Rear Anti Sway Bar needed.

[mattsmoski]

I have a 1986 M1008 which I put a Lance camper on. I am looking for an Anti-Sway bar for the rear. I have Air bags on the rear. It does sway pretty bad. The camper weight is 2400. I took it up the Oregon coast so a lot of turns. Anyone suggest an anti sway bar brand, type part number. Thank you for your help. Matt

 

[cucvrus]

That is not going to help that you made the truck top heavy. That is only going to make a difference for handling with a properly loaded and towing vehicle. The sway happens because you have raised the center of gravity. You could put a dual wheel conversion on and that may help to spread the high load onto a wider contact area. But the sway bar alone will not help that sway issue. Brothers sells sway bar kits if you need one. Not sure if it is for a 1 ton but it is available.

 

[Skinny]

I'd throw one on, most 3/4 and 1 tons have them from the factory. I have no bars front or rear, 4", and the M1031 body with the generator...a pretty interesting ride when cornering.

 

[Jeepsinker]

You could build one if you have a torch, welding machine, and a water hose. Use some 1"cold rolled solid bar and heat and bend it, flaw ten the ends and drill holes, then temper it yourself or have it tempered.

 

[Recovry4x4]

Only the 2 wheel drive one tons had them on the back. They pop up on epay from time to time.

 

[Jeepsinker]

If you decide to build your own, any good spring shop should be able to temper it for you. Otherwise, Kenny have you some good search material there.

 

[Drock]

I found ah (Hellwig #7549) for a little over $200.00 on ebay. You just need to figure out if buying one, is more expensive then your time making one.

 

[cucvrus]

The more I thought about this on my drive to the recycler today the more I remembered the data plate on the M1008. Check it out on the drivers door. It shows the center of gravity at the curb and the GVW center of gravity. This is on the stock none lifted vehicle with the stock E range tires. Everything you changed after that is now making the vehicle design void. The data plate is only a picture of a truck on the door. You can see how close the M1010 center of gravity is in ralation to the center of gravity on the M1008. That took a lot of thought and engineeering to get that balance. Once you change the suspension and tires that engineering is shot to the wind. You may ask why I was thinking about this while I was driving. I had also felt sway and knew why. I had a 3K dumpster of stainless steel scrap in the bed of the M1008 sitting on skids to clear the wheel wells and with stock tires and suspension I had some sway. Not designed for that load.

 

[the skull]

Cucvrus, Nice Pic! As you said, not designed for that load.
But even with the wiggle, I bet she pulled it just fine.
Mine makes regular runs to the recycler too. Scrap
prices dropped here, think I'm done til spring.

 

[Skinny]

I agree you need to stay within the design parameters of the original vehicle but...

Are you telling me that an off the shelf diesel 1 ton truck can SAFELY pull/brake/steer/avoid collision/etc with a 18,000+ pound load that they are touting these days? Some engineer came up with those numbers but they are probably pretty sketchy and designed to sell trucks rather than make them a real world number. I'd rather drive a Cucv with a camper in the back then a brand new Ram pulling 18,000 lbs.

Put the sway bar in and drive it. Stop by a scale and make sure your theoretical truck weight is close to what it actually is

 

[cucvrus]

I think you are referring to the Dodge 550HD and Ford F550 and yes I believe they can pull that weight and stop it. That is no comparison to a 30 year old 1 ton pick up. These things are 3 times the horse power and 10 times better braking and steering systems then they had in the age of the CUCV. I work in the truck industry and have seen the improvements in the truck chassis over the past 25 years. These are no longer just HD work horses these are Hi Tech and engineered work horses that have every imaginable safety device and state of the braking and steering built in. I know that some think more to go wrong. But few of the older vehicles have seen the horse power and handling that the newer trucks are built with. Hey I am all with you on the older things being good. But the new trucks are better. If you drove one and were truthful about it you would have to agree. Remember I am the same guy that does not think the CUCV was a designed to be a daily driver in the real world as you say. And in the real world we must all look out for what is safe and what is just a back yard modifacation. Use the vehicle for what it was designed for and it will serve you well. After that well??? It's not worth the risk to your self or others.

