Hellwig rear swaybar for towing

[RDiddy]

I put a deposit down on a new boat for this spring. The more I read, the more I am concerned with trailering it with my 2021 manual Sahara, as I am admittedly new to towing and don't want to mess it up. I understand that my Jeep has a fairly low tow capacity of 3500 pounds. I want to do everything that I can to ensure I have the safest experience possible.

The more I research, I see a few prevalent topics come up - get a rear sway bar. Get a weight distribution hitch. Don't drive over 65 mph.

Regarding the sway bar... through the reading I have done everyone seems to gravitate to the Hellwig 7775. If I am not mistaken, my Sahara comes stock with a rear sway bar that is somewhat less robust than the hellwig. Forgive my noobish question - how can some moderately greater thickness in the aftermarket metal rod stabilize the rear end so much more?

Is this product that much more beneficial / relevant for towing and not getting thrown around by gusts of wind or semi trucks blowing by?

Is there any benefit to beefing up the front end at all?

Are there any other products that I should consider to help me tow safely, aside from a sway bar upgrade?

Thank you for your time.

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[mwilk012]

It changes the handling significantly. It is the single best mod I've done for on road drivability. It limits body roll to near zero. Super easy install, well worth it. It is not designed for off road use, it will limit articulation.

What kind of / how heavy of a boat is it?

A truck is always better if it is an option.

 

[m3reno]

I installed the Hellwig sway bar and it was the best mod for rear end stability. Cuts down on the sway around cornering but still gives you a good idea of the breaking point. I would think it can only help you when towing.

 

[RDiddy]

It changes the handling significantly. It is the single best mod I've done for on road drivability. It limits body roll to near zero. Super easy install, well worth it. It is not designed for off road use, it will limit articulation.

What kind of / how heavy of a boat is it?

A truck is always better if it is an option.

I am rather surprised to hear everyone's account of how effective this mod is... how crappy of a part is the stock sway bar if a modestly larger bar will improve the handling that significantly?

I am not concerned of off road articulation at this point. I will save the stock bar if that ever changes.

The boat is an aluminum fishing boat. Weighs about 3200 pounds.

I can appreciate a pick up truck being the appropriate solution for my needs, that unfortunately is not an option at this time due to a drunk driver smashing into this jeep while I was stopped at a red light at an intersection... it's a bit of a long story

After I finish paying for the jeep, I will reevaluate my ability to get something else to tow it.

Thanks for your insight mwilk

 

[RDiddy]

I installed the Hellwig sway bar and it was the best mod for rear end stability. Cuts down on the sway around cornering but still gives you a good idea of the breaking point. I would think it can only help you when towing.

Why do people only address the rear end? Nothing in the front end contributes to the handling you mention? Thanks for stopping in.

 

[Old Jeeper]

I put a deposit down on a new boat for this spring. The more I read, the more I am concerned with trailering it with my 2021 manual Sahara, as I am admittedly new to towing and don't want to mess it up. I understand that my Jeep has a fairly low tow capacity of 3500 pounds. I want to do everything that I can to ensure I have the safest experience possible.

The more I research, I see a few prevalent topics come up - get a rear sway bar. Get a weight distribution hitch. Don't drive over 65 mph.

Regarding the sway bar... through the reading I have done everyone seems to gravitate to the Hellwig 7775. If I am not mistaken, my Sahara comes stock with a rear sway bar that is somewhat less robust than the hellwig. Forgive my noobish question - how can some moderately greater thickness in the aftermarket metal rod stabilize the rear end so much more?

Is this product that much more beneficial / relevant for towing and not getting thrown around by gusts of wind or semi trucks blowing by?

Is there any benefit to beefing up the front end at all?

Are there any other products that I should consider to help me tow safely, aside from a sway bar upgrade?

Thank you for your time.

Ahh one of my fav topics: I love it because so few have any real idea of what they do and are for.

The sway bar, aka Anti Dive bar, serves MANY uses: Braking, squatting, leaning in turns. What is it? Its a torsion bar. Its JOB 1 is to keep your vehicle stable and planted on the terra firma.

Thin bars and Thick. Thin is found on most cars just used for daily driving. Thick because it's a TORSION bar is used in anything that requires speed or hard braking, acceleration, and especially sway and leaning around curves...keeping your vehicle wheels planted!

Differend between a F 350 Dully truck vs F 450 Dully rear sway bar. Heavy loads in tow or in the bed of the truck. HD swaybar is a Hellwig.

 

[Barney392]

Ahh one of my fav topics: I love it because so few have any real idea of what they do and are for.

The sway bar, aka Anti Dive bar, serves MANY uses: Braking, squatting, leaning in turns. What is it? Its a torsion bar. Its JOB 1 is to keep your vehicle stable and planted on the terra firma.

Sorry, but I disagree. A sway bar or Anti anti-roll bar has nothing to do with anti-dive, braking, or squatting. The sway bar controls a vehicle leaning in a corner. The problem with changing just the front or rear sway bar will change the balance of the vehicle. Putting a stiffer sway bar in the rear and making no changes to the front will add oversteer, something you never want in a Jeep. The problem with oversteering, especially to a high center of gravity Jeep, is you won't know it's a problem until it is. In an extreme situation you will find you are looking in the rearview mirror to see where you are going or, most likely in a Jeep, you will be upside down.

