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Old 09-17-2010, 07:48 AM   #57
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thats interesting about the rear sway bar clearance. i looked at mine when i moved the links and it looked like there was plenty of clearance. i guess i will measure mine like you suggested.
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Old 09-17-2010, 08:21 AM   #58
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Just fully extend your rear suspension, rear wheels just off the ground and see if the bar swings up enough to contact the diff. On level ground with front wheels blocked of coarse. I thought the bar had plenty of room to travel also, and was surprised at how much it pivots foward and backwards with the suspension travel where it goes down and around the bottom of the diff.
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Old 09-20-2010, 06:42 PM   #59
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Orig. length

Front, how long is the original rod, from center to center?
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Old 09-21-2010, 07:59 AM   #60
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Mine is a 2000 chassis and the links for the front and back where the same length - 10 inches. I would also like to make a correction to an earlier post I made on this subject. I stated my GVW as 22,500, it is 20,500 lbs. Not sure if that makes any difference or not.

Bill
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Old 09-22-2010, 05:12 PM   #61
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sway

I also ordered the Hellwig 7962. My links were 10 & 3/4 inch. I installed the new hellwig adjusted to 11 inches. I had the front jacked up all but when I tightened everything up. Let the coach down to level stock height and tightened all. To dam tired to drive Also, prior to the hellwig today I added a Roadmaster Reflex Steering Stabilizer. (Front) I will do the rear sway bar and ordered and received the ultra trac trac bar for the rear. Hope to get that done sun. w'ell see.
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Old 09-23-2010, 04:49 PM   #62
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question

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Originally Posted by Bedwards View Post
Just fully extend your rear suspension, rear wheels just off the ground and see if the bar swings up enough to contact the diff. On level ground with front wheels blocked of coarse. I thought the bar had plenty of room to travel also, and was surprised at how much it pivots foward and backwards with the suspension travel where it goes down and around the bottom of the diff.
Maybe I'm slow, but how often does the rear wheels get in this position? Of course I have not looked at the rear yet. I'm going to do that Sunday. Just wondering. bill
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Old 09-23-2010, 07:15 PM   #63
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Maybe I'm slow, but how often does the rear wheels get in this position? Of course I have not looked at the rear yet. I'm going to do that Sunday. Just wondering. bill
Maybe never, I guess it depends how much travel it has before it hits the diff. I didn't check to see how much travel was left when the bar first makes contact with the diff, using the stock length links. I just seen it was hitting and decided to lengthen them a little so it now only hits at the very end of the fully extended travel position, thinking similiar to your comment, I figured that would be okay because I don't think the rear suspension fully extends to often and if it did, minor contact shouldn't damage anything. I couldn't go any longer on the links because of what I mentioned in earlier post.
Might want to have someone raise the rear jacks while you look underneath from the side to see when it hits, if yours even hits, and decide for yourself if you think that is good enough or not.
I suppose you could unhook the links when the bar first makes contact with the diff and raise the jacks some more to see how much more upward travel there is left. That might answer your own question. I would just rather have mine retain full suspension travel and not have the sway bar possibly limiting it or being put under any undue pressure. Not trying to pick apart the 'cheap fix' idea as I am looking foward to when I use my RV again in a few weeks to experience the good results these guys are getting from it, so just thought it was worth mentioning since it is easy to adjust for.

I'm sure you are not slow, I am probably being to fussy.
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Old 09-24-2010, 04:20 AM   #64
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You are not being 'too fussy' Checking the clearance between the rear bar and the differential through its suspension travel is a good think to do after modifiying the mounting position of the bar.

The rear suspension dimensions is one place the various capacity chassis vary. I know that the 20,500 and the 22,000 chassis have completely different differential assemblies. The 22k has no rear cover, the gears are mounted to a carrier like an old ford 9" and remove from the front. Spring rates are different between the chassis versions as well. I went and checked my rear bar because of your message. No interference but glad I checked because its REALLY close.
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Old 09-24-2010, 06:07 AM   #65
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Originally Posted by jcthorne View Post
You are not being 'too fussy' Checking the clearance between the rear bar and the differential through its suspension travel is a good think to do after modifiying the mounting position of the bar.

