Ford E450 sway bar?,s

[suprz]

My 2006 E450 has the original sway bars and sway bar links. I cannot afford new hellwig sway bars at this point. I am wondering if anyone has changed the original sway bar links, bushings, etc and how much of a difference it makes.

[OFDPOS]

Well we'll see how long it takes to get them.
I ordered both the front and rear Hellwig sway bars from SD.
I ordered a set of end links off Amazon for the front bar.

Looking forward to installing them.
JD you busy ? lol

[j-d]

I haven't seen late model Ford E-Series sway bars, so the ones I looked up on RockAuto that looked like tie rod ends, surprised me. Years ago, I wanted to rebuild the front sway bar in a 1983 E350, and NAPA's kit had hard black poly plastic bushings. NO rubbery "give" in those. I didn't replace the center bushings, just the end links, and the improvement with those hard bushings was amazing.

[OFDPOS]

mrmomb wrote:
I replaced front and rear sway bars with Hellwigs. The rear came with new end links however the front uses Ford's stock mushy end links. Are there any aftermarket stiffer end links available that are recommended?

Yep looking at mine and thinking the same thing !
Why doesn't Hellwig include new front end links with the kit ?

I'm looking to replace both front and rear, but will find new end links before installing the front bar...

Found front end links from Moog on Amazon for $26.60 , but these have zerk fitting to add grease , instead of the stock non serviceable ones...

[ron_dittmer]

j-d wrote:
A wheelbase that's long enough to have a good WB-to-Length ratio, is also going to cause a good front axle loading.

This is my "wheelbase conspiracy theory:" In coaches bigger than about 24-feet, the manufacturer wants to hang a walkaround queen bedroom like the 31-footers have. They don't want wheel wells in the bedroom, so that bedroom starts AFT OF THE AXLE, regardless of the overall coach length. A 31-foot can handle that because the rest of 31-feet goes between the axles. That weight provides good loading on the front axle. It also relieves some of the load on the rear axle. I realize that's another way of saying the same thing. But I'll tell you this: Look at a coach, particularly a Class C, where it seems the House part (not counting the cab-over) is "balanced" (meaning centered) on the rear axle, looking from the side. You're looking at one that's going to have handling problems, an overly light front axle, and possibly an overloaded rear axle.

OH, if the coach is rear-end-heavy, all the more reason for an upgraded rear sway bar.

I "Totally Agree" with you. 100% !!!

[j-d]

To me, it's almost like "Is it Dark out?" vs. "Is there no Sunlight?"

A wheelbase that's long enough to have a good WB-to-Length ratio, is also going to cause a good front axle loading.

This is my "wheelbase conspiracy theory:" In coaches bigger than about 24-feet, the manufacturer wants to hang a walkaround queen bedroom like the 31-footers have. They don't want wheel wells in the bedroom, so that bedroom starts AFT OF THE AXLE, regardless of the overall coach length. A 31-foot can handle that because the rest of 31-feet goes between the axles. That weight provides good loading on the front axle. It also relieves some of the load on the rear axle. I realize that's another way of saying the same thing. But I'll tell you this: Look at a coach, particularly a Class C, where it seems the House part (not counting the cab-over) is "balanced" (meaning centered) on the rear axle, looking from the side. You're looking at one that's going to have handling problems, an overly light front axle, and possibly an overloaded rear axle.

OH, if the coach is rear-end-heavy, all the more reason for an upgraded rear sway bar.

[pnichols]

ron.dittmer wrote:
I think people driving shorter rigs with large rear overhangs notice a bigger improvement with HD bars due to the poor ratio of "wheel base to length" but all rigs benefit.

That raises an interesting question: What do you think is more important - a good "wheel base to length" ratio, or a good "weight on front axle to overall weight ratio" ... and why?

And also - which bad ratio of one or the other of the two above would benefit most from adequate front and rear sway bars ... and why?

[IAMICHABOD]

j-d wrote:

IAMICHABOD wrote:
Yes the newer 4500 chassis comes with a Rear Stabilizing Bar

From what I can tell from the video, that rear sway bar looks like a worthwhile one. My guess is at least 1-1/4 inch maybe bigger, a lot more than Ford installs. The Hellwig rear bars for Class C are 1-1/2, and the Chevy bar could be that or close.