 

[Skinny]

This is what Dodge claims for a 2wd diesel 1 ton:
http://www.ramtrucks.com/en/towing_guide/?section=heavy_duty

I wouldn't trust that truck pulling 30,000lbs as rated anymore than a Cucv with a camper body in the back. I wouldn't exactly claim any 1 ton from the big three is an engineering feat. We are talking a camper. Maybe a dually would be a good idea but I think you are within the realm of safety. Again, check the scales. Campers tend to collect lots of belongings which add hidden weight.

Built in safety and engineering, I don't buy it. You are still putting more weight and load on something with the same wheelbase, width, and tires as most other 1 tons on the road. Huge brakes, ABS, trac, skid, etc. are all great but they all go through the same sized E rated tire down to the pavement and that's what counts.

 

[86m1028]

AND your forgetting "really good trailer brakes" on those towing #'s

antilock brakes & traction control are for people that don't know how to drive.


Find you a factory rear sway bar from a 2wd, install it & enjoy your truck.

 

[cucvrus]

Not a Ram fan at all. Most of the ones I see are converters. They convert diesel fuel and air into excessive noise. For what? I do a lot of driving and at night I see a vehicle with lot of bright lights coming up from behind and I say to my wife it's a Dodge. That is before I even see it and guess what 99 out of 100 I am right. It passes us and smoke bellows from an 8 inch stack. WHY? Same as sitting outside on the patio in the summer. I can hear a truck coming and making the most noise and with out getting up I say it's a Dodge. My grand/kids jump up to prove me wrong and they always say how did you know. Its a Dodge thing I totally don't understand.

 

[Skinny]

It's the advent of electronically controlled diesels. Ever notice that most of them are crooked flat cap wearing SoCal wannabees? Any moron can install a stack with a tuner and make lots of smoke to impress his friends and high school girls. Its rather pathetic. Kinda takes something away from proper diesel tuners.

 

[cucvrus]

I was looking thru my brothertrucks.com part catalog and I saw a rear sway bar kit for a 3/4 ton 4 X 4 Suburban. As I remember the old suburban 3/4 tons had 14 bolt corporate rears. Just and idea. Thought I would mention it. The complete kit is $169.99. Have a good day and I hope that helps someone out. They also have lots of nice parts that fit CUCV's.

 

[Recovry4x4]

Above all else, use common sense. The truck is capable of moving the camper.

 

[Csm Davis]

Cucvrus glad you finally got around to helping the gentleman out but you say the camper is to high and heavy, why? A 1028 and 1008 are basically the same other than over load springs which is why he added the air bags. Also why wouldn't a sway bar help stop sway?
To the OP and anyone else who might be wanting a sway bar there are lots of custom ones on the market for jeeps and race cars that can be ordered with different spring rates you could talk to one of those manufacturers and get one setup real close to what you want.

 

[MarcusOReallyus]

Not a Ram fan at all. Most of the ones I see are converters. They convert diesel fuel and air into excessive noise. For what? I do a lot of driving and at night I see a vehicle with lot of bright lights coming up from behind and I say to my wife it's a Dodge. That is before I even see it and guess what 99 out of 100 I am right. It passes us and smoke bellows from an 8 inch stack. WHY? Same as sitting outside on the patio in the summer. I can hear a truck coming and making the most noise and with out getting up I say it's a Dodge. My grand/kids jump up to prove me wrong and they always say how did you know. Its a Dodge thing I totally don't understand.

Agreed. They are the most agressive drivers, too, in general. Once in a while I'll see a built-out Ford or a Chevy being a bully on the road, but most of the time, it's the Dodge drivers who think they are the king of the road.

Compensating for something, I guess...

 

[Keith_J]

And you won't get a spring temper from 1018 cold rolled steel, no way to quench a section that large with that little carbon in it. Now 1080, different story.

Sway control bars are nothing more than lateral differential springs. As this is a custom application, you would be better served by buying a kit tailored to your setup than making one. I've toyed with a hydraulic setup, two double acting hydraulic cylinders cross plumbed with pressure accumulators for adjustable spring rates. But at is only in my mind and as of current, unnecessary for my 1031 as I keep the heavy stuff below the listed CG.