Rear Sway Bar

Hi All,
I would like to install a rear sway bar on my 2015 Tacoma Base. I hear it improves the handling. Has anyone installed the Hellwig #7731 on their truck? This one requires drilling the frame.

 

I have the hellwig rear sway bar and it doesn't need the frame to be drilled. Bolt on affair

 

Your sway bar must not be a #7731, if it doesn't require drilling.

 

i wouldnt even bother unless you got a slide in camper or something... and even then just drive it like a truck and not a sports car.

 

Dustflap - let me know if you get one. I had one on a truck in the past, and I could tell a difference in the way it handled.

You made me go look at mine .. for some reason, I thought I had one .... might be on my "to do" list

 

Same one I got it: http://www.suspensionconnection.com/7731-hellwig-sway-bar-toyota-tacoma.html

I don't need to drill NOTHING. You're doing something wrong if you need to drill the frame.

 

Well, I looked again at the frame on my 2015

Well, I just looked again at the frame on my 2015 4WD Sport, and there is NO existing hole to bolt the bracket that the sway bar link attaches to!
The Hellwig instructions are pretty specific about having to drill a 1/2 in hole in the frame to attach that bracket. I would like to see a picture of where you mounted your bracket to the frame, maybe Hellwig and I missed something.

 

I was wrong, you do have to drill. Here's a pdf that show's where to drill it: http://www.mediafire.com/view/a1x25bwn0pflabs/135007731.pdf

 

To install the Hellwig 7731 you have to drill a 1/2" hole in each side of the frame. I was hoping some one might have installed one of these. And did they have to use a right angle drill for the holes? It's a tight area. Also, would the holes weaken the frame? Most of my driving is on the highway and on all my past trucks a rear sway bar improved the handling considerably. From what I have read, the Tacoma benefits from one.

 

I suspect that you will need to remove the tire and jack up the truck by the frame so the rear end hangs on the springs, possibly remove the shocks to get additional clearance. Drilling a hole in the frame at the point indicated by Hellwig, between the two frame rivets, will have no effect on structural integrity. I agree that the sway bar will improve handling, but at the expense of suspension articulation when off road. But since most of your driving is on the road, you should be fine and satisfied with the installation.

 

Dustflap: did you order one ?

 

Yes. I actually ordered it on June 12 to take advantage of a discount (saved about $50). It is suppose to ship June 26. The sway bars are drop shipped from Hellwig. I guess that is why it's taking so long, but for the price I can't complain. If everything goes as planned, I will start the install next Friday.

 

looking forward to hearing about the installation, and how you like the way it handles !

 

Hey Dustflap!

Update?

 

My installation of the Hellwig #7731, was the single best on road suspension improvement I have made to my 4.0 L AC Sport. The lions share of my driving is on highway, and the handling improvement has been impressive on a truck with a relatively high center of gravity. Admittedly, a
Tacoma is not a sports car, but, it can be driven aggressively on winding roads (US 550 Colorado) Tacoma's have a tendency to oversteer and the sway bar installation improved the oversteer dramatically. My off road adventures don't require extreme suspension articulation, and therefore is not affected by the sway bar. Some readers of this forum have said that they removed their front sway bars and their truck handled better. I 'spect these same folks consider "two buck Chuck" a gourmet wine. LOL

 

to each their own. I prefer the ride without the front swaybar as bumps are not felt nearly as much yes there is more body roll but i dont feel the need to drive agressive. And if you are experiencing oversteer ON ROAD...... you need to slow the hell down

 

With all due respect, you don't need to be driving aggressively or FAST to experience over or understeer, you just need to know what it is and what it feels like (some experience with high performance vehicles helps) - knowing that, CAN, keep you out of trouble. Also with all due respect, who the hell are you to tell anyone, you don't know, to slow down? You don't have a clue who I am, how I drive, my level of driving experience, my technical comprehension or anything else about me and have concluded that my "ON ROAD" experience with oversteer is due to driving too fast. Using that logic, I should conclude that your "not feeling the need to drive aggressive" is because.....????? Well I can't, because I know as much about you as you know about me, which is NADA!!

 

understeer / oversteer is the result of tires loosing traction ... simply put if you are sliding around on a public street you are going way over what is safe.

 

The link says "stock height". I wonder if there's much allowance in that to let it work with my 1.5" progressive aal. With my cap and rack I probably don't have a full 1.5" anyway.

 

And once again you are wrong with an invalid assumption - nowhere did a say or imply that I was "sliding" around on a public street! I stated that the addition of the sway bar improved (the tendency) for the vehicle to oversteer.