Hodges 2016 Bilstein Build

[joshuaeb09]

Carli doesn’t mention how much lift you need to to run this bracket, but given the distance between the factory hole and the relocated hole, that seems to be about 2-3"
View attachment 162396

I don't need this bracket at all. I'm not raised that much in the back, i was at 39 1/4" bone stock, now i'm at 40 1/2 with about 200lbs of weight in the bed at all times., 1" over stock.

Also did some measurement on my axel shift, my driver side wheel is about 1/8" shifted to the driver compared to the passenger, i don't even need at adjustable rear TB to correct for axel shifting for a simple 1" lift.

I did some measurements anyways on the trackbar eye to eye (i didn't have it out to measure the eyletes so i'm doing center of the bolt on boths sides), and it seems to be 33 5/8" long

Distance from the factory diff cover to the edge of the TB, 1 1/8"

The factory TB seems hollow and it seems to have quite a bit of flex if you try to rock it by hand, so i feel the TB is actually a better invesment than that drop bracket.

Found this TB as the Core4x4 is 300 facking dollars, http://bwoodyperformance.com/proddetail.php?prod=250.3005
I called them and they said the bar will fit over the factory diff cover, i didn't ask if it will aftermarket as i don't have one.

I think i'll order this bwoody rear trackbar as my next mod as well

Bwoody made some of the control arms I have on the IRS of my Challenger. Not bad quality at all, but they do like to cheap out on some of the hardware (Bolts and Nuts). As long as I keep vehicles I really don't think the cost of the Core stuff is all that bad when I'll more than likely have the truck until 2026 or later unless I either really need something bigger in the future or something catastrophic happens.

 

[ram1500rsm]

Bwoody made some of the control arms I have on the IRS of my Challenger. Not bad quality at all, but they do like to cheap out on some of the hardware (Bolts and Nuts). As long as I keep vehicles I really don't think the cost of the Core stuff is all that bad when I'll more than likely have the truck until 2026 or later unless I either really need something bigger in the future or something catastrophic happens.

That's fine, i'm not paying $300 for a trackbar lol
I know Core when they used to sell affordable control arms for Jeeps, now i see they sell bright mango durango and violet blue BS parts lol, thanks but no thanks, it's a trackbar not a Kidney implant. I wish Synergy MFG will make stuff for this trucks, or other companies like Steer smarts and the like... All the control arms and steering components on my Jeep were adjustable on the fly on the alignment rack, from Synergy, Steer Smarts or Curry etc. More money but i know what im paying for. Core might the rave around here now, it's too bad it seems the only manufacturer who has gained our trust, but of course when you compare sponh chit to core, core looks looks like made by NASA to land on the moon.

 

[hodge-xj]

That's fine, i'm not paying $300 for a trackbar lol
I know Core when they used to sell affordable control arms for Jeeps, now i see they sell bright mango durango and violet blue BS parts lol, thanks but no thanks, it's a trackbar not a Kidney implant. I wish Synergy MFG will make stuff for this trucks, or other companies like Steer smarts and the like... All the control arms and steering components on my Jeep were adjustable on the fly on the alignment rack, from Synergy, Steer Smarts or Curry etc. More money but i know what im paying for. Core might the rave around here now, it's too bad it seems the only manufacturer who has gained our trust, but of course when you compare sponh chit to core, core looks looks like made by NASA to land on the moon.

Bilstein 5100s are the cats ass on this forum as well too, so I take all this **** with a grain of salt. Synergy has always had my vote, but they don't make us ****, so I'll be nabbing this track bar as well. I wanna try this stupid carli bracket out just for giggles, but looking at it I'm not keen on it. 2 bolts holding it to my stock mount, yea no thanks on that, plus i need to remove my exhaust.... . I'm gonna run out now and see if a magnet sticks to these sway bar links, if it does I'm welding extensions in, I'm sorry but there's no reason these ******* cost 100 for the fronts and 60 for the rears. Eat me. I want the bumper and I'm not spending money on **** i can make myself. 1" extensions out of some simple solid stock will cost like $5 in material and some time.

