Steering Stabilizer

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Date: Sun, 12 Oct 1997 19:00:22 -0700 (PDT)
From: Kris Webb 
Subject: Steering Stabilizer
To: Toy4x4@tlca.org

I have seen some Toys and other off road vehicles with front steering
stabilizers.  What is the main advantage to these, if any, while off
roading.  The guys at my local 4x4 shop recommended that I get a dual
stabilizer but they weren't very specific as to why.  Please help, you
guys are the only ones I can trust.

Kris Webb--> telly@unm.edu
Albuquerque, New Mexico
1987 Toyota 22REturbo, 4"susp. lift, 3" body, 5.29gears, lockrights (now)
in front and rear.
Thanx and have a good day.

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Date: Sun, 12 Oct 1997 20:48:00 -0500
From: Steve Capuano 
Subject: Steering Stabilizer
To: Toy4x4@tlca.org


I think its a waste of money unless you have huge tires.  I may be wrong but
unless bumpsteer is a problem why get them.  YMMV so keep that in mind.


Steve Capuano			1996 Tacoma ext cab V6 4X4
capuano@hypercon.com		31x10.50x15 Wrangler RT/S
Houston, Texas			Rear LockRight  K&N filter
				Dynomax 2.5" cat back  Synthetic all around
NRA lifetime member		Edelbrock headers 

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Date: Sun, 12 Oct 1997 20:26:00 -0700
From: Scott Wilson 
Subject: Steering Stabilizer
To: Toy4x4@tlca.org

I replaced my stock (9yr old) stabilizer on my 88 4Runner a couple
months back.  I replaced it with the Rancho 5000 model.  There was no
increase in street performance with the new stabilizer, but off-road I
could definately feel the difference.  The bumps that previously would
come back at you through the steering wheel were dampended a great deal,
leaving the driver that much more in control.

I would recommend against getting a dual stabilizer setup unless you are
running some pretty big tires (bigger than 33's), as it would probably
reduce the trucks ability to 'self-center.'

Scott
- -- 
     _____       
    /_/_|_\__      Scott Wilson
   | _     _ :     Santa Clara, CA
   */_\---/_\'     http://www.off-road.com/~swilson
    (_)   (_)      
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Date: 13 Oct 97 09:57:50 -0500
From: "Karl Bellve" 
Subject: Steering Stabilizer
To: Toy4x4@tlca.org

I wouldn't get them to combat bumpsteer. If you prevent bumpsteer
with a strong enough steering stabilizer, then you could change your
direction after going across a bump. Bumpsteer can only be fixed by
changing the geomotries of your steering setup. 



- --

Cheers,


Dr. Karl Bellve
Biomedical Imaging Group
University of Massachusetts
WWW  : http://molmed.ummed.edu/~kdb/
Email: kdb@molmed.ummed.edu
Phone: (508) 856-3785
Fax  : (508) 856-1840

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Date: Mon, 13 Oct 1997 07:44:48 -0700
From: "aj" 
Subject: Steering Stabilizer
To: 

I put a single on mine. I did notice improvement. When going over a rock,
or even a speed bump for that matter, the stock bicycle pump just doesn't
keep the steering wheel from jerking around much.

I bought a Heckelthorn unit from JC Whitney because it mounted into the
existing holes with no special brackets. 
It mounted very easily.

Now going over washboards or even just a bunch of rocks, the steering wheel
doesn't jerk around as much. If you have big tires, you may need the
double, but I'm happy with my single on my 31s.


Allen Jensen
aj7@home.com
http://members.home.com/aj7

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Date: Mon, 13 Oct 1997 08:42:49 -0700
From: Barney McNamara 
Subject: Steering Stabilizer
To: Toy4x4@tlca.org

Scott wrote:
>I would recommend against getting a dual stabilizer setup unless you are
>running some pretty big tires (bigger than 33's), as it would probably
>reduce the trucks ability to 'self-center.'

The steering stabilizer helps reduce the bouncing of an impact to your
steering, just as a shock absorber reduces the bouncing of the truck
when the suspension takes an impact. On the road, hitting a pothole with
one wheel can set off a bounce that can cause problems if not safely
damped by a stabilizer.

