Adding Rear sway bar

Your neighborhood is much better looking than mine.

 

My truck stock @#3500 towing porpoised so bad it was sickening. One of my first mods were sumosprings. They helped with the porpoising, but ultimately I replaced the rear springs due to sag and installed the sumos. I'd tell you to go with sumos or bags, and possibly leafs before installing a rear sway bar.

 

Hellwig part number 7744

 

I’m not sure of any advantages of rear sway bar. My truck handles great. Maybe it might handle better with heavy loads? The taco GVWR is relatively low, so you really can’t haul much and stay legal.

Main differences:

OR
Rear locking differential
ATRAC/multi terrain select/crawl control
16” rims
A/T tires
Off-road tuned shocks

sport:
Hood scoop
17” rims
A/S tires
On-road tuned shocks.

 

I believe the springs are the same on all trim levels, but I have never authoritatively confirmed that fact. The GVWR is also the same.

 

Are you running the stock front one?

 

yes, the stock one on the TRD Pro which is thicker than the regular one iirc.

 

Anyone familiar with all the sway bar options?

Hellwig (7744) requires drilling into the frame to install.

Progress Tech makes a bolt on option for the 3rd gens that does not require drilling to install.

Is one mounting option superior to the other?

Is the bolt on weaker in any way?

Is the slightly different geometry because of the mounting something that will affect handling?

 

As far as I know. I'm the only member that has The Progress Tech sway bar kit.

I recommend it over the Hellwig. All direct bolt on. No drilling. Very much OEM. 10/10

 

THANK YOU

 

Load leveling hitch is a must

 

Does your rear solid axle change in diameter near where the saddle brackets are supposed to be installed? Putting them on the smaller diameter portion of the axle means that they are very close to near where the sway bar curves while putting them half/half on the thicker/thinner portion of the axle means that they sit at an angle and not perfectly perpendicular to the sway bar. Did you have this issue?

 

Sorry for the late response. I didn't get any notifications.

As far as your question goes. I'm not quite sure if I understand your question.

I mounted the included saddle at a tilted position to position it away from the brake lines. As far as the bar being perpendicular, it rotates to align with the sway bar end links, which is already at a fixed point attached to the frame.

 

The axle gets thicker near where the saddle brackets mount, they end up sitting slightly sideways so that everything clears properly.

It seems like it would make more sense for them to go on the thicker portion of the axle but the U bolts don't fit.

 

It looks like it used the holes hammer hangers would use. Which I get it having upgraded hangers then putting on a rear sway bar wouldn’t make sense

 

Ah gotcha. I didn't realized it was a difference in width.

Alternatively, you could get someone to weld those saddles on the larger width end and have it be a permanent fix point.

 

Just thinking, the tinkerer"s adventure showed more overall articulation on an fj removing the front sway bar and installing a rear. The rear bar did limit the rear articulation but front flex improved with the addition of the rear bar. This could be comparable to the taco. Might be a good compromise for those who tow and don't want a front bar. Maybe?

 

Great idea. I really like the bolt on aspect but it would definitely improve it.

 

Better articulation offroad with IFS (even better-better with a front sway bar delete) and less shimmy in the rear when hitting bumps while cornering. And the rear is what gets loaded with more so top heavy stuff.

 

I contacted the folks at The Progress Group and they fabbed up some saddle brackets for the stepped axle and shipped them out at no charge.