Steering Stabilizer

[87-F-250]

Has anyone installed (or even needed to install) a steering stabilizer on their 2wd truck? If so how did you do it?

 

[lotzagoodstuff]

I can't anwer your 2wd question, but I can tell you that my truck came factory without any stabilizer and after I put one on I couldn't believe the difference. Check out Rock Auto online or look on Ebay, I seem to remember lots of kits for 2wd applications.

Good luck

 

[Mat J]

Post back with results.

 

[towcat]

Has anyone installed (or even needed to install) a steering stabilizer on their 2wd truck? If so how did you do it?

try the search function.
it really works here.
click on this linky.......
http://www.oilburners.net/forums/showthread.php?t=27633
i even posted pics midway down.

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

After replacing every wear item in my entire front-end, except for the king-pins, including all tie-rods, axle-bushings, radius-arm bushings, etc. I just recently installed a DUAL-STEERING STABILIZER kit, specifically designed for my 2wd DRW F-350, made by Rough Country, best I remember right at $100, give or take.

I am well pleased and recommend them highly.

I thought of possibly only mounting ONE of the shock-absorbers, and keeping the other for a replacement, and I could very well have done that, but decided to just go ahead and mount both.

Instead of the usual practice of orienting both shock-absorbers the same, I mounted them in opposition, thus negating/balancing any tendency for one direction to be a little stronger than the other.

I should have done this twenty years ago.

 

[LCAM-01XA]

Midnight Rider, can you please post some pics of your setup? When you say it's s"pecifically designed for my 2wd DRW F-350, made by Rough Country" does that mean it was a one-off custom job, or something we all can get at any Rough Country dealer, also part numbers for it?

I actually found the hen's teeth for these trucks today, factory steering damper setup like Calvins, and FRONT TOW HOOKS like Darrin has on Big Ed Pulled the damper already but it needs a new shock, also pulled another factory-looking damper from a Bronco, going back for the hooks in a few days The Bronco stabilizer will work for our trucks just fine, but it sorta mounts backwards compared to Calvin's - the frame-mount bracket bolts up to the bottom edge of the engine crossmember right under the cooling loop for the power steering, then the shock goes towards the passenger wheel and attaches to the drag link right next to the adjuster sleeve. On a 2wd truck this will position the shock under the draglink so it's probably not a good idea for a farm truck as it will become the lowest point of the truck and will therefore be the first to get ripped out of going over something tall, but for a trailer hauler that hardly ever leaves the paved roads it will work out good.

 

[LCAM-01XA]

Just cleaned up the stabilizer like Towcat has, the part number stamped on the damper is "F2UA-3E651-AB". According to RockAuto (which is where I do most of my shopping to to a club discount I have) the direct replacement cylinder for this OEM unit (made by Motorcraft by the way) would be a Monroe SC2955 or a KYB SS10344, and these work on all '92-'02 2wd trucks with factory steering stabilizers. However I am getting a damper for a 4x4 2002 F350 diesel (Monroe SC2961), this one has 1.5" longer tube and also 1.5" more travel than the 2wd model, and I'd imagine it's also valved a bit heavier, so when installed in a 2wd it will sit more level, won't be affected as much by suspension clycling, and will likely stiffen up the steering a bit better. My OEM damper actually came off a '92-'94 truck, so I will have to drill my frame rail, but it sure beats drilling the engine crossmember with the PS colling loop in the way which would be necessary if I was about to run the Bronco stabilizer.

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

Right here be the animal :

http://www.topguncustomz.com/Store/Gen2ProdDisplay.php?iview=243169387


Pay no mind to the shocks in the picture; the ones in the kit have threaded studs on both ends.

The way this kit mounts, it doesn't even get close to the engine cross-member.




As for worrying about the silly loop of tubing that is "supposed" to be a power-steering cooler, you will never miss it if you just eliminate the whole leaky mess.

If you feel the steering needs a cooler, then throw that mess in the trash and install a proper cooler with it's own fan.

 

[LCAM-01XA]

Hmm, that ain't a bad price at all, especially if it works good. Whenever you got the time tho, can you please take some pics of how you have it installed in your truck? Just for reference, ya know.

About the power steering, I can always just get a regular air cooler with no fan, I got my engine fan locked to the water pump so I get all the airflow I'll ever need and then some, haha! That's a good idea tho, thanks for reminding me I need to do it, just gotta find my nice cooler now...

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

Whenever you got the time tho, can you please take some pics of how you have it installed in your truck? Just for reference, ya know.

I believe I could operate an Apache helicopter quicker than I can figure out this picture business.

When I learn how, I will take some pictures.

 

[LCAM-01XA]

Quick update to this thread - I have the stabilizer in, I used the '92-'94 brackets like Towcat has but in place of the factory damper there is now one for a 2002 PSD 4x4. That was ultimately a bad move tho, as that damper is too long for the 2wd steering linkage, what happens is even with the lower bracket (mounts on the right inner tierod) butted against the joint for the left inner tierod the "shock" positions the upper bracket (mounts on the frame) about 1/2"-1" further outboard on the frame than it should be, which means the bolts cannot be used to attach it there. I welded my upper bracket on the frame rail and it's fine, but it ain't what I'd consider a "clean" and factory-looking install. So I'd recommend if anyone is about to run one of these things, please do use the '92-'94 2wd-specific damper, it would fit right in place without any fuss.

Another thing - the stabilizer setup I pulled from that Bronco is an aftermarket kit that I believe was made by Rancho, dunno if tis still available or not. It has the upper bracket mounted under the engine crossmember, and the lower bracket clamps on the right tierod next to the adjuster sleeve close to the wheel. I actually found two more of these kits in the junkyard, and from what I was measuring up on my dually they will fit a 2wd truck just fine, they will also work on trucks with both one C-channel and boxed frames Brackets cost me about $10 for the pair and a new damper element is about $20 from whoever manufacturer you prefer, so you're essentially looking at a $30 setup that is far superior to the flumsy aftermarket kits currently available that have one brace hanging down from the frame rail. If anyone is interested let me know, and I'll try to get you the parts within a week. I make no profit out of this, by the way, just trying to help out my fellow oilburners