http://www.summitracing.com/parts/sja-7240/overview/make/ford/model/f-350/year/1986
Got a 2wd, the description only says for 4wd...
Got a 2wd, the description only says for 4wd...
dual stabilizer - will this one fit?
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MIDNIGHT RIDER
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I have a "Rough Country" (I think??) dual-steering-stabilizer that is specific to my 1985 F-350 DRW 2WD
I have had this maybe five years and really am well pleased with it.
The two BIG shock-absorbers really make for much firmer steering control.
I turned each cylinder in opposite directions, as per old timer wisdom.
Rough Country is what used to be HECO/Heckethorne of Dyersburg, Tennessee = the people who made the steering-stabilizers of choice back in the good old days when Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter were presidents and everybody had money in their pockets.
I have had this maybe five years and really am well pleased with it.
The two BIG shock-absorbers really make for much firmer steering control.
I turned each cylinder in opposite directions, as per old timer wisdom.
Rough Country is what used to be HECO/Heckethorne of Dyersburg, Tennessee = the people who made the steering-stabilizers of choice back in the good old days when Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter were presidents and everybody had money in their pockets.
If you put a dual stabilizer on, make sure that you have dang good steering linkage parts, especially the outer tie rod ends and adjuster sleeves. Those dampeners may take some shock out of the feel at the steering wheel, but the load gets multiplied between the tire and the tie rod ends many times under shock loads.. You're almost better off with a single and not holding on to the wheel too tightly on rough roads. If you have a dually, it should have mounts for a stock one already, and its not a bad unit
midnight - very familiar with rough country from my jeepin days. I'll have to check summit and see if they carry that one.
RL - I'm not understanding your post. How does having a shock absorber cause the actual amount of shock being driven into the absorber to multiply? Maybe this one is going over my head but wether you have, zero, one, or ten absorbers, the amount of horizontal oscillations to the suspension will be the same in similair situations. ???
RL - I'm not understanding your post. How does having a shock absorber cause the actual amount of shock being driven into the absorber to multiply? Maybe this one is going over my head but wether you have, zero, one, or ten absorbers, the amount of horizontal oscillations to the suspension will be the same in similair situations. ???
MIDNIGHT RIDER
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The bracket on my dual-stabilizer attaches to the steer-board (starboard) frame-rail, in front of the axle.
The other end-bracket U-bolts onto the main tie-rod.
The other end-bracket U-bolts onto the main tie-rod.
Did the frame bracket look something like this? And did you drill any holes or utilize whatever was there? http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc167/Hot88MustangGT/1992 F150/IMG_0475.jpg
Not my truck but the only picture i have found. I wanted to get the brackets for this all set up while i wait for the steering shaft to come in
Not my truck but the only picture i have found. I wanted to get the brackets for this all set up while i wait for the steering shaft to come in
I thought steering stabilizers were mainly for looks? I have never needed one on any of my trucks, though I do not do any "wheeling" or anything serious. Are there any advantages to a truck driven on the road 90% of the time with a frontend in good shape and properly aligned to have one?
No they are not for looks, that'd be a silly thing for someone to get to look cool. Shocks as you know them, dampen the vertical vibrations/ocsillations in the suspension, which Steering stabilizers (actually a mini shock mounted horizontal) dampen/absorb the horizontal ones. This lessens the load of various components wearing out due to being jarred by pot holes, etc, helps prevent bump steer (hit a bump and your wear jerks to one side? bump steer), and absorbs vibrations, etc in the wheel.
RL - I'm not understanding your post. How does having a shock absorber cause the actual amount of shock being driven into the absorber to multiply? Maybe this one is going over my head but wether you have, zero, one, or ten absorbers, the amount of horizontal oscillations to the suspension will be the same in similair situations. ???
I used to turn wrenches at a Jeep dealership. I cant count the number of vehicles that would come in after customers would add humungous dual steering stabilizers where they came in on a hook after busting a tie rod end, where that type of failure was basically non existant except for EXTREME offroading incidents otherwise. A single dampner and a light grip on the wheel ovver rough surfaces will let the wheels float a little and they will self center as you go and you wont giggle your wrists off, but trying to completely eliminate that road vbration to where you can just strongarm the wheel and hold it straight, Im sorry, but something has got to give and those wheels still want to wobble back and forth like theres no tomorrow, and since the dampners nave it to where nothing is moving past them along with the hydraulic steering assist, guess what... BOING there goes your tie rod end or the adjuster sleeve.
Its kind of funny, but back when folks had manual steering and no fancy stabilizers, things like steering linkage had this funny habit of holding out a LOT better when folks felt EVERYTHING in their hands and had to SLOW DOWN when road conditions got too abrasive . You guys would havereally loved semi trucks without power steering... that was pure artwork driving those suckers down rough roads
I can understand that reasoning. However, hitting a pot hole on the highway isn't exactly avoidable by slowing down if you don't see it before hand...i mean, afterall, SS came about back when manual steering was in play, didn't they?
MIDNIGHT RIDER
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I will try to remember to poke my head under the truck and refresh my memory in daylight tomorrow.
I am fairly certain the bracket is attached to the outside of the frame, with bolts through existing holes, and with a big reinforcing plate on the inside of the frame.
As best I remember, my frame is open C-channel in that area and NOT boxed as that 4x4 in the picture.
