by wylee Wed Jul 26, 2023 2:51 amhey gang, any body using a steering damper on your old vans. im doing a new king pin set tie rod ends maybe steering damper she wanders alot thanks gang
2 posters
steering front
wylee- Number of posts : 922
Location : middletown,ny
Registration date : 2009-04-03
AzDon- Number of posts : 755
Location : Lake Havasu Az
Age : 68
Registration date : 2014-01-20
I'm using a steering damper on my 108......
I was attempting to diminish other issues that I ultimately had to solve .....
In retrospect, I would not have spent the money for a stabilizer shock if I had first:
1) Tightened the steering box adjustment to eliminate slop
2) insured that all steering balls were without play
3) insured that I had at least 4 degrees of net positive caster
4)insured that no bumpsteer was present....
There are several threads on this site that discuss most of these issues and identify diagnostic paths to know what your issues are, but I'm up for discussion of any misunderstood subjects....
I was attempting to diminish other issues that I ultimately had to solve .....
In retrospect, I would not have spent the money for a stabilizer shock if I had first:
1) Tightened the steering box adjustment to eliminate slop
2) insured that all steering balls were without play
3) insured that I had at least 4 degrees of net positive caster
4)insured that no bumpsteer was present....
There are several threads on this site that discuss most of these issues and identify diagnostic paths to know what your issues are, but I'm up for discussion of any misunderstood subjects....
savage likes this post
wylee- Number of posts : 922
Location : middletown,ny
Registration date : 2009-04-03
thanks azdon, didnt even think about steering box, lol must be getting old. and your list of to do's. thinking of new kingpin set ,ball joints,and your list then damper. thanks again
AzDon- Number of posts : 755
Location : Lake Havasu Az
Age : 68
Registration date : 2014-01-20
There should be a "sector adjustment screw" on your steering box at the other end of the pittman arm shaft.....Look for the threaded screw that is turned with either an allen wrench or flat screwdriver and has a lockdown nut on it....You tighten it gently while rocking the steering wheel and when it reaches lightly snug, you back it off a quarter turn....
If kingpins are loose, they should be replaced, and by "balls", I meant any steering rod ends that have any linear play when you are rocking the wheel....
Positive caster is, mechanically speaking, the rearward tilt of the kingpins as measured in degrees on a flat surface.... At least four degrees is required and it is corrected with wedge shims between the leafs and the axle....The caster goes negative when you add nose-down rake by the number of degrees of rake that was added....
Bump-steer is more complex, but shouldn't be an issue if the van is stock....
An easy way to check for it is to jack the van by the front bumper while observing the steering wheel.....With zero bump steer, the wheel should not turn....
If kingpins are loose, they should be replaced, and by "balls", I meant any steering rod ends that have any linear play when you are rocking the wheel....
Positive caster is, mechanically speaking, the rearward tilt of the kingpins as measured in degrees on a flat surface.... At least four degrees is required and it is corrected with wedge shims between the leafs and the axle....The caster goes negative when you add nose-down rake by the number of degrees of rake that was added....
Bump-steer is more complex, but shouldn't be an issue if the van is stock....
An easy way to check for it is to jack the van by the front bumper while observing the steering wheel.....With zero bump steer, the wheel should not turn....
savage and kiwimopar like this post
