I have a 2015 Ford E450 and was going to upgrade the front sway bar with a Helwig. I watched a Youtube video and it seemed simple enough, 2 bolts on the end and 2 brackets held with 2 bolts. But when I tried to remove the bracket bolts, the fronts were next to impossible to remove. I even tried a pipe over the ratchet for leverage and it hardly moved. I gave up and retightened. Going to have to take it in to a shop. Sure looked simple on Youtube with just a ratchet. Any thoughts?

What makes you think it needs replacing? If there is a problem in the ride and handling, did it just show up after one year? Was there a problem during the test drive? :hBefore spending inordinate amounts of money on after market gear perhaps all that is needed is to weigh the rig an inflate your tires to the proper psi... which can be much cheaper than searching for a solution for which there is no real problem (the government does this a lot).

I say this having not seen one, but I'm told the late model (2008 and newer) chassis uses larger bolts on the sway bar brackets and a much higher torque than earlier models. I can't say I understand why, but some engineer at Ford apparently did. My guess is that the bolts are self-tapping and of course were driven at the factory with power tools. Hot metal probably galled the threads at that time, and a little rust has locked thinks up even more since.Before you give up, suggest you wait a day or two and see if somebody who's done that bar on that chassis responds. Or call Hellwig and see if they've heard of it. If you're using a 3/8" drive socket set, I'd suspect it isn't enough for the oversized fasteners. I also don't know your strength, agility, or positioning under the coach. But I think it should come off at home with hand tools, or blow those bolts out with an impact. Can you get at the threads at all? Some WD40 or similar could be a big help. Go one way a half turn, spray, go the other way, spray and repeat.Just found a PM from "deprived", an OP who did a front axle upgrade and added a late model Hellwig bar. I PM'd him and asked him to look at this thread to see if he could help. He did say the torque on the front bolts is 115, the rear only 18. 115 is a lot of torque to overcome with a short ratchet and you flat on your back. I'd say, Persevere! Should be able to get it.

BluegrassBill wrote:Impact wrench.X2, and WD-40 or rust blaster on the threads of the bolts. Never put a pipe extension on a ratchet! Instead use a large breaker bar, then a pipe if needed.

Starting to wonder if the OEM install uses something like red Loc-Tite on those bolts. Maybe call a shop that does a lot of suspension work like Henderson in Grants Pass OR or NW QuadVan in Portland. Ask for John, at either place.If it's in fact the RED product, the fastener should be heated till the Loc-Tite softens.

Great difficulty changing Front Sway Bar | Good Sam Community

19 Replies

deprived
Explorer
Oct 14, 2016
I just saw this post.

I've replaced my 2007 front-end before and it was, in terms of the front sway-bar, relatively easy. But I had a 2007 and the two bolts on the 2007 sway bar are fairly small and have low foot-pound specs. The newer sway-bar has a spec of 110 ft-lbs on the front-most sway-bar bolt, if I recall correctly. And it is a pretty big bolt.

I can't say for sure what specific problems the OP is dealing with, but if that factory bolt is at spec, then it just needs some muscle.
Olddud
Explorer
Sep 13, 2016
smkettner wrote:
BluegrassBill wrote:
Impact wrench.
+1
My 120v 350 lb/ft Craftsman does great.
I have the same one, and it works very well.
time2roll
Nomad
Sep 13, 2016
BluegrassBill wrote:
Impact wrench.
+1
My 120v 350 lb/ft Craftsman does great.
DAS26miles
Explorer II
Sep 13, 2016
Going to do the rear also, but budget restraints holding me back til next month.
tarnold
Explorer
Sep 12, 2016
Got my Rear Helwig installed by myself without much difficulty. Drove rear up on ramps to get more room to work. Jack stands under frame for safety. Hold new bar up with jack stands by rear axel. Ratchet straps to hold up front part of bar. Just be REAL careful you don't pinch the fuel line. Took me over an hour to figure that one out when it wouldn't start.
j-d
Explorer II
Sep 12, 2016
Sorry you had this grief. At least we know the WHY of it. Wish I could help you. If I could get close I'd be under there with a (big) wrench.

By the way, Bryan (carringb) doesn't put out bad info. Just doesn't. I made a point to extend a trip to meet him and the man is amazing. So, trust Bryan and plan on a Hellwig bar for the rear. And at least a helper or one of our OP's for the installation or hire it out.

If you were uncomfortable with the front you'd be miserable with the rear. First, the rear bar is 1/8" more diameter, adding weight. Then, its configuration means it's also a longer bar of steel than the front. So noticeably heavier. And, mounting its end links takes a little more reaching and stretching than the front does. But what made it more difficult than front for me, was that the work is closer to the ground and under a much bigger area of the RV than the front.
DAS26miles
Explorer II
Sep 12, 2016
DAS26miles wrote:
I recall seeing a bit of blue on the threads, so it must be the blue locktite. Going to let the alignment shop install it. I don't have the tools and I'm getting to old for this stuff! Thanks for all the info, only wish I had know this before as I would never have attempted it.

I did it in the correct direction and was able to remove them about a 1/4" after many short hard pulls. I don't know how long the bolt is. I'm sore from it.
jtrux
Explorer
Sep 12, 2016
I don't know if it was mentioned or not, but since I've made this mistake myself, I'll bring it up. Did you try breaking them loose in the right direction? I've gotten disoriented when laying on my back looking a bolt that's facing upwards under a vehicle and tried turning a bolt the wrong way.

No offense should be taken; just bringing it up since I have done it myself.
DAS26miles
Explorer II
Sep 12, 2016
I recall seeing a bit of blue on the threads, so it must be the blue locktite. Going to let the alignment shop install it. I don't have the tools and I'm getting to old for this stuff! Thanks for all the info, only wish I had know this before as I would never have attempted it.
carringb
Explorer
Sep 12, 2016
A little heat and an impact should do the trick. The bolts were upsized because the old bolts could pull through under extreme conditions.

I do recommend only adding the Hellwig front sway bar in conjunction with a Hellwig rear sway bar. Without it, the MH will understeer even more, and could even see front wheel lift if you crank it really hard. Your roll stiffness should roughly correspond with your weight bias.