Steering Dampers

Is your vehicle giving you a hard time steering? Do you feel any vibrations when you turn left or right? You most probably need to replace the steering damper in your ride. The steering damper is located between the center link and the chassis of a car. It allays the pressure from the straight axle, making driving lifted trucks a lot easier for you. Below is a guide to teach you how to replace a steering damper by yourself.

Required skill level: Advanced

Needed tools and materials

1. Wheel chocks
2. 1/2-inch Ratchet and Socket Set
3. Steering damper kit

Preparing your vehicle

Park your car and place the wheel chocks behind the rear wheels to prevent the car from rolling in any direction. Remove the stabilizer bracket underneath the vehicle using a 1/2-inch ratchet. It is attached to an axle bracket in front of the front axle.

Inserting the new steering damper

After you have taken out the old unit, install the new one by extending the stabilizer shock halfway of its total length. Insert the unit into the new axle bracket provided in the kit. The bushing sleeve should go inside the rubber bushing at the top of the shock. Insert the bolt and washer through the bracket and tighten in with the 1/2-inch ratchet and socket.

Installing everything into place

Attach the steering damper to the tie rod bracket by bolting the threaded studs with a nut and washer. Secure the bottom bolt of the axle bracket with another washer and nut. Make sure that the U-bolts that surround the tie rod is tight enough but would still allow some elbow space for the shock to work.

Test

Turn on the vehicle and move the steering wheel from side to side. If you feel even the slightest hindrance to its movement, unfasten the axle bracket a bit. This difficulty is most probably because the unit is installed too tight.

Notes

Elevating the car with jack stands is the best way to go when working on this project. It provides more room to work around, and gives you a better visual of your car's underside. Also, a front axle is not a standard on all vehicles. If you don't have one, don't panic-it only means that it will save you one step from the installation process.

Unless you want your ride to wobble all the time, you must take care of your steering damper. It prevents the components of the steering system to have uncontrolled movement while maintaining the stability of your ride upon moving in any direction. So once you feel that the steering system is not working much efficiently, then your steering damper may be failing. Hence, you must be able to replace it. These tools and procedures can guide you:

Difficulty level: Moderate

Things you'll need:

• Floor jack and jack stands
• Screwdriver
• Torque wrench
• Penetrating spray
• Clean rag
• Service manual
• New cotter pin
• New steering damper

Step 1: Lift your vehicle with the help of a floor jack and jack stands. These tools can allow you to work on the portion underneath your vehicle properly. In addition, these tools can help your vehicle to remain steady throughout the process.

Step 2: Locate the position of the old steering damper. It can be found close to the area of the coil spring on the front passenger's seat.

Step 3: Find and remove all the bolts that fasten the old steering damper into place with the help of a screwdriver or wrench. If the bolts are too tight to be removed, you can apply a penetrating spray to loosen them up.

Step 4: If there is a cotter pin that holds the ends of the old steering damper, take it away as well by breaking it.

Step 5: Once the old steering damper is fully removed, you must clean its mounting area first before installing the new one by using a clean rag. This can help the new one to be attached more easily.

Step 6: You may now install your new steering damper. Place it properly on its mounting area close to the coil spring.

Step 7: Once your new steering damper is aligned well, consult the service manual in order to determine the torque settings of the bolts on each end of the new steering damper.

Step 8: Attach its mounting bolt on one end with a torque wrench; however make sure that you tighten the bolt after ensuring that its other end is properly attached.

Step 9: The bolt on the other end of the new steering damper can be installed properly by means of aligning it with the hole in the middle area of the drag link. Once it is lined up and inserted properly, tighten it securely with the help of the torque wrench once again.

Step 10: Install a new cotter pin as well in replacement of the old one that you broke and removed earlier. Make sure that its bolt is aligned with the nut hole.

Step 11: You may now remove the floor jack and jack stands on the underside of your vehicle, and lower your ride carefully. Test the efficiency of your new steering damper afterwards. And then you're finally done with the process!