Rear Sway Bracketry Mod

[Doppleganger]

I have a Hellwig rear sway bar - the original setup and hardware is pathetic. To line the bar up as they say to (and they were 180* incorrect on a 4WD application), the geometry is all wrong and there are plenty of bad reviews about the links bending and breaking in a short time. They also want new holes drilled in the frame....which isn't happening.

So I'm doing a very rough mock up of something I would hope would work better. I have a full 20 min or so into this so its just a start. The material would be 3" x 1/4" CRS. It would attach at 3 existing holes (VERY close to where they wanted new ones drilled) with a plate on the backside / inside of the frame as well. There would also be 2 gussets at the bottom right angle. I set this up with the bar exactly squared and perpendicular to the axle, which was impossible the way they wanted it installed.

Does this design look ok - with just the 2 rubber bushings at the bottom (might sandwich the bottom plate too)? It eliminates the 7/16" threaded rods they included (with sleeves) for the end links - that reviewers say buckle and break. It also allows me to use 5/8" GR8 bolts too.

THX

How they had it:

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What would hopefully replace it:

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[Craig 85]

I would be afraid there would not be enough side movement to your new set up. I'm thinking entering a driveway or ditch at an angle and having the axle crossed up a bit. Just my 2 cents.

 

[bucket]

I'm certain those brackets would crack near the bar mounts in short order.

I would shorten the design of your brackets and use standard type end links, similar to the Hellwig setup. Basically, just make brackets that improve the geometry and utilize stock holes in the frame.

 

[Doppleganger]

Thanks fellas - thats all along the lines / doubts I had. Seemed too solid. That was 20 min of 'a start'. My second guess actually was this look, about half as long with 5/8" end links. Originals are GR5 7/16". I guess I could use that with GR8 rods if I wanted. Dunno.

My father in law had an early 90s Taurus and it had rear end links thicker than what Hellwig sent for this bar. lol

THX!

 

[Doppleganger]

This any better? Or what I should ask, will this work with no issues?

THX!

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[bucket]

How thick of plate to you plan to use? 1/4"? I did a halfass edit of your picture where I would incorporate a tab gusset into the main plate, and then a gusset to support the bottom tab. Ideally, that gusset would also tie into the bottom of the frame, but it's probably not needed if the plate is thick enough. The red lines show what is just an appendage that can be removed for cleanliness.

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The bottom tab and gusset would probably be fine as 3/16".

 

[Doppleganger]

The stock I have on hand is 3" x 1/4". Thats a hair thicker than the original brackets Hellwig included. There was going to be gussets on the sway's plate for sure.

Yeah - the lower plate was going to be shaped better - just trying to get a general layout of something that will work without the small links sitting at a strained forward angle.

 

[Doppleganger]

A little update......brackets are made. Since this pic, I smoothed the welds a bit with a ball grinder. They are presently at the 'solon' getting powder coated. I'll post pics of them installed as soon as I get them back.

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[Doppleganger]

Final update: got the brackets back from powder coating and installed. Had to loosen everything up to get things in place. Fits just like it should - I'm happy with it....I think. Hoping the (4) 1/2" poly bushings per side provide enough spring / give.

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[Raider L]

@Doppleganger,
The only thing I would have done different was allow about 5/8" more metal past where the end link hole is in your bracket. This just reinforces the hole area so that if it gets in a bind it won't have any tendency to crack right there. And yeah, with the gussets you put in there will reinforce 1/4" well enough. I wouldn't be concerned about it. If anything happens it's not going to be catastrophic. At least you'll see what else and where else you need to beef it up. To test it I would drive the hell out of it to see if it holds up. I've done a lot of design work with the airlines, and that's usually something you work into the design with math. But eventually you're going to have to test it beyond the limit of your design. Otherwise it looks great. Is what Hellwig sent you is the first photo? That looks like a hefty end link bolt. Is that their bracket? How thick was it? Did you bolt it to the existing holes in the frame? What does it look like where it's bolted to the frame? Are you going to think about a panhard bar?

 

[Doppleganger]

@Doppleganger,
The only thing I would have done different was allow about 5/8" more metal past where the end link hole is in your bracket. This just reinforces the hole area so that if it gets in a bind it won't have any tendency to crack right there. And yeah, with the gussets you put in there will reinforce 1/4" well enough. I wouldn't be concerned about it. If anything happens it's not going to be catastrophic. At least you'll see what else and where else you need to beef it up. To test it I would drive the hell out of it to see if it holds up. I've done a lot of design work with the airlines, and that's usually something you work into the design with math. But eventually you're going to have to test it beyond the limit of your design. Otherwise it looks great. Is what Hellwig sent you is the first photo? That looks like a hefty end link bolt. Is that their bracket? How thick was it? Did you bolt it to the existing holes in the frame? What does it look like where it's bolted to the frame? Are you going to think about a panhard bar?

Yes - what Hellwig sent is in post #1. Terrible design -was more like a cobbled after thought (their tech even told me they had no idea how it mounted so they 'improvised'....iow, cobbled). The room between the end link and the edge of the hole is a tad more than how it looks. That bushing is so oversized (and stepped) it kind of skews the perspective. They sent 7/16 Grade 5(?) bolts for the end links - ones that reviewers said broke after 2 yrs or less (riding at an angle). I replaced them with 1/2" Grade 8 bolts - which, riding perpendicular should help alot. The holes in the frame they are mounted to were existing holes on both sides. The smaller plate on the inside of the frame I added just for reinforcement - like a giant washer.

Panhard bar? Installed them alot on cars - never saw them on a square....let alone a K series. Who has those?