HellWig sway bar damaged my van

[JWA]

Originally Posted by MountainBikeRoamer

This is really interesring.
Not sure dig255 should get any guff for how or where he drove his van (since none of us rode along with him, at least I don't think any of us did....)

Granted you raise good points however the original post said only sway bars caused frame damage; my point was in "normal" operation they did not.

Certainly in the off-roading suspension needs & requirements are quite different from "normal street driving"----Dig255 doesn't mention how his van is used but if he did in this thread I missed it perhaps?

As for the guff because of my own long-term use of Hellwig sway bars knowing they work perfectly well when used as designed I thought it slightly irresponsible blaming a device or part by name brand when damage was created by other means. Call me butt hurt if it fits.

OTOH I'm sure there are or should be local frame repair shops close by who can repair and maybe reinforce Dig255's frame. I'd look for a heavy truck frame repair outfit---they're quite accustomed to dealing with issues like shown.

Good luck with this Dig255---hope its not too costly a repair!

[dig255]

Originally Posted by boywonder

...Sure...I'll take the rear.....already got a front....

what are you offering for it?

[dig255]

[QUOTE=JWA;231066] c'mon---blaming Hellwig for these frame issues--really???????

If anti-sway bars of any manufacture could cause frame damage those available from Ford (new manufacture or parts catalog) would not be offered.

You never looked at a news paper? all head lines are shock and aw to get you interested.

You are correct any installed sway bar regardless of manufacturer would have come out with same results.
Also by the fact that my van was designed as a 2 wheel drive van, by making it 4X4 I am certainly using it way beyond it's manufactured intent, so I do not hold Ford or HellWig responsible. I will give some blame to SMB for using the stock location without beefing-up the mounting locations knowing how much more weight and stress adding 4X4 will cause(they are supposed to be the 4X4 van experts(ha ha)).
Of course getting airborne in a 10000LB van doesn't help either
I said some blame so I will take the rest. But I sure had fun breaking it.

Really not trying to blame anyone here just trying to show what can happen if you have sway bars on a way heavy off-road van, and if you do and have had your van in the air (without a lift) I would look for possible stress cracks.
I have bin driving it about a year with the sway bar disconnected and or removed and don't seem to miss them, drives like I would expect a 10000LB 4X4 van. So no I would not get them on a new build.
Peace Out
DIG

[boywonder]

Originally Posted by dig255

what are you offering for it?

..My biggest issue is just getting up your way.....I'm in OC and head south for work....

[dig255]

I work every other week end in downtown LA if that helps, or now that I have my van back I want to join one of the meet ups happening lately

[Bbasso]

Are you selling them?

[dig255]

Originally Posted by Bbasso

Are you selling them?

Not putting them back on so make me an offer.
Have all the mounting hardware.

[REF]

Had posted this up on another thread, but seems applicable here too.

Ripped the weld on my beefed up sway bar bracket in Baja.....

Had it fixed and had gussets and disconnects added when I returned......

[JWA]

Originally Posted by dig255

You never looked at a news paper? all head lines are shock and aw to get you interested.

Sure I read/hear all the BS that passes for "news" these days---but I come here to AVOID that nonsense!

Originally Posted by dig255

Of course getting airborne in a 10000LB van doesn't help either
I said some blame so I will take the rest. But I sure had fun breaking it.

Now that's something I totally understand and appreciate!

Has your frame been repaired yet or is that in the plans?

[TomsBeast]

If it were me? I'd just repair it correctly, myself, and move on.



Chalk it up to "that's all part of owning and enjoying a modified vehicle" Repair the cracked frame, add a couple doubler plates, gussets or sisters to reinforce the repaired areas, and consider remounting the anti-swaybars. Most 4x4 fabricators could do the job. If in the land-o-litigation California or New York, where we have 2 lawyers for every lawyer, maybe a shop could, but wouldn't, 'for insurance reasons'.



If I reused the swaybars, I'd also disconnect one link on each swaybar before getting into any serious chassis flex situations.



But that's me.


I've heavily modified several frames on several vehicles, weld, fab, etc, including my van.



But I have a little more 'life and liberty' approach to things. I do so to make my E350 utility van more to my liking, 4x4, camper, ect, all things it was never designed to be, and drive it off road, often at speeds that would make the any litigator cringe, as an E series was never designed to do. I knew that when I bought it. I own the risk, and freely accept any and all consequences. I'm not looking for the upfitter, the parts manufacturer, Ford, or some governmental bureaucracy staffed with overly risk averse engineers to 'approve' of my design and fabrication skills.


Some (I'm not saying the original poster) would want a government inspector to bless the entire mess, or 'red-tag' the frame as though it were a condemned post earthquake brick building, or heat treated frame rails of a heavy truck (that you don't weld on) get the insurance company to reimburse me for my loss, who in turn can go sue Hellwig, SMB, Ford, and the last shop who did my brakes, because, after all "he's a trained professional and should have alerted me to this situation". I would advise against that approach. But again, that's me.