Hellwig rear sway bar kit is.....

[FlRanger]

Some really great stuff here guys, very knowledgeable. But for the dumb guys is a sway bar good on our truck or will it just change the over/under steer with no real benefit?

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[P. A. Schilke]

Some really great stuff here guys, very knowledgeable. But for the dumb guys is a sway bar good on our truck or will it just change the over/under steer with no real benefit?

Hi FL

It will change vehicle handling...If you install...take it slow on handling to assess the change. It may benefit you but a rear bar will definitely change the handling and could result in oversteer. Not all bad if you have the skill set to handle the change. Take it slowly do assess.

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired

 

[kieefer]

Just installed the Hellwig on my SuperCab. Much more planted feel from the rear. I haven’t pressed it much but I like it.

Pretty simple bolt-on. I used red loctite instead of the blue that comes in the package. The muffler spacer bracket was a bit of a trick and the replacement bolt was the wrong size but I had one in my bolt box.

If you’re a slim person you can do it by yourself as I did but if not an extra set of hands would be handy.

 

[TommyAtomic]

 

[Racket]

Phil's replies confirmed my apprehension about adding a rear bar. From other cars I've tweaked it's always started with a stiffer front before changing rear shocks or springs, let alone adding a sway bar.

 

[mustang marty]

Phil's replies confirmed my apprehension about adding a rear bar. From other cars I've tweaked it's always started with a stiffer front before changing rear shocks or springs, let alone adding a sway bar.

My thinking is that the rear springs are too soft or bouncy . Thi s seems to cause too much motion front and rear . But I am guessing . My ranger is just stock 2wd .

 

[MyK9_8it]

I'm originally from the area Hellwig is located in CA, even knew some of the Hellwig kids. All that to say, your assessment of their customer service is not at all surprising, based on how their kids and grandkids acted. Their shop doesn't look anything like you'd expect a 'big' name to look, either. It's small and old.
I want to stiffen the suspension up on mine, it has way too much body roll for my liking, and is too spongy, even with the FX4 package. I don't want to go the shocks route quite yet, but also don't want to feel like I'm rolling over every time I take a curve.
And Phil, I <3 oversteer! The skidpad is the best portion of EVOC, in my humble opinion

 

[Knothead]

Just installed the Hellwig on my SuperCab. Much more planted feel from the rear. I haven’t pressed it much but I like it.

Pretty simple bolt-on. I used red loctite instead of the blue that comes in the package. The muffler spacer bracket was a bit of a trick and the replacement bolt was the wrong size but I had one in my bolt box.

If you’re a slim person you can do it by yourself as I did but if not an extra set of hands would be handy.

I had it installed just a few days ago. It took two guys three hours.

It's currently on the center setting. I like it, the truck feels much more planted and not so floaty around turns.

 

[HenryMac]

I had it installed just a few days ago. It took two guys three hours.

It's currently on the center setting. I like it, the truck feels much more planted and not so floaty around turns.

Any chance you could crawl under the truck and post up some photo's?

 

[Knothead]

This might be better. Stage 3 did an install video.

 

[Racket]

This might be better. Stage 3 did an install video.

At least they remark this accessory is best for those towing or carrying heavy loads regularly. Off-roaders will experience limited suspension travel too.

Still seems to me if you are trying to 'sportify' a daily driver you are better served focusing on the front end first - at least stiffer stock bushings on the swaybar, maybe look at the end links. Tires and rims possibly - at least tires. Beyond that you go down the rabbit hole of extensive suspension mods depending on your goals. Maybe some type of progressive valving on the shocks before fiddling with springs.

 

[Porpoise Hork]

My thinking is that the rear springs are too soft or bouncy . Thi s seems to cause too much motion front and rear . But I am guessing . My ranger is just stock 2wd .

The biggest issue with the stock suspension on the Ranger 2 and 4wd is the dampening rebound is way too soft. The stock struts and shocks allow for an excessive amount of rebound causing the additional bounce and boat like ride quality. Numerous people who have replaced the stock dampers for Eibach or Fox have reported significant improvements in ride quality. I recently drove a Ranger with Ebachs installed in the rear only and was amazed at the difference it made to how the truck handles and will be the next thing done to mine. So before adding a rear sway bar, addressing the poor damper issue would be higher on my list.

 

[Ranger8729]

This has my interest now. I am thinking of the Eibach set up and seeing how it handles after that, then addressing the sway bars. The truck has a comfortable ride but the "squishy" roll and rear bounce can be jarring sometimes even on normal commutes if you have to dodge an obstacle or road conditions are rough (looking at you SC).

Phil I'm with you on the first gens, but I didn't have the resources you did. I used the early 4x4 front sway bar that mounts behind the TTB with stiffers KYB shocks and the slightly softer 96 Explorer rear bar on my 87, and drives like it's on rails. I too have a "3 wheel" shot around here somewhere. Amazing what we can get those little trucks to do...

 

[livetoski78]

Coming from an Escape and also having an Explorer ST, I find the body roll of my new Ranger unsettling. I'm used to throwing it into the corners and now I'm finding myself frequently braking at the last second to slow down more...scaring the crap out of the wife. I'm thinking a strut tower bar may help. Maybe this Hellwig rear sway bar would help as well. I'm looking to improve it with bolt-ons and not get into rebuilding the entire suspension. I get that it will not handle like a sports car, but some reassurance in the corners would be nice.

 

[Fitzmotor]

I have the Hellwig rear bar, I love it, I drive kinda hard and with it on the hardest setting allows the truck to almost be neutral in turns.

It is right between push and loose, or understeer/oversteer, it surprisingly is not loose, if anything the truck still has minimal push, low speed tight turns under throttle it will try to pickup the inside tire, but where it shines is Freeway on ramps, or high speed sweeping turns you can feel the balance of the truck, it's about perfect.

It also has a good highway feel, when you change lanes or have to make a quick correction, and of course towing is improved.

I had several thousand miles on the bar, and was doing a modification to the bushing straps/brackets to install zirk fittings (dreaded squeak) when I put the bar back on I thought I would try the soft setting, well, after one day I was back under there moving the links back to the firm position, but that's just my preference.

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