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[Kyle McWilliams]

Bilstein 5100s are the cats ass on this forum as well too, so I take all this **** with a grain of salt. Synergy has always had my vote, but they don't make us ****, so I'll be nabbing this track bar as well. I wanna try this stupid carli bracket out just for giggles, but looking at it I'm not keen on it. 2 bolts holding it to my stock mount, yea no thanks on that, plus i need to remove my exhaust.... . I'm gonna run out now and see if a magnet sticks to these sway bar links, if it does I'm welding extensions in, I'm sorry but there's no reason these ******* cost 100 for the fronts and 60 for the rears. Eat me. I want the bumper and I'm not spending money on **** i can make myself. 1" extensions out of some simple solid stock will cost like $5 in material and some time.

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We only deal in quality and intellect in here.

 

[hodge-xj]

We only deal in quality and intellect in here.

View attachment 162456

I don't even own a tux!!!! Classy up in here my man!

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[ram1500rsm]

Lol

 

[hodge-xj]

So I wanted to make a set of extended sway bar links for a few reasons

1- some mods are worth trying before buying, I wasn't convinced I needed these at such a low lift height

2- I sure as **** wasn't spending the money on the aftermarket ones as the cheapest I was able to find a front and rear set was about 150.

3- I have a welder so why not make them..


So without getting wild on a how to, I bought some solid stock and some tubing from home depot. Since I was only extending these 1" I made the extensions out of the solid stock and than sleeved them with tube. I don't like butt welding 2 solid pieces and leaving that as the only support. I chopped them in half, welded in 1" extensions and the sleeves, grind, paint and reinstall.

Side note, I ended up mixing up the pieces on my front links. The cuts weren't exact and I got up to grab my dog and when I did I kicked everything and though I measured I grabbed the wrong ones when I was assembling and one link ended up 1/2" longer than the other side. I thought may be I could get away with it, but it caused a lean again. So I grabbed some Delrin plastic washers I had and just shimmed the one side to keep the bar level. Should work, I'll just make another set, looking back I would do these a bit differently but I was in a rush. For 40$ they'll do. And I have enough material to make about 6 more sets. I'll get around to version 2.0.

The truck most definitely feels better, less side to side wishy wash ********. Really like how it changed the way it responded to some chewed up back roads. You can see the 2 black washers in the one pic.

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[hodge-xj]

Had to shim the drivers side up a bit more, gonna need to order some more links and do this over. [emoji854] if the links aren't even it actually will hold a lean to the shorter side. Not noticeable but it erks me and I'm running out of threads on the top stud.

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[Delmonico Lou]

Just thinking out loud here...so don’t stone me to death. Lol

I can see an actual mechanical need for extending the rear sway bar links since the rear end is essentially moved down with the Bilstein lift springs. However, the front sway links I’m not so sure about. The front sway bar is bolted to the frame and lower control arms. Without an actual cross member drop like the taller lift kits have, I would think there’s no need to lengthen the front links since they remain in the same position they were previously from the factory. That might explain the limited number of options available for extended length front sway bar links? Thoughts?

 

[hodge-xj]

Just thinking out loud here...so don’t stone me to death. Lol

I can see an actual mechanical need for extending the rear sway bar links since the rear end is essentially moved down with the Bilstein lift springs. However, the front sway links I’m not so sure about. The front sway bar is bolted to the frame and lower control arms. Without an actual cross member drop like the taller lift kits have, I would think there’s no need to lengthen the front links since they remain in the same position they were previously from the factory. That might explain the limited number of options available for extended length front sway bar links? Thoughts?

So as of now my fronts are ******* me off and since I screwed them up I ordered oem replacements and will be running stock length again. The rears made a noticeable difference in performance, the fronts, I couldn't tell aside from me setting them the wrong lengths and having my **** jacked side to side. I shimmed it to get me by the next couple days, sometimes simplicity prevails.

