steering dampener alignment woes

[De-lux]

ok, so i need to get my car together and registered etc by the weekend, but i'm haveing dramas with my superior engineering tie rod and rancho steering dampener combo. it seems as if the steering dampener is too big (or too small) for the truck. the wheels can't turn properley at the moment. i dont really know what to do. if anyone on here cant solve it, i was just going to drive it without a dampener to the nearest steering joint and risk the death wobbles till i got there and got them to put it on properly (but i would prefer to save the bling and do it myself if its something easy i have overlooked)

here are some pics if you can see anyhting wrong tell me.

cheers

[phippsy]

Would it need to be there for the roadworthy??

[De-lux]

i would be pretty sure it would have to be there for the roadworthy

[RV80]

Is the distance here adjusted correctly? Did you fit the dampner to the diff and then turn the steering to full lock, then fit the dampner?

[De-lux]

yeah i have tried a few differend combos of trying to get it to fit, but all times, it seems to hinder the steering at full lock

[Slayer]

i dont exactly understand whats the problem, is it running out of travel??

first mounting the dampener to the diff end of things, then turning the wheel full left hand lock and with the dampener mounted the that plate thingo on the tierod but with those U bolts lose u slide it till the dampner is at full extension, minus like half a cm.. or as far as it will go along the tierod without hitting other things, which ever comes first.. then u tighten the u bolt thingos and go full lock the other way and is it bottoming out before u get to full lock??

[ozy1]

i also agree wiht the above post, as long as you have the correct sized dampner

[TWISTY]

Cant help on the dampner maxing out, but you will need it for the road worthy. The first time I tried to get my V8 approved in QLD I failed cause I hadn't fitted the steering dampner yet.

But you are fine to drive without them, you won't notice a great difference while driving with it missing on the bitumen.

[+dj_hansen+]

Love your workshop stands mick

Mr Safety!

[Area54]

Are you going for a roadie at the local approved officer, or going over the pits at a DOT office?

[turps]

The dampaner you not be needed for on-road driveing. If there is vibration, there is something not set up right.
The steering dampaner is mainly to reduce the off-road shock of hitting stuff.
Not to get rid of normal road driving vibration, ok well atleast not teh stuff that makes the steering wheel moving more than a mm or 2.

[De-lux]

all good peeps... we have rigged it up kinda dodgy. all that means is now when turning, you can't push the steering wheel too hard when on full lock or shit getts f*cked up. its hard to explain, but its sweet as for now, but i think the superior engineering rod is a bit out of size for my truck.

all the help appreciated everyone

[AndrewPatrol]

Surely the rods would have to be the same length? Have you tried your old damper on the new rod? Maybe the internal piston is bigger or something. Maybe you need to change the damper for a different one. What about angling the bracket with the u-bolts down a bit? A couple of degrees wouldnt hurt it (??????) looks bloody close to the spring!!

[Zute]

Shouldnt the damper be mounted to the drag link and not the tie rod. plus I cant see it staying in place with the little U bolts. Looks kinda dodgy, I wouldnt pass it. sorry but thats how I see it.

[De-lux]

Shouldnt the damper be mounted to the drag link and not the tie rod. plus I cant see it staying in place with the little U bolts. Looks kinda dodgy, I wouldnt pass it. sorry but thats how I see it.

the dampener mounted to the drag link? do you actually know what your talking about? i dont think you do. there would be no point in mounting it to the drag link. its mounted to the "lazy" front wheel (ie, the wheel which is furtherest away from the draglink and steering arm) it "dampens" the feedback given when the wheel wobbles a little at speed. go have a look at your zook for a bit and think about it.

[De-lux]

Surely the rods would have to be the same length? Have you tried your old damper on the new rod? Maybe the internal piston is bigger or something. Maybe you need to change the damper for a different one. What about angling the bracket with the u-bolts down a bit? A couple of degrees wouldnt hurt it (??????) looks bloody close to the spring!!

yeah the new rancho piston is about double the thickness of the old dampener, thus why it is bloody close to the spring. what we have done is exactly what you said, we have just angled it down heaps so it won't foul too much.

thanks everyone.

[lay80n]

Shouldnt the damper be mounted to the drag link and not the tie rod. plus I cant see it staying in place with the little U bolts. Looks kinda dodgy, I wouldnt pass it. sorry but thats how I see it.

the dampener mounted to the drag link? do you actually know what your talking about? i dont think you do. there would be no point in mounting it to the drag link. its mounted to the "lazy" front wheel (ie, the wheel which is furtherest away from the draglink and steering arm) it "dampens" the feedback given when the wheel wobbles a little at speed. go have a look at your zook for a bit and think about it.

Hang on there Mick, zooks have the dampener mounted different to luxies. Usually mount from the front crossmember to the pitman arm.
Layto....