Yes the 4500 rear bar is 1 1/2 inches, same as mine on a Workhorse Chevy Chassis Chassis. The Helwig after market ones are also 1 1/2 inches.

[Newbiecampers]

Thanks j-d and IAMICHABOD.

[j-d]

IAMICHABOD wrote:
Yes the newer 4500 chassis comes with a Rear Stabilizing Bar

From what I can tell from the video, that rear sway bar looks like a worthwhile one. My guess is at least 1-1/4 inch maybe bigger, a lot more than Ford installs. The Hellwig rear bars for Class C are 1-1/2, and the Chevy bar could be that or close.

[IAMICHABOD]

Newbiecampers wrote:
Does anybody know if a Chevy 4500 chassis would benefit from a hellwig-type (or any other company) sway bar upgrade?

I did a quick search here and could not come up with anything. I also searched online and did not find any hellwig product for a chevy 4500 after the 2009 model year, unless my search-foo failed.

Do the chevy 4500 chassis come with better swaybars from the factory?

We may be getting a class C on a chevy 4500 chassis that is a 2012 or 2013 model year.

Thanks

Yes the newer 4500 chassis comes with a Rear Stabilizing Bar You should not have to replace it or up grade. The 4500 Chassis is built for the heavier loads.

My 2006 Tioga on a Chevy Chassis has the same rear suspension as the 4500 and it rides, and handles very well with no upgrades needed.

[ron_dittmer]

I think people who don't have heavy duty front and rear stabilizer bars on their E350/E450 rig, don't realize what they are missing out on. It is also possible that they have heavy duty front and rear stabilizer bars, but they don't realize it. Maybe the previous owner or RV manufacture added them.

I think people driving shorter rigs with large rear overhangs notice a bigger improvement with HD bars due to the poor ratio of "wheel base to length" but all rigs benefit.

[j-d]

blownstang01 wrote:
...I just drove through a pretty major thunderstorm on our way to Nashville last week (no real easy place to pull over), between these sway bars and a proper alignment with 6+ degrees caster the difference in handling in the wind is truly huge. At least for me, worth every penny...

OP's like myself and Dittmer aren't compensated to promote suspension improvements. We testify to it because it WORKS!

Same with Harvard and increased CASTER. We're survivors of major RV diseases, and went to shout from the rooftops that You Can Do It Too!

[j-d]

Newbiecampers wrote:
Does anybody know if a Chevy 4500 chassis would benefit from a hellwig-type (or any other company) sway bar upgrade?

Let me tell you what I don't know, and what I DO know.

I don't know if a 4500 comes with sway bars, and
If 4500 DOES come with sway bars, I don't know if they're big enough th help with the handling of a Class C.

I DO know that Fords DO come with Front and sometimes Rear sway bars and those OEM bars are inadequate.

I also DO know that a 1-1/2 inch Hellwig rear sway bar makes a big improvement in a 3500 that didn't start out with one. I know this because I helped install it, then rode in it, then got the most important endorsement of all: Our OP's DW approved! A lot of what they were looking for was less rocking when parked on a campsite. It provided that, as well as improved driving.

We like Hellwig bars around here because thy have the same specs as Roadmaster at a much lower price. You can buy Front and Rear in Hellwig for not much more than the price of a Roadmaster for just one end. You can certainly install Hellwig on both ends for less than having a shop furnish and install one Roadmaster bar.

[blownstang01]

Just a quick update on this subject. I know many people say the sway bars are a waste of money and the E350's and 450's drive just fine.... Well, I just drove through a pretty major thunderstorm on our way to Nashville last week (no real easy place to pull over), between these sway bars and a proper alignment with 6+ degrees caster the difference in handling in the wind is truly huge. At least for me, worth every penny.

[Newbiecampers]

Does anybody know if a Chevy 4500 chassis would benefit from a hellwig-type (or any other company) sway bar upgrade?

I did a quick search here and could not come up with anything. I also searched online and did not find any hellwig product for a chevy 4500 after the 2009 model year, unless my search-foo failed.

Do the chevy 4500 chassis come with better swaybars from the factory?

We may be getting a class C on a chevy 4500 chassis that is a 2012 or 2013 model year.

Thanks