Since it's gotten colder I've noticed that I wasn't going crazy. I HAVE been hearing and feeling clunks and bumps. So I crawl under the rear end and find that sure enough, it's almost as though the main poly bushings (the ones on the brackets bolted to the diff) seem to have "shrunk" slightly and the bar floats in them. It's actually quite loose and again, sure enough, the drivers side where I heard it more pronounced is looser than the other side. When I'm turning and it's under a load, it's quiet as it should be. When driving straight, it's bump, clunk, bump. It's not real loud but it's obviously not right.

I've emailed Hellwig and will call as soon as I get a chance to see what they have to say. I'd simply order a new set of Energy Suspension bushings but the bar is larger than OEM so I'd have to get custom made bushings.

Anyone else noticed this with their Hellwig?

 

i was looking into some for my truck, are they good quality beside this problem. i have no idea but could it be because its cold and MAYBE the bushings shrink/ long shot but the only thing i could think of good luck

 

It's been from 0 degrees to teens and twenties here everynight (snow, ice, slush driving included) and all of my polyurethane bushings look and work exactly the same.

 

TTT

Anyone, Buhler? Hellwig surely isn't helping so far. Ok, it's only one email and about 3 days but hey, I'm impatient!

 

No you’re not going crazy!
I too have felt the “clunks”.
I do not believe the weather has any bearing on mine.
As the weather here in CA has just recently gotten cold.
Mine have been acting up since I have had them. Only on turn situations like pulling into my driveway. I have checked the bolts to make sure that they were not loose.

Keep us posted as to the probable cause.
Feel free to use me as a source, for referencing this to Hellwig.

PS: Was your finish on the bar crappy like mine?
It was so bad that I sanded them down a bit and painted the red!

LATE…

 

Nodrive55

It looks to me like the bushings are just slightly too small. If they were slightly bigger I think the brackets would tighten up on them just right. I remember when I installed it thinking it was odd to bottom out the bolts wihtout much, if any resistance form the bushings.

The finish wasn't impressive. It may go back to Hellwig's bread and butter, OEM on heavy applications where function is the key, not fashion. No one, including me gets close enough to it to see the imperfect finish and it looks fine form what you can see from the outside. I haven't noticed any rust or anything damaging so I think the finish too, is functional, not all that pretty.

I wonder if anyone with the Hotchkis bars could pipe in. For the difference in price, (almost double the Hellwig) I wonder if the Hotchkis are functional and pretty

By the way, I found a message on Hellwig's websitre saying they are unable to process email right now and to call. Explains why no response so far. I didn't notice that at first. I'll call and see what happens.

 

I just got through installing my sway bar, was prepared for the wrong nuts supplied by hellwig and close fit to brake lines and parking brake mount. I'm now waiting to see if I have clunking sounds. I did a little bit of grinding on the bracket on the drivers side of the axle to enable me to raise the bar a little bit higher and still clear the vent tube assy. Doesn't look like it would take much shifting under there to have things go bump in the night. Will take a wait and see approch on this one.
J.J.

 

TTT one more time before I let it die! I thought this might generate some discussion. Maybe mines just a fluke. Or I'm misdiagnosing it.

 

Just an update and so I can close the loop on Hellwig. Called them and talked for a bit. They were very surprised but he quickly sent out a set of new bushings.

I'll take a look and swap them out to see if that does it. I'm hoping I don't find out it's something else. At least I can say, Hellwig is anxious to keep a customer happy!

 

Thought I'd bring this one up for grins.

So, way back early this year, I replaced the bushings with the new ones Hellwig sent. Wouldn't you know it, they fit just fineand I had and had no problems at all but I still had that clunk.

Long story short, even after checking everything, all this time and it really was that blasted left rear, upper shock bolt! Yes, I checked it. But the other day I got up there with an open end and sure enough, it was slightly loose. Now, it's quiet as a mouse! I can't beleive I went all this time and that's all it was.....

Sorry Hellwig, it wasn't the bar or bushings at all!