Hellwig owners..please check in for possible issue.

Verndog · #1 (**permalink**) 02-26-2006, 06:16 PM

I am troubleshooting what seems to be a minor but irritating issue. When it is cold I feel and a slight hop from the rear of the truck, similar to out of balance feel from 40-50 MPH. So far I now replaced tires with Revos (looking for a reason anyway), re aligned to DJ's specs, changed rear diff fluid, and road force tested all tires with the correct 5 lug adapter for aftermarket wheels.

The issue is more prominent when it is cold out, then settles down some after about 5 miles or so.

I now am wondering if the Hellwig bushings are getting hard (cold) and inducing some hop type bump feeling from the non perfect but smooth "looking" road surface. If you look at the design, the brackets solid mount right to the rear end and tight bushings could possibly translate a bump feel there. I never noticed this before till 2 months ago, and have had it better then 2 years.

Anyone else notice anything like this? I may just pull it and test.

monolithic · #2 (**permalink**) 02-26-2006, 06:36 PM

No problems here.

student's tundra · #3 (**permalink**) 02-26-2006, 06:47 PM

Afraid I haven't noticed anything like that either.

Verndog · #4 (**permalink**) 02-26-2006, 07:49 PM

Update:
I just removed the sway bar, and found that a couple of the rubber dampeners had shifted from when I originally mounted them, I could see a "clean spot" where they used to be. Also I found 2 of the washers that carry much of the force where the front body end connect bars mount, were cracked, one almost clean in half.

I test drove and general straight away driving felt smoother. I will need to drive a couple of days, and especially when cold to confirm my suspicion. At best their mounting hardware is highly suspect and prone to wear. Also...I pamper this truck, if you push your truck very hard off road I would imagine it would be even worse.

H2O_MAN · #5 (**permalink**) 02-26-2006, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Verndog

At best their mounting hardware is highly suspect and prone to wear.
Also...I pamper this truck, if you push your truck very hard off road I would imagine it would be even worse.

I push my truck very hard with high-speed turns and transitions.
I have had zero problems with the Hellwig and its mounting hardware.

I imagine you have/had an installation issue.

Request new hardware from Hellwig and re-install the bar making sure to properly torque all nuts and bolts.
Or better still, have a local shop install it for you.
Make sure you re-check the installation a week or two later.

biggary · #6 (**permalink**) 02-26-2006, 09:28 PM

I have noticed something similar when cornering but I attributed it to the "floating" rear axle. When I turn a corner hard, it feels like the rear end is hopping as well as shifting to the side. In fact, it is such a weird feeling I have had to back off the throttle for fear that something is seriously wrong. Most of my driving is on the freeway and I haven't felt anything going straight. I have checked and re-torqued all bolts but will have to take a closer look at the hardware problems you discovered.

Verndog · #7 (**permalink**) 02-26-2006, 09:42 PM

Quote:

I have had zero problems with the Hellwig and its mounting hardware.
I imagine you have/had an installation issue.

There was no issue with installation. I did it myself, and have been a machinst and tool design engineer for 27 years. Now if I had it installed then I might worry about that.

I did not think I had a problem with hardware either. I was looking for the source of the rough ride and didn't see this till it was taken apart. You can not see the cracked washers while it's installed, they are sandwiched. The washers supplied are too thin and week, and the long spacer tube that all the force to the body goes thru is too thin IMO. I could see that during installation but went with it anyway.

I'm not saying you or anyone else will have this problem, just pointing out the possibility and potential source as a heads up to others that experiance a change in characteristics.

H2O_MAN · #8 (**permalink**) 02-26-2006, 09:47 PM

... I had this problem with the Hellwig on my T100.
I installed the bar back in '99 alone in my driveway.

I was zipping through one of my favorite S turns (posted
+40 mph) and felt a snap followed by a weight shift.
Not a pleasant feeling! The truck tipped away from the turn.
I stayed in the throttle, corrected my drift then lifted off the throttle.

I pulled off the road and check to see what broke.
I found the clean spots Verndog mentioned and noticed the link rods
were slanted a bit. The entire bar had shifted to one side!

I tried to fix it twice then had Hellwig send me new updated
hardware and had my local tire shop re-install everything.

I never had another problem and drove the T100 another 100K.

rcjunkie · #9 (**permalink**) 02-26-2006, 10:33 PM

Just checking in. I've only had my Hellwig Anti Sway bar for about 5+ months and it's to early to notice anything wrong. Thanks for the update with your issue, it may save me some trouble-shooting in the future.

imjin · #10 (**permalink**) 02-26-2006, 11:06 PM

I haven't noticed it, but now I gotta check it out. I think I've had mine on about a year now.

SATundra · #11 (**permalink**) 02-26-2006, 11:09 PM

Had mine on for 4 years now, no problems at all. But thanks for pointing that out to us. I will know what to look for if it starts sounding weird back there.

I also thought the long tube looked weird when I originally did my install, but like you went on installing it. Luckily no problems to date.

tempetom · #12 (**permalink**) 02-27-2006, 10:26 AM

I was tempted to use the thinner washers at the spacer locations, but didn't think that would be as strong as the thicker ones. I did end up grinding some of the spacer down. So far, the spacer seems strong enough for its purpose. It's smart to check the tightness of the bushing hardware periodically though. I had some noise back there when hitting bumps and that was my problem.

MATRDguy · #13 (**permalink**) 02-27-2006, 10:13 PM

has anyone had to cant / angle they're u bolts back or fwd to make the endlinks straighten out??
i'm still getting some 'plowing' in turns and i dont think i should be. any suggestions??

the bar was installed 4 days ago

tempetom · #14 (**permalink**) 02-27-2006, 10:49 PM

I was just looking at mine this evening and one of my end links is cocked a little. I think there's all kinds of room for adjustment in the big hole in the frame. I don't look forward to fighting that battle again, but when I get around to it, that's the route I'm going to take.

Verndog · #15 (**permalink**) 02-28-2006, 12:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tempetom

I was just looking at mine this evening and one of my end links is cocked a little.

That I believe is the root of the potential problem. And why I say that the tube spacer and washers are both undersize. There is alot of force put against that area, I could really see this after seeing the cracked washers, then looking over how the bar absorbs the side torsion. As you take a corner then hit a bump, you are hammering that side far more then the other. I believe that is how one side can shift, then crack and bend that washer, causing the whole setup to get mis aligned and loaded toward one side more then the other.

Since adding the Timbren load helpers, my truck can lean alot less on a corner now...also, I now believe after driving a couple of days, that this was the source of my suspension problem.

I will propably leave it off, till I can make my own thicker spacers, find a better neoprene dampener, and heavier washers. The axle end apears to be adequate, its the front body end mounting that takes the load and shock.