Meausuring Sway Bars

[Lawman5383]

I have been looking at replacing the factory sway bars on my 2006 Jayco Granite Ridge on the E 450 Super DUty Chassis. It already has sway bars front and back and what im trying to figure out is the best way to determine the size of the factory sway bars. I've looked and tried to measure them, but cant quite get it done. Wanted to check this before I spend the money on after market bars. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Allen

[Lawman5383]

I have been looking at replacing the factory sway bars on my 2006 Jayco Granite Ridge on the E 450 Super DUty Chassis. It already has sway bars front and back and what im trying to figure out is the best way to determine the size of the factory sway bars. I've looked and tried to measure them, but cant quite get it done. Wanted to check this before I spend the money on after market bars. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Allen

[RV Wizard]

You will need a caliper to measure the diameter. You may also be able to call Ford to see what size or part # was installed for your van. An after market com may be able to cross reference the part #. Good luck and let us know how things turn out.

[Steady Eddie]

Old School Low Tech Approach:
Not having a caliper, you can use a
white thread and a Sharpie Fine Point
pen. Put a mark on the sway bar. Wrap
the thread around the bar and mark it
for length. Measure the thread, mark-
to-mark. Now you know how big around
the bar is. Doing the math, you will
find the approximate diameter of the
sway bar. Most bars are common/whole
numbers like 1 1/2" or 1 3/4", this'll
get you into the ballpark.
BTW--your E450 Chassis has HUGE sway bars
as OEM stock...

[Lawman5383]

Eddie,

Just from looking at them I thought they looked rather large and thought adding the IPD's wouldnt benefit me much which is why I havent bought any yet. IF there is another benefit to them that I am missing someone please let me know. Thanks for everyones help

Allen

[TXiceman]

We had 1999 Minnie Winnie and the factory anti-roll bars were kind of puny. The IPD bars were much larger, don't remember how much, but also had urethane bushings. Betwen the IPD bars and Bilstein shocks, the side to side roll or bump steer was gone.

Ken

[further]

I recently replaced the stock swaybars on my 2004 Chinook Glacier built on the Ford E450 Super Duty chassis. The diameter of the front sway bar was 1", the rear swaybar was 1 1/8".

The Roadmaster replacements are 1 3/8" front and 1 1/2" rear. Roadmaster part number are 1139-115 and 1139-147 respectively.

As mentioned in an earlier post, the larger diameter swaybars combined with urethane bushings and relocated mounting points has reduced or eliminated the side to side roll.

I replaced the stock shocks with Bilsteins. The coach has 9000 miles and one of the rear shocks had failed.

The shock and swaybar replacement is a worthwhile improvement.

[zooom]

I have to second the post from "further" and add, that on my Cambria with Ford's "Super Duty"(whatever that means!)E450 chassis, the OE sway bars were hardly what I'd describe as heavy duty. I replaced both front/rear bars & OE shocks with Hellwig's 1 3/8" front & 1 1/2" rear bars + HD Bilsteins & the ride is more akin to a large SUV rather than a land yacht.

Got my Hellwigs from Summit Racing [~$350] & they pay the shipping as well. Go for it!