Do It Yourself New Hellwig Rear Stabilizer Bar Installation for Toyota Tundra 2000-2006
I created this along with the attached .pdf at the end so you can print it out and take it outside and wrench on your Toyota, enjoy the ride and hopefully I have made your instillation enjoyable. Please note: Please don't make fun of the rust on the underbelly of the Tundra, It will get some POR soon, Utah Highway Salt ;-{
The tools used for the install
3/8” Torque Wrench
3/8” Socket Wrench w/extension
5/8” and 11/16” sockets, 5/8” deep well would make it easier on the U-bolts
11/16” and 7/8” wrench
7/16” and ½” deep well sockets to assist bushing sleeve instillation
Hammer
Tape Measure
Inside the box you should find the bar and a box of necessary hardware.
I have the d-shaped bushings installed to show you exactly how the bar goes under your truck.
Note Orientation of bar!!!! The center hoop is flat on the ground resting on the center of the bar plus the two brackets. Note that the arms are in the air. This is how the bar should be installed. The side of the bar towards the ground is the side the faces the road and the side you are looking at that is up goes up towards the underside of the truck.
Inside your hardware box you should find the instructions, hardware, and grease.
Here are the nuts, bolts, washers, bushings, and bushing sleeves in the bag.
Here is the hardware inside the box.
I recommend assembling the rear connecting arms first insuring you have all parts ready to go before you get under the truck.
Notice that there are two different sizes of rubber bushings . The large bushing goes on the top of the connecting arm and the smaller rubber bushing goes on the bottom of the connecting arm. A little of the grease plus a little persuasion got them into their spot.
Note: I added the two red arrows showing exactly where the arms connect to the frame and the rear of the sway-bar trailing arm. Note that the top bolt is attached and the frame is sandwiched in-between the two large washers and there are thick washers on the outsides of the bolt head and the nut. The lower part of the arm is attached in-between the rubber bushing the thick washer. On the other side of the bolt there is an additional thick washer and nut.
The metal bushing sleeves need to be inserted inside the rubber bushings. Be sure to coat the inside of the bushing with the included grease. I used the two sockets to help drive the sleeves inside the bushings. Don’t hammer directly on the bushing, it will deform it. This took just a little tapping with the help of the grease to slide them.
Then I made sure that the sleeves were centered inside the bushing evenly on both sides.
Put the U bolts together to help visualize exactly how they go together and to make sure all bolts and hardware is ready to go before getting under the truck.
I hope it is here that I saved you sometime and will make this install easier. I hung the bar from the rear axle and found that with the bar centered the U-bolts needed to be 9 inches from the leaf packs. So I would recommend marking 9 inches and position each U-Bolt there. Be very careful to not crimp any brake lines.
Don’t be tempted to install the bar now, it is easier to install the connecting arms to the frame, then swing the bar up into position. I found it difficult to hold the bar up and attach the U-bolts. If you don’t jack your truck up and put it on jack stands or ramps, you might not be able to do this but it is a lot easier to get the bar into position with the arms connected.
Attach the top of the connecting arm to the frame. It will fit into the slotted hole right behind the large round hole. You can see the sequence from the outside. Starting with the head of the 1/2 “ bolt, then the thick washer then the connecting arm then the large washer, then the frame.
Now on the inside of the frame attach another large washer, a thick washer and the nut. Don’t tighten up anything yet.
Go to the other side and install the second arm.
Now attach the sway bar to the two control arms with the 7/16 x 2 ¾” bolt and thick washers hand tight. Again remember that the bar orientation from the beginning, if you install it upside down it will interfere with the e-brake cable.
You can see I attached the poly bushings to the bar, don’t forget to grease them before sliding them over the bar. If you can get your truck up in the air and swing the bar up into position it makes getting the U-bolts connected a lot easier. I removed the spare tire to ease the photographs plus I could sit up under the truck and work with ease.
Swing the bar up into position and attach U-bolt brackets.
Again make sure you are not clamping over any brake lines. I found that the 9 inches from each leaf pack was orientated directly in the center of the bar pivots. Here is a picture of the bar hanging down when I found the center of the pivot areas. You don’t need to do this.
Here is the bar in position ready to be all ready to torque.
I double checked that nothing was interfering with the bolts or any movement before tightening any bolts.
Torque the U-bolts to 35 ft. lbs. Keep the base brackets level to the base of the truck. Be careful not to over torque these and bend the U-bolts.
Tighten the Upper attachment arms to the frame rail to 60-70 ft-lb. The large washers will deform into the rectangle keeping the upper mounting points from moving.
I then adjusted the height of the supports to have the arm sweep up a little following the slope of the rear leafs.
Tighten the lower connecting bolts to the arm to 40 ft-lbs.
Tighten down the top nuts on the adjustment links to 70 ft-lbs.
Hellwig states that the outward hole on the bar is the normal position. I think this is a good place to start. Be sure to bounce test to check for any problems before going for a test drive.
I have a Four Wheel Camper on the back of my Tundra and I know this is going to help enjoy the journey.
Re: Do-It-Yourself New Hellwig Rear Stabilizer
Linear Mode
