Visalia, CA-based company Hellwig has unveiled its new front sway bar upgrade for the General Motors T1-based Chevy Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 pickup trucks.
This new sway bar was unveiled during the SEMA360 online show earlier this month and is made from forged 1 3/8 inch diameter heat treated 4140 chromoly steel. Hellwig says this sway bar upgrade will increase the roll stiffness of the 2019 and 2020 model year Chevy Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 and will also improve the drivability of the trucks in “heavy tow/haul conditions.” This sway bar upgrade reuses the factory end links from the current Chevy Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 for easy installation.
“Though most vehicles come equipped with factory installed sway bars, they are often insufficient for today’s load and tow demands,” the company says. “Hellwig sway bars feature larger than stock diameters and precision engineered components to optimize handling and reduce body roll.”
Hellwig already offered a rear sway bar upgrade kit for the 2019-2020 Chevy Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500, which can further improve the truck’s handling and roll stiffness, especially in conjunction with the front sway bar. The Hellwig front sway bar for the current-generation GM light duty pickups costs $289.92, while the rear sway bar upgrade is priced from $527.26.
GM recently outlined the “Big Four” Chevrolet Performance upgrades it suggests owners make to the Chevy Silverado 1500, which included a Cat Back Exhaust Upgrade System, Air Intake Upgrade System, Front Brembo Big Brake Upgrade System and Rancho Two Inch Suspension Lift Kit. These official GM upgrades could be paired with aftermarket sway bars and cosmetic upgrades to further enhance the look of the Silverado 1500 and closely related Sierra 1500, with more and more aftermarket parts now becoming available for these relatively new trucks.
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Comments
GM usually light handed with sway bars. These should be a noticeable improvement.
If you think GM has “light” bars look under a RAM and you’ll change your mind. Ram bar diameter is as large as a pencil!
You are right. My wife has a 2020 Ram 1500, smaller sway bar but with coil springs and four wheel air ride unlike my Sierra it rides like a dream. The interior is the best I have seen in a truck. Unless GM catches up my next truck will be a Ram.
GM better get their act together. Chevy and GMC used to outsell Dodge/Ram trucks 4-5 to one. Now Ram outsells Silverado in many months.
I always install a Hellwig rear sway-bar for every new Silverado I purchase. The handling improves dramatically and all four tires wear flat with no edge rounding. I will not hesitate to upgrade the front now also. Hellwig is a quality product that they stand behind. I have been using them since 1993. As a general contractor I have two tool boxes and a ladder/lumber rack that makes the truck top heavy. The rear sway-bar makes it handle like a sports car so I can’t wait to try the improved front bar.
Hellwig products work as advertised and will provide a substantial improvement in handling. Fit and finish is an issue however. If a Hellwig DIY install is in your future, be sure to pick up an acetylene torch as well as a liberal assortment of cutting and grinding tools. Don’t count on your vehicle being available for a couple days.
The last gen sway bar didn’t need any of that, it was bolt on
I’d have to agree with the above fit and finish comments. Some back of envelope engineering for sure. Once all the shards and filings are swept up, the bars work as advertised.
Like all trucks they already understeer so a bigger front sway will just increase that and give an even stiffer ride.
Terrible idea for a truck owner. Absolutely terrible idea.