Has anyone added a factory rear swaybar set-up to their truck? I have a 2004 3500 4x4 srw diesel 6 speed and was wondering if it makes a difference. I tow a 30 foot travel trailer that weighs around 8000 pounds loaded.

 

My 1999 came with sway bars on it from Dodge. It has the trailer tow and camper packages. It does make a better tow vehicle when you tow heavy to have these on.

 

Yes this WAS true about the older trucks however the new style trucks don't have a sway bar because DC changed the leaf springs to supposedly compensate for that. I on the otherhand have installed a set of Ride-Rite Air bags to assist in the heavly laden truck. I only pump them up when towing or carrying a load, other wise they sit at 5psi. You will know if yo forget to deflat them real quick, she will ride like a Western Flyer Wagon w/o a load.

 

Thanks, anyone else?

 

Ive added an aftermarket one to a 3/4 ton chebby that hauled my camper. It helped a bunch. You probably can find a hellwig or? for a lot less than DC`s.

 

Hellwig

 

Another vote for Hellwig if you're adding an anti-sway bar.

 

My vote is that it won't be worth it.

If you have a gooseneck hitch with a lot of pin weight the sway bar would help some. But that weight is all centered in the bed.

If you have a bumper hitch the sway bar will have very little effect.

The sway bar is designed for loads in the bed, especially tall loads creating a high center of gravity like a camper that slides into the bed.

 

The factory rear sway bar was never intended for trailer use, but tall high center of gravity loads and high speed cornering in traffic. A travel trailer connected at 24" from the road is going to be even less effected by the rear sway bar. Air bags also offer no increased stability unless they are interconnected by a height control valve and constant air supply on each bag to help compensate for the extra pressure on the low side. 5th wheel trailer hitches mounted at the standard 15-16" above the bed may benefit slightly from a rear sway bar in cornering however at that point the trailer will be usually be on it's way over from over speed in the corner. The tongue load and attitude of the truck will be more controlling of the handling of the tow vehicle, Level trailer- level truck under load with weight distributed properly are a far better prevention for sway. PK