Community Forums

Calliedo02 · 04-05-2015, 06:56 AM

When making this change on the front, should the rig be up on ramps (weight on the wheels) or raised with the front jacks (and safety jack stands). Or does it matter?

jrd48 · 04-05-2015, 07:42 AM

Doesn't matter. The safest method is to do it with the wheels on the ground if you have the clearance under there to work. What does matter with that method is the coach should be level. If not you will probably have to use a jack to raise one end of the bar up to line up the hole for the link bolt. Not that big of a deal. Just make sure that the link bolts are torqued to spec - 65 ft/lbs on mine.

Waiter21 · 04-05-2015, 08:40 AM

Should be able to do it sitting on the ground. Don't tighten up any bolts until bolts are installed on both sides.

If your not level, its possible you may need to use a bottle jack to push the torsion bar or axle a little to help bolts line up

TeJay · 04-05-2015, 09:16 AM

Think about it this way. There is absolutely no tension or pressure on the sway bar unless wind is trying to move the coach. If the coach is not level there is still no tension on the sway bars. Well if it's setting on a 12" slope then the coach is listing to one side and there is some (very little) tension on the sway bar. Lets put it this way. When you take the link bolt(s) out nothing is going to spring up,down, or anywhere and hurt you. It's not like releasing a coil spring.

Access to the links is all that is necessary. Usually that's easy with the coach on the ground. Some guys have reported that they are carrying a few extra pounds these days and can't always get into some areas. Why lift the front of the coach if you don't have to?? Once the links are removed the only thing holding the sway bar are the two clamps ob either side and the rubber bushings. There will be pressure from the bushings and the clamps but the sway bar is not attached to the frame and it can be moved with some fairly easy. I'd slip a pipe over the end of the bar and lever it into position.

At this time (if you are planning on doing this) I'd level the bar ends and determine how much to lengthen the stock links. I'm going to do this in the next few days. I'm thinking that it will be easier on the bushings if the force angle is closer to 90 degrees. Many have done the CHF and didn't lengthen the links. I one of those that just has to have something to do to make it better.

TeJay

Americanrascal · 04-05-2015, 01:18 PM

I must have been an oddball with mine. I didn't have to apply much pressure to the bar on the front modification to get an alignment and it went pretty smooth.

On the rear, I had to jack the frame up about an inch to get an alignment on the inner hole. I noticed there was more stress on the rear set up.

The rig was slightly , but evenly lower on the passenger side.?????

twinboat · 04-05-2015, 03:40 PM

If one front wheel is up on high spot or in a hole, even though the vehicle is sitting level, there will be tension on the sway bar.
It's job is to counteract that movement.

curtsr · 04-06-2015, 08:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by americanrasc

I must have been an oddball with mine. I didn't have to apply much pressure to the bar on the front modification to get an alignment and it went pretty smooth.

On the rear, I had to jack the frame up about an inch to get an alignment on the inner hole. I noticed there was more stress on the rear set up.

The rig was slightly , but evenly lower on the passenger side.?????

I was an oddball also as both the front and rear sway bars only needed to be raised 1/2 inch to line up with the rear holes. Also used the stock end links and have no interference with the springs.

pgomalley · 04-16-2015, 06:20 AM

Could someone post pic of rear sway bar placement /brackets before &after chd please?

TeJay · 04-17-2015, 01:52 PM

I'm away (200 miles) from the MH now but will post pics, if nobody else does, in a few days.

TeJay

Waiter21 · 04-17-2015, 01:59 PM

These are a 2001 chassis. Rear sway bar before and after CHF. Also, notice the new bushings in rear bar (they are blue color).

I think the newer chassis is different. From seeing what people are posting, there appears to be an issue with the hold downs for the bushings.

TeJay has a new chassis, he might be able to chime in on this.

ALSO - IMPORTANT - Be careful with the rear torsion bar, it runs up and across the front of the differential, about 1/2 inch from the ABS sensor. I broke my ABS sensor and had a heck of a time digging it out of the hole.

Don't raise the torsion bar up any higher than you need to put the bolts in. If you remove the torsion bar bushing brackets, be very, very careful how you hold the bar so it doesn't break the sensor.

TeJay · 04-18-2015, 07:36 AM

Notice the relative position of the sway bar before and after. It does not appear to have changed. That's consistent with what everybody else has noticed. When doing the rear CHF there is not appreciable raising of the sway bar position therefore no need to extend the links.

The only difference in the bushing clamps is the older ones are much stouter than the thinner metal straps used in later years. The older ones almost look like a crankshaft main bearing cap. Some have also reported loose bolts and broken straps on the newer ones.

TeJay

TeJay

compute42 · 04-20-2015, 03:43 PM

Can Anyone recommend a shop in Northern Los angles area/plamdale to do the CHF… took the coach to the original dealer today and said they will not change the sway bar points… Didn't offer a reason why. Had never heard of CHF either. Big dealer in Van Nuys

twinboat · 04-20-2015, 04:30 PM

Any light truck repair shop, with enough room, can do this.

Tell them to move your sway bar links, to the other set of holes.

They may not have heard of the CHF but can move some bolts.