The rear suspension dimensions is one place the various capacity chassis vary. I know that the 20,500 and the 22,000 chassis have completely different differential assemblies. The 22k has no rear cover, the gears are mounted to a carrier like an old ford 9" and remove from the front. Spring rates are different between the chassis versions as well. I went and checked my rear bar because of your message. No interference but glad I checked because its REALLY close.
Mine is the 20,500 chassis and it has the removable carrier also, like the old 9" you are refuring to. Maybe my shocks are different brand and/or the lighter weight springs affect the suspension travel a little more, I don't know but like you said, it varies. You probably already checked the clearance, but make sure those support brackets that mount on the sway bar to support the bolt that goes through the link and the bar, are not hitting the link at full travel. Mine where and I just had to grind a small notch where they were making contact.

Thanks,

Bill.
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Old 09-24-2010, 02:46 PM   #66
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hellwig

has anyone used the hellwig 7962 on the rear? could it be adjusted to miss the diff? bill
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Old 09-25-2010, 07:12 PM   #67
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+1 on another engineer doing this on his own motorhome. 25 year engineer with Ford and suspension experience to be exact.

I only did my rear though. Did it a long time ago. The angles didn't look to favorable up front. Not as bad as above though, I'd definitely be looking for some longer links if mine looked like that. I have a track bar up front which lowers the roll center (and raises roll stiffness) so I'm not as eager to add stiffness up front anyway.

And on the side to side motion caused by driveways at angles and such. More roll stiffness can make that WORSE as the wheels aren't as free to follow the twist of the road. Gotta be careful in what you think the problem really is.
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(I also ordered the Hellwig 7962. My links were 10 & 3/4 inch. I installed the new hellwig adjusted to 11 inches. I had the front jacked up all but when I tightened everything up. Let the coach down to level stock height and tightened all. To dam tired to drive Also, prior to the hellwig today I added a Roadmaster Reflex Steering Stabilizer. (Front) I will do the rear sway bar and ordered and received the ultra trac trac bar for the rear. Hope to get that done sun. w'ell see.)



OK here goes. Today I installed the Ultra-Trac trac bar on the rear. Two calls to Mike, nice of him to put up with me. So while laying on my back, looked at the sway bar. Here is where we differ. My front links were 10 3/4" and the rear are 10'. Sooooo I replaced the rear links with the front links. I decided to use the original top bolt brackets but not on the bottom. I used the bolts only, no brackets. What say you? I did not go for a ride, will be going on a short trip and try-um out then. bill
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Old 09-26-2010, 01:31 PM   #68
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I decided to get the motorhome out today and test out the sway bar link mod, instead of waiting a couple more weeks till we use it again. I only drove it about 30 miles, but on mostly narrow width country back roads that I normally take to get to the main highway when heading north. These roads offer up plenty of pitch changes that made my RV rock pretty good from side to side. I am happy to say that it is much better now. I don't know if I could put a % amount on the improvement, but a noticable improvement for sure. It will still lean/rock with the road changes, but much less and it settles down much faster. So far, I think this mod is a keeper, and I would like to thank the person(s) involved for coming up with and posting this mod, and reporting your results as you put some miles on with it.

Thanks much,
Bill
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Old 09-26-2010, 04:59 PM   #69
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rear bars

Bedwards

"I just seen it was hitting and decided to lengthen them a little so it now only hits at the very end of the fully extended travel position, thinking similiar to your comment, I figured that would be okay because I don't think the rear suspension fully extends to often and if it did, minor contact shouldn't damage anything."

You said you lengthen them a little? was it the rear? my originals were 10" what did you lengthen them to? are you the one who used the original brackets? bill
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Old 09-26-2010, 07:26 PM   #70
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I lenghten the rears 1 inch. They were originally 10 inches in length. Yes, I kept the support brackets installed, I just had to notch them some with a grinder to clear the links at full travel. Keep in mind, I lengthen my links by slid tubing over the rod part of the links after cutting them to get the added length. The tubing made it fatter, thus being able to make contact with the support bracket a little easier.

Hope that helps.
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