The best thing you can do when towing with your Jeep is the add airbags to the rear springs to keep the Jeep level with the added weight to the rear with the trailer tongue weight.

https://www.airliftcompany.com/

 

[RDiddy]

Ahh one of my fav topics: I love it because so few have any real idea of what they do and are for.

The sway bar, aka Anti Dive bar, serves MANY uses: Braking, squatting, leaning in turns. What is it? Its a torsion bar. Its JOB 1 is to keep your vehicle stable and planted on the terra firma.

Thin bars and Thick. Thin is found on most cars just used for daily driving. Thick because it's a TORSION bar is used in anything that requires speed or hard braking, acceleration, and especially sway and leaning around curves...keeping your vehicle wheels planted!

Differend between a F 350 Dully truck vs F 450 Dully rear sway bar. Heavy loads in tow or in the bed of the truck. HD swaybar is a Hellwig.

Thanks for your insight. I'll be the first to admit that I don't know exactly what they do, which happens to be the exact reason I am here asking questions about it and trying to learn.

So are you stating that this really wouldn't be a beneficial mod to assist with towing near the jeep's capacity?

 

[RDiddy]

Sorry, but I disagree. A sway bar or Anti anti-roll bar has nothing to do with anti-dive, braking, or squatting. The sway bar controls a vehicle leaning in a corner. The problem with changing just the front or rear sway bar will change the balance of the vehicle. Putting a stiffer sway bar in the rear and making no changes to the front will add oversteer, something you never want in a Jeep. The problem with oversteering, especially to a high center of gravity Jeep, is you won't know it's a problem until it is. In an extreme situation you will find you are looking in the rearview mirror to see where you are going or, most likely in a Jeep, you will be upside down.

The best thing you can do when towing with your Jeep is the add airbags to the rear springs to keep the Jeep level with the added weight to the rear with the trailer tongue weight.

https://www.airliftcompany.com/

Thanks for the link to the airbags, I forgot to mention those in my OP. I am going to pick a pair up for my rear springs.

So you're obviously not a fan of adding this rear sway bar. I shouldn't bother with it for my purposes?

 

[Barney392]

Thanks for the link to the airbags, I forgot to mention those in my OP. I am going to pick a pair up for my rear springs.

So you're obviously not a fan of adding this rear sway bar. I shouldn't bother with it?

In my opinion, if you want to stiffen up the rear sway bar do both front and rear. Jeep put a lot of work into determining the sway bar sizes to keep the Jeep stable in most situations.

 

[m3reno]

If you drive your Jeep around any corner you can feel the back end is first to lose stability or lean vs the front. There are two settings (mounting holes) on the Hellwig sway bar and I installed it with the hole that gives a moderate stiffness as I didn't want it overly stiff. Now, I have a lot less lean and better control going around corners and also better highway handling. No need to change the front as the front is planted firmly and can make things worse by going with a bigger bar. The whole purpose of the bar is to eliminate the lean and drive much more car like vs a top heavy caravan. If you go off roading where you need all the articulation then this bar is not for you.

 

[Old Jeeper]

Thanks for your insight. I'll be the first to admit that I don't know exactly what they do, which happens to be the exact reason I am here asking questions about it and trying to learn.

So are you stating that this really wouldn't be a beneficial mod to assist with towing near the jeep's capacity?

No not at all I would definitely if you’re towing I would definitely put on a heavy duty swaybar and that’s exactly what I’ve been doing for many many many many years I can’t tell you how far back this goes but it actually goes back to 1966 when I put on my first heavy duty swaybar, and found myself in the winter circle for the first time in my drag racing career.
Many people don’t understand the concept of what sway bars do they’re torsion bars, and I had an anti-rock on the front of my Offroad jeep and I had a bigger swaybar on the rear. They had come out with the ant rock yet at that time, and like I said, the job of that sway bar is to keep all four wheels planted on terra firma, so yes, if I was you, I would certainly improve your handling and performance, especially in towing with a heavy duty swaybar in the picture I was putting on a heavy duty swaybar, and you saw the difference in size, so the larger the size the more torsion you have involved Best luck to you. Let me know how it works out.

 

[RDiddy]

No not at all I would definitely if you’re towing I would definitely put on a heavy duty swaybar and that’s exactly what I’ve been doing for many many many many years I can’t tell you how far back this goes but it actually goes back to 1966 when I put on my first heavy duty swaybar, and found myself in the winter circle for the first time in my drag racing career.
Many people don’t understand the concept of what sway bars do they’re torsion bars, and I had an anti-rock on the front of my Offroad jeep and I had a bigger swaybar on the rear. They had come out with the ant rock yet at that time, and like I said, the job of that sway bar is to keep all four wheels planted on terra firma, so yes, if I was you, I would certainly improve your handling and performance, especially in towing with a heavy duty swaybar in the picture I was putting on a heavy duty swaybar, and you saw the difference in size, so the larger the size the more torsion you have involved Best luck to you. Let me know how it works out.

Thank you for your time Sir.

 

[RDiddy]

Are you guys using the "stiffer" mount holes, or the outer mount holes on the bar?

 

[m3reno]

The outer mount holes worked best for me.

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