Rear sway bar w/5th wheel?

I added a Helwig anti-roll bar to the rear of my 2WD 2004 CTD. And replaced the front bar with a size larger to compensate. A requirement, IMO.

A worthwhile addition. Crosswinds -- natural or man-made -- have less effect now on body movement against the suspension.

But I would not oversize the rear, nor ignore FF/RR balance. Used greaseable polyurethane bushings at installation to replace included bushings.

2WD is IFS with rack & pinion steering. Already has great road manners compared to the dead steering feel of a 4WD. I carry more than 1k in the bed, solo, and run up against GVWR when towing.

I "could" push the truck into and out of turns harder, but 100k on tires is a priority (120k on first set), so the only other benefit is that any tendency towards wheel hop is reduced.

The tradeoff is that rear wheel travel is also reduced. This may not be ideal for some who travel off-road.

I may also add a Panhard Rod from Henderson's Lineup. Centers the axle between frame rails.

Overall (when hitched) this addition to a rig featuring an aero, all-aluminum TT using a Hensley hitch is that the reduction of untoward truck body movement cleans up steering feedback, thus helping define input.

Much more stable than a 5er in the first place (had I one of those, independent suspension would be the first change).

I'd start at square one and use a CAT Scale for TV tire pressures (trailer tires to sidewall max) as too much air per actual INDIVIDUAL load is wrong. Flat wrong. One wants to know the wheel per axle with heaviest load so as to have proper info for inflation.

Stay inside door sticker range and use Load & Pressure Table info to dial it in. Plus five pounds, maybe (check for percentage of pressure rise after 1.5-hrs steady state driving. 5-7% acceptable).

A Hensley doesn't allow misalignment of TV & TT. The antiroll upgrade makes dancing across lanes as sure in "wheel feel " as the mirror sight picture confirms.

This would be the benefit of corrected tire pressure, first, and any suspension tuning, second. For any rig.

The front end may be rebuilt, but 4WD sector gear steering is lousy when new. A better steering shaft, etc, would also be on my list. Can't overemphasize the importance of genuinely tight steering.

When one has to correct -- but doesnt know degree or duration -- all other problems pale in comparison.

Good luck.

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N-Trouble wrote:
Put a set of Timbrens on your Ram and it will ride a lot better. They will provide both load leveling and side-to-side sway support. Sway bar will only provide side-to-side. Timbrens are cheaper and take 10min to install.

I have seen people talk about them in here, but never actually researched what they are. I will do that right now, thanks.

edit: After a quick search, it appears they would go where my air bags are.

There is a big difference between "roll" "pitch" and "yaw." Sway bars (or anti sway bars as some call them) control roll not pitch. If you have a race car or a motor home or a truck camper sway bars work good at controlling roll.

I'm not sure of Cg with the rail mount Andersen hitch, but the ball mount version shifts the load aft of the rear axle. To be honest, I didn't notice any issues when I was using the Andersen Ultimate to tow my 5er, and I have my B&W set as far aft as possible as well with no issues. I've heard others have had different results though, to include a workmate who swapped out his Andersen for a different hitch claiming stability issues, especially in wind. He didn't even get it home before turning around and going back to the dealer. His 5er was quite a bit to heavy for his 2500 RAM so it's hard to say what the real issue was. He seems happy with it now though.

Good luck. When you get everything dialed in these things tow pretty good, even in winds strong enough you start to get concerned about the rig ending up on it's side. Mine rocks quite a bit in some of the crosswinds so common on I-80 across Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming.

Put a set of Timbrens on your Ram and it will ride a lot better. They will provide both load leveling and side-to-side sway support. Sway bar will only provide side-to-side. Timbrens are cheaper and take 10min to install.

rhagfo wrote:

Nevadastars wrote:
That's pretty much what I was thinking too BenK, since all the weight is over the center of the truck axle at all times. I still may get one for it eventually, sure can't hurt. One for the fiver would be great for the high winds here in Nevada, but doubtful anyone makes one.

