Installed my Hellwig today :)

[tundraman89]

Originally Posted by phanham

Ok, after reading all the rave reviews, I gave Nancy a call today and ordered one as well (~$185 shipped). I'll have to watch for the increased oversteer (the truck has fishtailed in the past for me a few times on a few sharp turns on wet pavement), but the understeer has been a bigger factor for me since buying the truck. I can be on a highway ramp and if I'm not paying close attention it's easy to exceed the truck's limitations (i.e. any turn > 40mph) and have to hit the brakes to avoid painting the outer barrier white!

What does the hellwig do is it worth buying one im thinking about getting one.

[kev009]

Does the Hellwig actually increase road traction, or does it just give the illusion by reducing the body roll? I'd like to feel the curve in my truck, rather then just fishtail if it feels safe still with the bar if you see what I am saying. Also, does it do anything for offroad performance?

[Burger Steak & Eggs]

I believe it should increase cornering ability, since without the bar, more of the cornering force concentrates on the outside tire in a turn when the truck leans over, which would then allow this tire to lose traction sooner.

[cupidstoy]

there are several (many) threads on the effect of adding the sway bar to handling, performance, off road. do a search and you'll find lots of info.

basically, it helps on-road performance with a slight tendency to fishtail in the extreme and it hurts off-road performance at the extreme because you loose some rear end articulation.

[phanham]

Originally Posted by cupidstoy

there are several (many) threads on the effect of adding the sway bar to handling, performance, off road. do a search and you'll find lots of info.

basically, it helps on-road performance with a slight tendency to fishtail in the extreme and it hurts off-road performance at the extreme because you loose some rear end articulation.

Since you have one, what is your take on the pros & cons? Will all sharp cornering cause the rear to swing out, or are we talking about some really aggressive, Steve McQueen style driving? I have noticed the understeer being really bad, but I really hope I'm not exchanging problems!

[cupidstoy]

mostly it just corrects the understeer making it feel more neutral. on slipperly surfaces is when you might notice the rear swinging out a bit. i also have lsd differential, that makes it a little more likely for both wheels to spin and possibly lose their grip.

overall, i would recommend it if you don't do a lot of off roading. makes the truck handle much better in curves and corners.

[hndymn]

I'm a pretty tame driver, but sometimes I find myself entering a turn a bit faster than I should. The truck stays flat, and doesn't tip when I make a sudden steering correction, and I like that. Tipping (or "swaying" to use the correct term, I guess) only complicates an already-challenging situation. Who needs it? I still slide sideways in my seat from the g-force, but I feel like I'm more in control than when the truck tips in a hard turn. I haven't pushed it hard enough in a turn to break the rear wheels loose (well, except in the snow) but there is a lightness back there that wasn't apparent before the sway bar installation. It feels as though it could come around more easily. I'm being careful, and working my way up to it. I'll have to find an empty parking lot and make some progressively faster circles.

[phanham]

Just got my Hellwig today and installed tonight. UPS had beat it up pretty bad (box was destroyed and bar scuffed up good as all the hardware had been tumbling around), but I really wanted to get the new toy installed. Gotta say the 1-hour estimate is pretty accurate for install; however, noone mentioned the additional hour spent scratching your head, saying "how in the hell???" and cussing Hellwig. I'm pretty sure there will be a special place in hell for those design engineers... After finally getting the frame mounts on (finding something to jam under the block and keep in from spinning on the driver side was a huge PITA!!!), I was lucky to discover there was no way the links were gonna go on in stock form (I had even tried using a jack to compress bushings). I trimmed ~1/8" off each spacer with a Dremel and was able to squeeze them on finally, with 2 threads visible once tightened up. Oh yeah, and my kit was extra special as it only had 3 regular nuts with the others being those wonderful crush-type nuts -- I strongly suggest borrowing some air tools before attempting this mod...

Anyway, the install looks good -- everything looks lined up well with no clearance problems I can see. Didn't get to try it out much more than driving around the block to see if my craftsmanship would fall apart (may have been just me, but seemed like it was pulling more to the right now?), but hopefully tomorrow I can feel the improvement.

