Ford F-250 rear sway bar onto E-350 Ambulance

[Bikersmurf]

Next Ambo project. It came off a 10.25 Sterling axle in a 1995 F250. It looks like it should fit my Dana 70 axle. It looks like it should be able to connect to the frame with a couple custom mounts/brackets.

Being a 1.125” bar it won’t be as stiff as a 1.5” Helwig bar. That doesn’t mean it won’t be more than enough. It has 4000 lb rear leafs, and sway wasn’t bad, that doesn’t mean if wouldn’t handle with one.

 

[Bikersmurf]

Looks like the bar is a perfect fit. The bracket that attaches to the axle will need to be modified a bit because only 1/2 of it will sit on the axle housing. I’m also going to rotate both the links which connect it to the frame 180* so they don’t interfere with the frame. Then all I’ll need are a couple brackets with tabs on them to attach the links to the shock mount crossmember.

What I like most about this bar is that it doesn’t hang down way below the axle. With +/- 29” tires and a Dana 70, the last thing I want to do is loose 3-4” of clearance for an aftermarket sway bar hanging below the axle. Like this one, for example:

Or…

 

[iggi]

Is this an upgrade from the original, or you didn't have a rear sway bar?

 

[Bikersmurf]

I don’t have a rear… only a front.

Can’t say if it’s an upgrade to what others came with. All other factors being equal, a larger diameter bar is stiffer. That said, the shorter the lever arm, the stiffer it’ll be. Also, materials will make a difference.

The only thing I can be certain is that it’ll be stiffer than what came on my rig (= nothing). I’m also quite sure how the 1 1/8” bar will be stiffer than the 1/2” bars a lot of new trucks seem to come with.

 

[iggi]

Mine came with a rear sway bar, the handling is pretty damn impressive for a 10ft tall, 9500 lb box on a hard rubber hockey pucks. I always get a laugh heading up twisty hills when other drivers start piling up thinking I'm like the average RV and will be slowing down 20+ KPH, and I don't even take it off cruise control.

 

[Bikersmurf]

Mine does alright, but if does have significant body roll when cornering hard.

 

[Bikersmurf]

Here’s what a stock bar installed looks like:
Dana 70 housings don’t extend far enough for the bracket to all ride on th e Housing. The frame on a cutaway is also wider so I’ll need to adapt that end also. The links come up inside the frame (rather than the outside).

edit:
Note these pics are an OEM install of the bar on a Sterling axle equipped F series truck. With a truck you’re able to buy all the parts from Ford and simply bolt it on. It’ll work on an E series, but not with off the shelf parts.

 

[joeblack5]

Thanks for posting .. I found our bus on 19.5 tires and 9800 lbs also a little wobbly in the back and was looking for options.. this seems to be the ticket.

Thanks,

Johan

 

[Bikersmurf]

Thanks for posting .. I found our bus on 19.5 tires and 9800 lbs also a little wobbly in the back and was looking for options.. this seems to be the ticket.

Thanks,

Johan

I’ll emphasize this isn’t a direct bolt on with a Dana 70. The brackets to mount it to the axle will need some loving, and the frame end needs to be invented.

The sway bar appears to be a perfect fit for the axle. Since the cutaway frame is 6 or so inches wider, it needs custom mounts there.