Good universal anti-sway bar?

For the rear of a 2009 Pre-runner?

Is there one?

I'm not having much luck, or at least not much selection. I found a couple that I think are supposed to fit, but the published info I saw wasn't exactly unambiguous.

The truck is going to sit at stock height, and rarely hauls a load.

 

Not universal but I like my Hellwig rear sway bar

 

+1 The single most significant handling improvement I have made to my 2015 Sport.

 

@DoorDing
Thanks. I sent a post to Badger.

 

I have one from a T-bird that will work OK, but I have to fab some brackets.
The brake line junction is right where I want to clamp the axle housing.
The Taco ones look more narrow.

(edit: IT'S NOT A STOCK T-bird BAR, sorry, keep reading...)

 

I pulled the 70's T-bird bar off the '47 Plymouth axle last night, and held it up under the Toyota.

WOW! It fits like a glove, and I'm amazed at how tight things are right where it'll need to link to the frame.

Once I get it cleaned up and one clamp modded a bit to clear the plumbing and sensor wire, I think it'll be pretty cool. There's some extra meat on these clamps, as they also have (now useless) additional horizontal studs for the parking brake cable--or whatever. I've got this bar 30+ years ago & I don't know anymore.

Anyhow, that'll come off to get the clearance (and for appearance) with a big grinder.

I looked at a pic of the Helwig in a catalog, but haven't ever seen one under a truck. Maybe someone has a good photo of an install posted up here.

 

The Hellwig web site has Tacoma installation photos that are as good as any I could take of my sway bar installation. Nice thing about the Hellwig unit is adjustability - settings for firmness. Also shipped with urethane bushings. If you custom install doesn't work out, the Hellwig unit is well designed and easily installed.

 

Thanks, I'll check them out.

My bar is only a 3/4", so not really heavy enough for a heavily loaded truck IMO, but I mainly drive almost empty.

Here's some photos of the bar, all covered in 25 years of dirt (that's how long it was on the Plymouth.)

 

(Guys, I posted all this in Dustflaps thread by mistake, so this is all a double post of sorts. Sorry...)

HEY! All you guys looking for a '74 T-bird rear sway bar can quit now.
When I cleaned off the old paint, what I thought said "FOMOCO" actually said "FABCO-made in Canada".
So this was an aftermarket bar, or a Canadian Thunderbird, or something strange.

All I know for sure is that it worked on the T-bird, and it worked on my '47 Plymouth, and it works on the Tacoma too.

That being said, it's not the ultimate sway control on my LBDC. It has a moderate effect, but a welcome one which I noticed immediately. The truck wanders less on the highway and squats less in a corner. When you push it hard, it breaks the rear free and slides instead of bottoming the outside rear spring and peeling out just the inside rear tire.

I did not buy the Helwig, because I didn't like the price or the backwards design, but in the end I put mine backwards too. I couldn't clear the gas tank or the springs when it pointed forward. As it was I didn't have to mod the truck itself. I had to mod the Fabco axle clamps a little to make them tighter, as the Taco tube is slightly smaller in dia. I also cut off some unnecessary studs.

The sway bar is typical '70s passenger car fare. Bushing clamps and axle clamps all came from the T-bird.


The clamp is a two-piece affair with a keyhole latch. this makes it a snap to install.


I cut off two unneeded studs from the Fabco clamps.


I made two end links up from scratch. I bought a typical polyurethane end link kit and used its bushings, washers, and nuts. I also bought a 3' long x 1/2" dia tube and a 3' long 3/8"-NC all thread, and made these longer bent end links. I cut the stuff to length, stuck the rod in the tube, heated it with a torch and bent it about 87 degrees. Bottom bushing is the stocker, and pretty hard after some 40 years. Needs upgrading eventually. Tops are the new poly bushings.


They go up through the crossmember. There were convenient "lightening" holes right there.



There's not much clearance to the springs. Under 1/2" at the closest spot, after I shaved off all the excess threads. I may make some "headless" links to increase the clearance.



You see above where the new end link goes up through some 25mm holes in the spare tire crossmember? Well the left one is a hole and the right one is a short slot.
I will need to put some fender washers each side of that slot to bridge it, then shim the opposite side the same thickness, so the bar is "relaxed" when the truck is level.

There's not much clearance from the top of the end links to the underside of the bed, but there is enough if you don't make the link too long.

[/QUOTE]

This was the bar as mounted on my '47 Plymouth Club Coupe:



BTW, I spent under $50 including paint and bushings and the hardware. The Helwig is $500 with shipping and tax.

I did a longer test ride this AM, and the truck is really MUCH more well mannered on the expressway, and much less subject to cross winds.

However, it still needs stiffer rear springs, or a traction bar, to really get the power down. It's not good yet. Handling has gone from poor to OK maybe.

 

@Caddmannq That's awesome!

 

ONE WEEK LATER....

Well I drove to work all week and everything is still working well. Yee-HAW!

I have not yet shimmed out the slot I mentioned, but so far the bushings show no sign of having moved.
The bar creeped about 1/4" to the left on the axle, the first drive, stopped there, and has not moved again. This tells me the bar may be slightly bent, or maybe it wasn't perfectly centered at all.

I'm still running the original bushings and link lower-end bushings too, but they're not disintegrating or anything, so I think they'll be OK until I get some new ones. Also it appears that '65 Mustang bushings may work OK. NAPA was the one local place that seems to stock the ones I need.

 

Glad to hear your sway bar is working out. I paid $ 220 for the Hellwig #7731 (SD Truck Springs) and I agree with you, that it made a significant improvement in the "on road" handling of my Sport. I have put over 8000 miles on my truck with the sway bar installed, and it has been trouble
free.

 

I must have priced mine at the most expensive place on the web!

I googled up a few, and that Helwig kit is available for $200~$300.

 

I'm going to bump this up, as someone asked me to find it.

 

1 1/8 OEM X Runner swaybar and custom links. I like mine on my 2013 TRD Sport:

https://sosperformance.com/products/tr-dot-1221-dot-ta-tacoma-rear-sway-bar-kit