Horrible sway

[wafflecakes13]

I ordered and installed some front sway bar end links. Improved the sway by at least 50%. Still more than I think there should be (yes I am taking into account it being a big tall heavy suv and not a sports car). Main way I can tell is a few curves I go around and there is some swaying, also a few of the more severe dips in the road. Still feels like swaying opposed to body roll. Any suggestions on where to look next?

 

[Rocket Man]

At that many miles, if you haven't replaced outer tie rods, Pitman arm, Idler arm and bracket, and ball joints, the front will be causing the rear to sway. Also, did you check your rear end links, since if the fronts were worn the rears can't be far behind.
Edit: I see you checked those, but I'm thinking that if your fronts were that worn, your steering and front suspension must be totally worn out. When I rebuilt mine at 140k, it made a huge difference.

 

[Lee Dutton]

upgrading sway bars should not be necessary. Shocks, sway bar bushings, and end links, and finally springs are what I'd be looking at if you are sure that it is the rear and that you are at stock height.
Sway bar end links and bushings are cheap. I'd recommend MOOG "problem solver" for these items. Generally that line is a solid choice. They can be installed by anyone vaguely comfortable with a wrench.


Rear control arm bushings might be worth a look if those items are in perfect order.

For shocks @ stock height I will recommend bilstein 4600s. They are a few bucks more per shock than all the other junk out there, but I've tried most of the mainstream stuff now and they are definitely the best bang for the buck.

My Denali was scary bad on the highway with blown air ride shocks, and worn out springs, which was the condition when i took ownership
.
I originally installed new gabriel maxcontrol monotubes which helped but those wore out in less than a year. Swapped to 4600s and new springs and its a huge improvement.

I had KYB monomax shocks on a previous truck and gr2's on a car. I have bilstein 5100's on my Jeep. All installed by me. The Bilsteins will be my choice on every vehicle going forward.

How was it switching from Air ride to just normal shocks? I actually design car suspension for a living and my 2003 Yukon is my first car with air ride. Do you feel that the ride is as smooth and soft and just way better and not so boaty?

 

[TheAutumnWind]

How was it switching from Air ride to just normal shocks? I actually design car suspension for a living and my 2003 Yukon is my first car with air ride. Do you feel that the ride is as smooth and soft and just way better and not so boaty?

When I took ownership of this vehicle the air ride was completely blown. The springs on the airride equipped vehicles are weak, since the air bags help support the vehicle so it was horrendous. Frightening on the highway. First thing I did on this vehicle was replace the rear shocks. Blew the set in less than a year as I neglected to replace the springs. New springs and bilstein rear shocks helped quite a bit.

I'm sure that I would have been happy with the airride if it worked and didn't cost significantly more to maintain. But it didn't make any sense for me to spend way more money and put myself in a position where something else expensive related to the airride may fail on a vehicle as old as this rig.

 

[Madgrty]

I replaced my pitman and idler arms along with adding the Cognito brace kit on mine a couple months back. Not long after that (and 400#'s of stereo in the rear) I started getting the same problem you are describing. Hitting a bump while on the highway, weather straight or curved road and the whole body starts rolling like waves moving a boat. Very unsettling to say the least. Anyways I just purchased new energy suspension front poly end links, rear DJM end links (Im lowered 2 inches) DJM front and rear sways and a spoon panhard bar. I should be putting them on this upcoming weekend, I'll let you know the results! Eventually I plan on getting the upper and lower trailing arms also along with some other things but I'm hoping this fixes the "sway" issue I have first.

 

[ortiz domimguez]

I replaced my pitman and idler arms along with adding the Cognito brace kit on mine a couple months back. Not long after that (and 400#'s of stereo in the rear) I started getting the same problem you are describing. Hitting a bump while on the highway, weather straight or curved road and the whole body starts rolling like waves moving a boat. Very unsettling to say the least. Anyways I just purchased new energy suspension front poly end links, rear DJM end links (Im lowered 2 inches) DJM front and rear sways and a spoon panhard bar. I should be putting them on this upcoming weekend, I'll let you know the results! Eventually I plan on getting the upper and lower trailing arms also along with some other things but I'm hoping this fixes the "sway" issue I have first.

Any fix I’m having the same problem

 

[ortiz domimguez]

I replaced my pitman and idler arms along with adding the Cognito brace kit on mine a couple months back. Not long after that (and 400#'s of stereo in the rear) I started getting the same problem you are describing. Hitting a bump while on the highway, weather straight or curved road and the whole body starts rolling like waves moving a boat. Very unsettling to say the least. Anyways I just purchased new energy suspension front poly end links, rear DJM end links (Im lowered 2 inches) DJM front and rear sways and a spoon panhard bar. I should be putting them on this upcoming weekend, I'll let you know the results! Eventually I plan on getting the upper and lower trailing arms also along with some other things but I'm hoping this fixes the "sway" issue I have first.

Did u fix the problem? What part fixed it

 

[Dantheman1540]

Did u fix the problem? What part fixed it

This is a 5 year old thread I'm not sure if that guy is around anymore, Covid may have got him.

 

[Rocket Man]

This is a 5 year old thread I'm not sure if that guy is around anymore, Covid may have got him.

It’s always the fng’s digging up the ancient threads and wondering why they’re not getting an answer.

 

[TheAutumnWind]

Did u fix the problem? What part fixed it

shocks and front end components would be a good start.