Nice 5er just looked at the specs.
I stick by my earlier statement on the TV rear axle sway bar, I would seriously look at one. It is not a major change to the suspension, it will stiffen up the rear just a bit, but what it will do is resist the roll caused by heavy side winds.
In addition if the 87 gallon H2O tank is in front of the axles run with it FULL, I know on my Copper Canyon rides and tows much smoother with a full tank of H2O.

The other thing the Camper Package cam with that year was the same springs as the 3500, so that likely helps also.

Thanks Russ, yea we really like it especially after we changed the furniture out for LazyBoy stuff.

I will get a Helwig for it. I put one on my 04 Dodge several years ago, but it needed it for the 10ft TC it carried. Also put front and rear on the Class C we sold to purchase the 5er and it made a HUGE difference on it. I swear by them.

Anti Lean bar? Gotcha...

Nevadastars wrote:
That's pretty much what I was thinking too BenK, since all the weight is over the center of the truck axle at all times. I still may get one for it eventually, sure can't hurt. One for the fiver would be great for the high winds here in Nevada, but doubtful anyone makes one.

Nice 5er just looked at the specs.
I stick by my earlier statement on the TV rear axle sway bar, I would seriously look at one. It is not a major change to the suspension, it will stiffen up the rear just a bit, but what it will do is resist the roll caused by heavy side winds.
In addition if the 87 gallon H2O tank is in front of the axles run with it FULL, I know on my Copper Canyon rides and tows much smoother with a full tank of H2O.

The other thing the Camper Package cam with that year was the same springs as the 3500, so that likely helps also.

That's pretty much what I was thinking too BenK, since all the weight is over the center of the truck axle at all times. I still may get one for it eventually, sure can't hurt. One for the fiver would be great for the high winds here in Nevada, but doubtful anyone makes one.

Think the OP is talking about an anti-lean bar for the TV's rear axle...not a WD Hitch system's anti-sway bar...

Don't think a anti-lean bar for this OP's rear TV axle will help in what his description says...sail area of the Fiver being affected by side winds

The effect is that the Fiver imparts a sideways force on the TV via the pin box, which normally is mounted within inches of the TV rear axle center line

An anti-lean bar works by stiffening the torsional rigidity of the rear axle area. That will 'lift' the inside wheel/tire and adds that weight to the outside wheel/tire during a cornering or any off center-line curve/turn/etc.

Love them and have re-engineered my 2 seaters with both front and rear anti-lean bars of much higher rate. Both dialed in neutral steering attributes so that I can initiate either at my will, but both more over-steering if left alone without additional throttle/brake/steering/etc input. Will not any of my TV's, as they need to stay dialed in for under-steering.

With the Fiver pin weight adding several thousand pounds to the TV rear axle...doubt that an anti-lean bar would help this OPs concern

Also, in re-engineering the TV suspension with the addition of a rear anti-lean bar...gotta do the whole re-engineering and that is to increase the TV front axle too...or if wishing for an over-steering setup, then leave the OEM dialed in front as is.

OEM's mostly dial in under-steering and is safer for the general public who does not have experience or knowledge of the HOW2's of handling under-steering and over-steering characteristics

Folks who sail, windsurf, or anything to do with a sail understand...heck...I've been blown over one whole lane driving my K5 (1 ton suspension modifications and not towing anything) between Winnemucca and Jordan on my way to Boise. Was going about 80 MPH or so and in a blink...it pushed me over onto the next lane. Highway patrol up ahead stopped EVERYONE and told to move over farther than the shoulder, turn off our lights and wait... After towing heavy for that K5, took off the rear anti-lean bar I added and kept the much higher rate front I added

This image is of a setup with high torsional rigidity and notice how both the front and rear inside wheel/tire is lifted...but...has not dropped down much if at all. This is NOT the OPs problem...torsional rigidity of his TV's rear axle