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ADDCo #697 rear sway bar DOES NOT FIT 92-up Ford E150 as advertised
#753019 October 04th 2019 1:08 pm
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 12,107
Likes: 37
Reed Offline OP
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I have owned a 1989 Ford E150 for about 12 years. Early on I installed an ADDCO #697 rear sway bar. I paid a shop to install it and I remember hem grumbling about the instructions and having to drill extra holes. But the bar has fit and worked well for about ten years now.

I recently purchased a 1995 E150 high top conversion van and I knew I wanted a rear sway bar on it because of the weight of the high top. I was happy to learn that ADDCO advertises the same #697 rear sway bar as fitting Ford E150s from 1975-2001 without any drilling. Plus it was only about $130 with free shipping.

I spent yesterday trying to install the ADDCO #697 rear bar on my 1995 E150 only to determine that it will not work without drilling a minimum of six holes. The bar mounts to the rear axle using clamps that attach to the lower shock mounts welded to the axle housing. The instructions say to bolt the hardware for the clamps to the shock brackets using the preeisting holes in the shock mounts. Well, there is only one hole in each shock mount and it is centered. The brackets would need two more holes per shock mount drilled. This would significantly weaken the lower shock mount.

But moving past the clamp mounting issue, the instructions then say that the end link upper bracket is supposed to mount using a pre-existing 5/8 hole in the frame of the van roughly 12 inches in front of the rear axle. Well, there is a 5/8 hole in the frame on each side, but it is much farther away from the axle than 12 inches. Using that hole to mount the upper end link bracket results in the end link being canted towards the front of the van by about 30 degrees. This is beyond the point of useability.

[Linked Image]

So I would have to drill a 5/8 hole per side. That is six holes that the instructions do not mention having to be drilled for a bar that is advertised as requiring no drilling for installation.

I think ADDCO has not properly advertised this bar. It might fit without drilling on the 75-91 E150 series, but ill not work without drilling on the 92-up E150 vans.

I am going to return the ADDCO #697 bar and buy a more expensive Hellwig 7642 bar. It costs almost three times more, but the mounting looks much more secure and better engineered. Plus, I don't have to drill any holes to mount the Hellwig. The ADDCO #697 rear bar has worked fine on my 89, but it will not work on my 95. Ford owners need to be aware of this. The Hellwig 7642 rear bar is the only other sway bar I can find marketed for the 92-up E vans. It is more expensive, but it looks much better engineered.

Last edited by Reed; October 04th 2019 1:10 pm.

Windows- they're what make a van worth owning!
Re: ADDCo #697 rear sway bar DOES NOT FIT 92-up Ford E150 as advertised
Reed #758092 March 19th 2020 7:48 am
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Hey Reed. I have a 93 Chevy G20 hightop. I upgraded the factory front swaybar to a thicker Hellwig unit and it's been great. However Hellwig stopped producing the rear swaybar kit so I had to go with an ADDCO unit. What a piece of crap. I had a professional shop do the work but they had to drill holes, supply extra hardware, and the end links mount to the leaf springs just ahead of the u-bolts. Not a pretty install to the say the least, but the van overall handles great. I definitely would have gone with the Hellwig rear swaybar kit if they still made it. The extra cost would have been worth it.


Nate Breece
Re: ADDCo #697 rear sway bar DOES NOT FIT 92-up Ford E150 as advertised
Reed #758102 March 19th 2020 11:23 am
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This is an older thread but I'll add some.
On our '95 G20 we went with the Hellwig 2500 series helper springs. They've been great for towing and, as for over all handling, have been as good or better than a sway bar.
They do ride a little stiff but I actually like it that way. They are adjustable and I have them set-up to just support the stock springs without giving any lift while unloaded.

Last edited by CatFish; March 19th 2020 11:43 am.
Re: ADDCo #697 rear sway bar DOES NOT FIT 92-up Ford E150 as advertised
Reed #758103 March 19th 2020 11:44 am
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How timely that this thread was revived today. The Hellwig bar was on backorder when I ordered it, but it is supposed to arrive today. I will try and get it mounted soon and I will post pictures. I can't promise I will get it done in the near future since I just started a new full-time job and this crazy virus situation is wreaking havoc around here (I live about 30 miles south of Seattle, one of the main centers of infection).


Windows- they're what make a van worth owning!
Re: ADDCo #697 rear sway bar DOES NOT FIT 92-up Ford E150 as advertised
Reed #767786 November 23rd 2020 12:54 pm
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Little late. I’ve got a ‘99 and put one of these on. Yes it was cheesy, but it works. I used that oval slot on the frame and drilled two more holes on the shock mounts. A little closer to the edge than I’d liked but I used washers I supplied. Wasn’t crazy about the weird angle of the end links either, but again, it works. I had to replace the rear end and didn’t put the bar back on for a while. I recently put it back on was surprised by the difference.

Re: ADDCo #697 rear sway bar DOES NOT FIT 92-up Ford E150 as advertised
Reed #767789 November 23rd 2020 1:10 pm
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The Hellwig went on easy and fits perfectly. It costs more, but you get what you pay for. I will never put an Addco on a Ford van again.


Windows- they're what make a van worth owning!

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