I have to agree with Scott about not going with a dual stabilizer. When
I bought my truck, it had a dual setup that looked real cool, until I
figured out why there was a dent in the upper stabilizer, and white paint
on the bottom of my oil pan. The upper was actually hitting the bottom
of the engine under max compression of the suspension. This was a bad 
thing, and broke one of my motor mounts when I was playing in a parking
lot, and bounced one side of the truck off a curb. The lower one hung 
so low it reduces ground clearance, and is not a good thing to hang up 
on rocks or sand. I replaced the mounting bracket with a single 
mount, took off one stabilizer, and everything is much better now.
______________________________________________________________
Barney McNamara              JENNY - 83 Toyota Short Bed  
( barney@flowpoint.com )     stock 22R motor ; 3" body lift
Santa Cruz, Ca.              8" alloy rims; 31" BFG A/Ts
homepage: http://www.scruz.net/~barneym/barnhome.htm
______________________________________________________________

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Date: Mon, 13 Oct 1997 08:53:24 -0700
From: "Vic & Lorelei" 
Subject: Steering Stabilizer
To: 

I have 7" Lift and 38.5" Bias ply Ground Hawgs and I had a wild shimy 
driving down the highway. I installed a single heavy duty stabliser from 
Moroe and my shimy is totally gone. Duel stablizers are a waste of money 
and are only for show. Unless you have tires that are so far outa 
balance that it deems nessacery.

'82 Toy 7" lift, 38.5" Hawgs

350 Chev, sm 465, 205 t-case

I have seen some Toys and other orr road vehicles with front steering
stabilizers.  What is the main advantage to these, if any, while off
roading.  The guys at my local 4x4 shop recommended that I get a dual
stabilizer but they weren't very specific as to why.  Please help, you
guys are the only ones I can trust.

Kris Webb--> telly@unm.edu
Albuquerque, New Mexico
1987 Toyota 22REturbo, 4"susp. lift, 3" body, 5.29gears, lockrights 
(now)
in front and rear.
Thanx and have a good day.

------------------------------

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Date: Tue, 3 Mar 1998 08:43:33 -0500 (EST)
From: "Dr. Karl Bellve" 
Subject: Heckethorn steering stabilizers
To: Toy4x4@tlca.org

On Mon, 2 Mar 1998, Will Watt wrote:

> I Have been looking at different steering stabilizers for my 87 Runner with
> 31x10.5 Yoko superdiggers and maybe a Downey economy bars/springs lift in
> the future.  I think I've settled on the Heckethorn extra heavy duty  from
> JCW for only $34.  It uses the factory mounts unlike the Rancho kits that
> run $75.  Any experiences with the Heckethorn?  Will it take out the scary
> jerks on a rutted highway and track on the deep ruts in the hills?  Is the
> Rancho really worth the extra $40? I thank all of you for your input.

I think the best fix for the 'scary jerks' is to run with narrower tires.
I think radials are also better versus bias ply for not following a track.


Cheers,


Karl Bellve, Ph.D.
Biomedical Imaging Group
University of Massachusetts
WWW  : http://molmed.ummed.edu/~kdb/
Email: kdb@molmed.ummed.edu
Phone: (508) 856-3785
Fax  : (508) 856-1840

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Date: Tue, 3 Mar 1998 08:10:22 -0800
From: "Dan Smith" 
Subject: Heckethorn Steering Stabilizers
To: "Toy4x4@tlca. org" 

Will wrote:

I think I've settled on the Heckethorn extra heavy duty  from
JCW for only $34.  It uses the factory mounts unlike the Rancho kits that
run $75.  Any experiences with the Heckethorn?  Will it take out the scary
jerks on a rutted highway 

My understanding is that a Desert Eagle works great for taking out scary
jerks on a rutted highway, you just have to squeeze off rounds between the
ruts. Seriously, I had a Heckethorn stabilizer on my 79 Bronco & it worked
fine. I have the Rancho on my 90 4-Runner & it seems to work fine also. 
It's only a Rancho shock with a bracket basically.

Dan Smith
prism@premier1.net

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Date: Tue, 3 Mar 1998 09:20:46 -0800
From: "Roger Brown P.E." 
Subject: Heckethorn steering stabilizers
To: frk4sno@mcn.net

I have the Heckethorne stabilizer on my 4Runner (33x9.50 tires).  I 
originally got the dual tube unit, but found that it was way to sluggish 
and wasn't needed for stability.  I left the upper tube on and took off 
lower tube and bracket. I figure it'll make a good spare, in fact the 
nut, washer, and bushings came in handy a few months back for a trail 
repair of a broken shock.  With one tube (45mm OD), it is very stable 
on the highway with power steering.  With one tube, I use the inside 
stock mount and have a bracket attached to the outer end of the tie rod.

	http://reality.sgi.com/rogerb/4Runner.html


- -- 
    Roger Brown, P.E.        mailto:rogerb@sgi.com
    +1.650.933.1898 (vmail)  +1.650.932.1898 (fax)
    http://reality.sgi.com/rogerb/

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