[hndymn]

My box was beaten up too, had a hole in it, but everything was there. I spent over 2 hours installing it: everything that could go wrong did. At least it was warm; almost 40F. Speaking of warm I agree that there must be a special place for Hellwig engineers. A very. Special. Place. I thought about shortening the link bolt spacers, but decided the engineers knew best, and after 4 or 5 attempts I got the nut to catch on the bolt. The bar performs well when the bed is empty, but I haven't loaded the truck with much weight. I'm wondering what will happen when the springs compress, and the frame lowers. It seems like something's got to give. Once my cap comes in I'll be loading it up and then I'll know.

Originally Posted by phanham

Just got my Hellwig today and installed tonight. UPS had beat it up pretty bad (box was destroyed and bar scuffed up good as all the hardware had been tumbling around), but I really wanted to get the new toy installed. Gotta say the 1-hour estimate is pretty accurate for install; however, noone mentioned the additional hour spent scratching your head, saying "how in the hell???" and cussing Hellwig. I'm pretty sure there will be a special place in hell for those design engineers... After finally getting the frame mounts on (finding something to jam under the block and keep in from spinning on the driver side was a huge PITA!!!), I was lucky to discover there was no way the links were gonna go on in stock form (I had even tried using a jack to compress bushings). I trimmed ~1/8" off each spacer with a Dremel and was able to squeeze them on finally, with 2 threads visible once tightened up. Oh yeah, and my kit was extra special as it only had 3 regular nuts with the others being those wonderful crush-type nuts -- I strongly suggest borrowing some air tools before attempting this mod...

Anyway, the install looks good -- everything looks lined up well with no clearance problems I can see. Didn't get to try it out much more than driving around the block to see if my craftsmanship would fall apart (may have been just me, but seemed like it was pulling more to the right now?), but hopefully tomorrow I can feel the improvement.

[chilehead]

I too would reccommend this mod to anyone, but be prepared to buy addational parts or modify it in some way. I only had about 4 nuts that fit... i had to go buy mostly all new nuts and that was after I had already screwed on the ones that actually worked. (my bad I didn't check them all before starting... i was too excited!) I am close to the shock mount on the passenger side so I requested spacers from hellwig and they showed up promptly. I'll keep them handy and keep a close eye on that for any rubbing. FYI, I used the jack method as others used for the end links and did not modify the sleeves.

Handling, as everyone else has already stated, is a great improvement! This is how the truck should have come stock IMO.

Fit and finish
Handling improvement

[KFlash]

To follow up on the issue with the spacer being too short. I was about to head in the direction of cutting the spacer when I had a brainstorm (perhaps I read it in a post at one point). You need 4 large vice grips - I had 2 and bought 2 more (not real expensive). Put the upper bushings in place and pinch that part together by gripping the two washer and slowly squish down the bushings. Then slide on the spacer and the lower bushings/bar/bushings in place. Use the second pair of vice grips to squish these two bushings together. This actually is near the slight bulge you will want with the bushings once installed. By doing this, there is plently of thread to spin on the nylock nut. You also should take caution if pulling the whole end link together just by tighting the nut - you could end up stripping out the nut!

The frame bolt that is welded to a square plate can be held in place with a pair of channel locks. A did use an air rachet that made quick work of the crush/lock nuts.

Anyway, just another method. Mine arrived with the box pretty banged up as well, but all the parts were there.

[1lowlife]

Just to let you guys know, I installed my Hellwig about two years ago.
Love it on corners and turning. From turning a corner from a stop, to cruising highway ramps, it drives much better.
A couple bushings gave out on one side.
Maybe I had it a bit too tight.
Maybe they just wore out.

I emailed Hellwig customer support from their website.

Hellwig Products

nancy@hellwigproducts.com

They returned my email the next day and asked for my address to send me a new set of bushings, washers, and lock-nuts.
They arrived three days later, AT NO CHARGE.
That is excellent customer service.

I went ahead and changed out both sides and didn't tighten them as much this time.

There are a few posts here on this site with installation help for the Tundra.

[dibble9012]

Yup I still like mine