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[Kyle McWilliams]

Just thinking out loud here...so don’t stone me to death. Lol

I can see an actual mechanical need for extending the rear sway bar links since the rear end is essentially moved down with the Bilstein lift springs. However, the front sway links I’m not so sure about. The front sway bar is bolted to the frame and lower control arms. Without an actual cross member drop like the taller lift kits have, I would think there’s no need to lengthen the front links since they remain in the same position they were previously from the factory. That might explain the limited number of options available for extended length front sway bar links? Thoughts?

The lower arms still get pushed down, but not nearly as extreme as a crossmember drop. Definitely less important but the front bar wouldnt be exactly stock with the bils.

 

[Delmonico Lou]

I wonder if the Rams with the air suspension use the same front links as the traditional strut does?

 

[hodge-xj]

I wonder if the Rams with the air suspension use the same front links as the traditional strut does?

Everything seems identical between them. My buddy has a rebel with air suspension and nothing is different between our rigs

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[Delmonico Lou]

If they’re the same between a Rebel with air suspension and your regular 4x4, I would think there’s enough built-in “slack” to allow them to work as designed with the 6112s without the need to lengthen them. Again, just thinking out loud.

 

[hodge-xj]

If they’re the same between a Rebel with air suspension and your regular 4x4, I would think there’s enough built-in “slack” to allow them to work as designed with the 6112s without the need to lengthen them. Again, just thinking out loud.

They functioned as designed. I'll take a picture comparing the angle of the sway bar at the bushing, that's the only difference. The static angle of the sway bar with extensions was back to factory, which just helps bushing longevity and potentially a bit of up travel is freed up with the sway bar connected. My boots were torn from me getting a bit agressive with a set of huge pliars when I did my suspension, so if this worked out I planned on greasing them to combat joint wear, but since I failed, I'll just replace them with the oem mevotechs and call it a day.

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[ram1500rsm]

If they’re the same between a Rebel with air suspension and your regular 4x4, I would think there’s enough built-in “slack” to allow them to work as designed with the 6112s without the need to lengthen them. Again, just thinking out loud.

Rememeber the air suspension crap is designed to lift to sort obstacles not to run in the lifted position at all times, if anything factory air lifted trucks spend more time running in stock or below stock heigth in aero mode, so Rebels should not be used as best example for heigth performance anything.

Just look at the angle the sway bar run at normal operating mode. Mimic that with your lift, screw up the rest. is that simple

 

[hodge-xj]

Rememeber the air suspension crap is designed to lift to sort obstacles not to run in the lifted position at all times, if anything factory air lifted trucks spend more time running in stock or below stock heigth in aero mode, so Rebels should not be used as best example for heigth performance anything.

Just look at the angle the sway bar run at normal operating mode. Mimic that with your lift, screw up the rest. is that simple

Tell the air suspension nerds that, they stretch that **** out like yoga pants on a fat chick! That being said, ideally, yes the links should be extended. Reality is most guys don't, prob because we have 1 option and it's expensive and as you've stated not the most fool proof setup. I'm gonna hack the ones I messed up apart and try this over, without mixing my **** up this time!

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[ram1500rsm]

Tell the air suspension nerds that, they stretch that **** out like yoga pants on a fat chick! That being said, ideally, yes the links should be extended. Reality is most guys don't, prob because we have 1 option and it's expensive and as you've stated not the most fool proof setup. I'm gonna hack the ones I messed up apart and try this over, without mixing my **** up this time!

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Yes definitely not a lot of options out there in this regards. And my clicky ones are quiet again for now, I think I’ve got the handle on what the bushings want to do

 

[hodge-xj]

Yes definitely not a lot of options out there in this regards. And my clicky ones are quiet again for now, I think I’ve got the handle on what the bushings want to do

What was the issue? Overtight? I do like them, but not for that price.

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[ram1500rsm]

What was the issue? Overtight? I do like them, but not for that price.

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Not tight enough, if you crush the bushing too much you’ll kill them very quick. If you leave them on the loose side they’ll be clicking a lot. I’d guess they’re still clicking but they’re not loud enough for my ears to capture the noise