All of this information may change, once I get a look at it.
As for benefit, I travel a lot of no-shoulder poorly maintained Kentucky hill-country roads and the difference I feel with the dual stabilizers, as opposed to the many years I drove without, is as daylight to dark.
The only reason I had waited for so long was, before I had internet and access to the outside world, I could never find a unit made to fit my truck.
I would not remove the stabilizers and do without them for five big hunnert-dollar bills --- I like them that well.
I bought my 1978 K-20 Chevrolet, 400,000-miles plus, brand-shiny-new in 1978; Taxes, license, transfered, and ready-to-roll = $5900 cash, just as an interesting note.
That truck came factory-equipped with a stabilizer/dampener and from day one has driven better than any other vehicle I have ever drove, even with six-inch-lift and 15-38.5-15 Ground Hawgs.
Of course, having that many miles of abusive driving, both ignorant off-roading back when i had no sense, and making my living pulling big goose-neck live-stock trailers, with quite a bit of overlap in these periods, needless to say, there have been probably half-a-dozen different replacement stabilizers, the original stock unit, a few HECOs, a Rancho or two, and currently a Rough Country.
Believe me or not, the original factory tie-rods AND ball-joints are STILL on that truck.
I am fairly certain the bracket is attached to the outside of the frame, with bolts through existing holes, and with a big reinforcing plate on the inside of the frame.
As best I remember, my frame is open C-channel in that area and NOT boxed as that 4x4 in the picture.
All of this information may change, once I get a look at it.
As for benefit, I travel a lot of no-shoulder poorly maintained Kentucky hill-country roads and the difference I feel with the dual stabilizers, as opposed to the many years I drove without, is as daylight to dark.
The only reason I had waited for so long was, before I had internet and access to the outside world, I could never find a unit made to fit my truck.
I would not remove the stabilizers and do without them for five big hunnert-dollar bills --- I like them that well.
I bought my 1978 K-20 Chevrolet, 400,000-miles plus, brand-shiny-new in 1978; Taxes, license, transfered, and ready-to-roll = $5900 cash, just as an interesting note.
That truck came factory-equipped with a stabilizer/dampener and from day one has driven better than any other vehicle I have ever drove, even with six-inch-lift and 15-38.5-15 Ground Hawgs.
Of course, having that many miles of abusive driving, both ignorant off-roading back when i had no sense, and making my living pulling big goose-neck live-stock trailers, with quite a bit of overlap in these periods, needless to say, there have been probably half-a-dozen different replacement stabilizers, the original stock unit, a few HECOs, a Rancho or two, and currently a Rough Country.
Believe me or not, the original factory tie-rods AND ball-joints are STILL on that truck.
Never used to see steering stabilizers, except as an add on and that wasnt until around mayby late 60s at the earliest ( and thats stretching it )
The point is folks used to have to drive more attentatively. Used to be that you didnt dive into potholes with abandon and you dang sure didnt drive with your thumbs inside teh wheel If you had an old solid axle truck with manual steering, and you whacked that sucker around enough to throw it out of allignment, you could wind up with one serious expensive situation on your hands. Before they came out with those eccentric bushings, used to be they would have to take a torch and heat the axle with it chained to a frame rig and bend it into shape, and once thrown out, you would NEVER get it quite right again.
I used to drive semi trucks with no power steering across hundreds of miles of open desert on DIRT ROADS up in the north west years ago and We would literally be running with hands barely touching teh steering wheel , only grabbing on if it started to float too far off track , to keep the things from breaking anything. Those washboards would have the wheel bouncing all over the place, scary as heck, but if you tried to manhandle it you'd be off in the weeds in no time waiting for someone to go call you a wrecker.
You guys would have really loved semi trucks without power steering... that was pure artwork driving those suckers down rough roads
I remember those days. Took a whole lot more finesse and skill back then. I sometimes miss when we were professionals instead of just people doing it for a living (quote from my dad who was a 29 yr professional
) Back on topic, I have driven both with and without stabilizers. With manual steering it helped keep the wheel in your hands, With power steering, don't really see a need unless you are overloading your components or something is wrong already.
My .02
Midnight - thanks, i'd appreciate you taking a peak. I held the bracket up to the frame and just didn't see how it was going to fit. Perhaps I have the wrong bracket (it's the same as in the picture). My frame is open like yours, however I didn't see a way that it would look like it was supposed to be there.
and you old timers, too bad! These are the new days!!! Sure, I don't have the life, or driving experience you all have, but i've used the stablizers on all my jeeps without issue and do love the difference it makes. I'm not hounding my dually down washed out roads at 60mph, i'm simply trying to have better control when going down a lot of the roads around here. Even doing the posted 10-15mph, it still ain't pretty!
and you old timers, too bad! These are the new days!!!
Sure, I don't have the life, or driving experience you all have, but i've used the stablizers on all my jeeps without issue and do love the difference it makes. I'm not hounding my dually down washed out roads at 60mph, i'm simply trying to have better control when going down a lot of the roads around here. Even doing the posted 10-15mph, it still ain't pretty!
when im going to the scra yard which has terrible pot holes i barely hold the wheel, i let the truck do its thing and walk a little side to side, i always assumed it was easier on all the linkage bushings/balljoints, guess my theory isconfirmed by this thread!
