Outer Limits 4x4 Board

What are the pros and cons of installing a steering damper?

Ive seen one for sale to suit models NA to NG and was wondering if they are easy to install or are modifications required?

just read the 4x4wire site about steering dampers. Seems to be a pointless exercise if you have power steering. Very rarely does my steering wheel severly jerk around on the hard core stuff - i can undertand in an old bronco!!

I can see the point of it.

My sterring is really light. Drove a new mini over last Xmas break and it had heavier steering than my Paj. It's not like my steering flies around all the place when offroad but in some situations I think a dampner would help.

Also front auto locker can be a bit of fun steering - may look into a front dampner further down the track myself.

On Gen 2 models there is a chassis bracket for a steering damper but you will need a clamp or to weld a bracket to the drag link.
Not sure about a Gen 1 though.
If you have a torsion bar lift the drag link sits higher up and out of alignment with the chassis bracket so a bit of thought is required with the mounts to do it properly.
They came standard on Gen 1 models that didn't have power steering.

I was surprisd they didn't have one at first, then after doing a couple of long trips on very heavily corrugated roads (now need new shocks) i realised they are great without one (mine is power steer)
And I haven't found it too bad in the real rough stuff either, maybe just a little more pull than the old 4runner with damper.

Rob.

Yes one good thing about the Paj is they have a good beefy power steering pump with heaps of hydraulic flow. My mate fitted 34" JT2's to his Hilux the same time as me and his blows the relief valve all the time.
Mine has never done that the only thing is a bit of a pull if the wheels suddenly hit the side of a rut etc but otherwise very good.

I've made up a bracket for my drag link and fitted an OME hilux fitment steering damper. I found that it works a treat in the rocky, rutted trails here in Taswegia. Had it on for around a year now and don't really notice it's there anymore. Only fitted it after a nasty rutted hill tried to put my arm out through the window. It seems to work well with not problems.