends at full turn?

 

[Jaybr]

Well I guess you are not the only one with this issue. Saw this thread and headed out to check my set up. Mine is a little different, with working around the JD torque tammer. But still very close to the spring clamp plate and the leaf bracket. Mine is loosely mounted at this point so I can move it around. As you I purchased the kit in early 2021. Which must have been before they changed the design. Always something to have to work around. Oh well.

Yeah, mine is very close to the plate too, I thought about trimming the corner of the plate. Guess I'll keep an eye on it after I start driving it and make sure it's not making contact.

Can you post photos of front swaybar showing now it fits around steering box/pitman arm, and relationship of attach point at axle with tie rod ends at full turn?

Sure, I'll take some tomorrow

 

[Jaybr]

Hope these help, everything clears even at full suspension drop.


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