Anyone running a hellwig rear swaybar on a 4th gen? thoughts?

[WKTJR1]

I actually got my bar today. It looks fine, smooth, with even paint. I don’t feel like the bar is the issue; it’s the mounting system. I’ve also been looking at the brackets and plates. The issue, in my opinion, is the oblong slots. At a minimum, they should have at least one hole and one oblong slot for adjustability.

Second, I still have a hard time believing the torque spec is correct, but I’m not an engineer. I’m going to install it and add some hardened steel washers to help spread the clamping force, then mark it up. I’ll run it for a bunch of miles and see what we get. I didn’t buy directly from Helwig, but I may reach out with my concerns and see what kind of response I get.

Sponsored

 

[Ironhide]

For a quick reference, here is a copy of the OE torque specs.

 

[slater]

I ordered from e-trailer, ironhide got his from summit, doesnt really matter....
heres something you will absolutely scratch your head about.

I spoke to Andrew the lead fabricator / engineer at hellwig to get clarification.

You need to center the bar before lightning everything down.
Trying to mirror the U plate position while both bars are on the bench just doesnt work...

Once you install the bar & tightened the U plate bolts to the diff while centering the plates as best as you can.

Then I secured the sway bar link nuts

You need to center the bar before securing the clam shells that keeps the bar center & keeps the bar from shifting side to side.

I was told to measure the distance between the flats of the bar where the sway bar links mount, to the inside sidewall of the tire roughly at the same place on both sides.
making the distance from the flat to the tire the same on both sides.

I just happen to have a metal dowel for a 3 jaw puller that was precisely the correct length,
You can shift & center the bar in its rubber mounts & get it centered, while everything is secure.

Then I tightened the clam shells.

This is how I was told to do it from the mechanical brains of the operation.

I used the the inside sway bar link hole which is suppose to provide the most stiffness, closest to the meat of the bar.

 

[slater]

I torqued mine to 27 ft lbs as stated, I truly torqued everything....
Not the best pics but theres no marks on the U plates showing indication / witness marks that theres movement...
The studs are stationary so if the plates have been shifting since March, I think I would see some halos.....

 

[slater]

I didnt get a good side profile look, but from my pics im not seeing much thread left at the end of the studs which would equate to the washers being a good idea....

 

[slater]

 

[slater]

As I stated, I didnt pull the driveshaft as instructed, didnt touch it at all...
I secured everything with all 4 tires flat on level ground.

Did use a floor jack on the trailer hitch cross bar just to go up some while the swap took place, from there I dropped it.

 

[WKTJR1]

Thanks for the photos; they show everything very well. I’m not overly concerned at this point. I’ll install it and evaluate. If Hellwig is truly going to test and evaluate a Tacoma, perhaps a fix will happen and current owners can get upgraded parts.

Sponsored