Steering Stabilizers

Hello to the board,

I've read online that a steering stabilizer will help to prevent the infamous death wobble. While searching online I've noticed that they sell a single stabilizer and a double stabilizer. What is the difference? Is a double twice as good? I plan on running 31'' tires.

Thanks!
Denny

 

IMO all they do is cover up the problem, and get damaged out on the trail.

 

Do you already have the death wobble? A stabalizer will not fix it, only hide the real problem. I had to replace kingpin bearings in mine to solve the issue. I still run a stabilizer, but only for a peace of mind thing. I probably don't need it.

 

My dad told me of his one experience with the death woble about 20 years ago. The jeep sat in the barn for about 15 years until I dug it out and started playing with it. I never drove it much on the road and never had it happen to me. The jeep has been down for awhile now, I'm trying to finish up the rebuild and get the whole thing back together so I can actually start driving it again.

Are the kingpin bearings part of the steering box? I've read about them being a cause, but I'm not certain what they are.

So if the vehicle is in good working order a stabilizer is just wasted effort?

 

Kingpin bearings are part of the steering knuckle. It doesn't cost much to rebuild them yourself. Do a search on steering knuckle and you'll find all kinds of info on it.

A stabilizer is wasted effort and expense unless you are adding big tires to it. Then it will help JMHO!

 

I've never experienced it, but my impression is that the death wobble is pretty violent. It's the sort of thing that makes you pull over rather than letting the car shake apart. The steering stabilizer won't cure that, but it will help if you have a shimmy-shake at certain speeds.

The kingpin bearings are the bearings that the front wheels pivot on when they turn left and right. They are located at the top and bottom of the front spindles. Modern cars use ball joints, not kingpins.

 

Steering stabilizers are more for bump steer.
I run the single tube one on 3 of our Jeeps.
Jeeps come factory with them now.

 

Thanks for the information, guys!

I've finally been seeing some real progress on the heep the past couple of weeks, I am hoping I will be able to crank it up again sometime in the near future.

 

One thing you need to check is your axle u joints. These can make a big difference in your steering. Your steering shaft, drag link and tie rods are also places you should check to make sure they are okay. Also, this site does have a very good article on bumpsteer aka death wobble.

http://earlycj5.com/tech/steering/bumpSteer_files/bump_steer.shtml

 

Not to be a pain in the butt here, but Death Wobble and Bump Steer are 2 very different things. Death wobble is very violent and happens at a certain speed (usually between 35-45 mph) no matter what the road conditions are... you know it when you have it. Bumpsteer is a jerk to one side or the other once you hit a bump or pothole.

 

Bring a thread back to life. I don't have a steering stabilizer on my jeep (1979 cj5, amc v8, pure stock except exhaust). How would one go around to installing one? I am going to install a lift in the near future and I want to make sure I have all my ducks in a row before starting. I currenlty have no steering issues, so I won't be hiding anything with it... (unless I create a problem when I install the lift )

Do I even need one? I have power steering, am planning on upgrading my tire size. At first I was thinking 35's, but I am starting to think 33's should be just fine.

 

i have one stabilizer on my cj5
i will rebuild the knockles this winter s.t.
also will have my tires rebalanced.
but the dual stabilizers may be of some help
dave

 

AFAIK they started coming stock on all CJs in '74 or '75. My '77 PU has one and it's obviously a factory job. Jeep may have stopped installing them after 1976, but I don't think so - nothing really changed in the front steering geometry to warrant not having them. Lots of owners would complain about a minor shimmy at 35-45 mph, and the stabilizer was the cure.

IIRC the factory stabilizer has a bracket that goes between the spring pack and the spring plate, and a clamp at the tie rod. It's an easy job - 20 minutes max for a parcticed Jeep mechanic. (They loved them becasue the flat rate was something like 2 hours. The shop manager would let the car sit inside for 2 hours before returning it to the customer, just to avoid the obvious questions).

 

I threw mine away, and never looked back. I'm running 35" tires with a 4" lift. If your front end components are in good shape and you have the proper alignment, including caster and camber, you shouldn't need one.

 

If you still have the Ross steering the kit has a clamp that clamps onto the tie rod towards the center and a braket that monts to the frame. The stabilazer goes between the clamp and the bracket. I took mine off when I went to Saginaw steering.