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Do I really need this thing?

A

aspera

NAXJA Forum User
Location
KC
Can I run without a steering stabilizer? If I'm only running stock sized or 245/75/16 what would be the problem? I think the stabilizer is shot anyway.
 
Theoretically, yes. It's more of a "damper" than a "stabiliser" - it's there to keep bump steer down and to make for a more consistent steering effort.

You'd probably get more use out of it off-road or with a modified suspension than a stocker on stock shoes. Might as well leave it in place, tho - no sense in doing work you don't really need to.

What makes you think it's shot, anyhow? It's a standard question I ask when people are thinking of replacing something because "it's shot." I just like to make sure...

5-90
 
The XJ is a 1991. That's a long time ago. Shocks and struts usually don't last that long.
 
Just checking - and the steering damper is not as heavily or as suddendly loaded as the shock dampers are...

My advice? Just leave the thing until you're ready to change it - that way, you won't lose the hardware in the meantime, and the threads will be protected (by mating parts...)

5-90
 
Only way to prove it's bad is to pull at least one end and try sliding it by hand. Should be moderately stiff. A replacement is $20-30 depending on your choice of vendor. I would not recommend running without one as you're just inviting "death wobble" (google if you've never heard the term before).
 
no you cant run your jeep without a steering stablizer. i ran my jeep without one around the block of my shop to test it and it was the longest block i have ever driven. the steering kept locking and shifting at random times. i thinks its really dangerous to drive without one. oh yeah and they can start a slight shaking in your front axle which starts something called the death wobble... it isnt too fun, just invest in a new one
 
Choppafella said:
no you cant run your jeep without a steering stablizer. i ran my jeep without one around the block of my shop to test it and it was the longest block i have ever driven. the steering kept locking and shifting at random times. i thinks its really dangerous to drive without one. oh yeah and they can start a slight shaking in your front axle which starts something called the death wobble... it isnt too fun, just invest in a new one
Click to expand...

You have other issues. Many here do not run a stabilizer at all. A properly set-up steering system will not require one.

Rev
 
Hmmm, I'm not sure on this, but I "THINK" death wobble is a factor for that steering damper being there. Take that with a grain of salt, since I'm a Noob with this front live axle stuff; BUT

Aircraft all have a damper on the front landing gear (for tricycle gear), and the only time I've experienced death wobble, has been in an aircraft and the cause was the damper had worn out in the front landing gear. Yes, its different system, different kinds of vehicles, etc, but its something to think about.

Think about it, if you get into a harmonic or vibe situation where the left and right sides of the axle are bouncing back and forth, I'd "THINK" steering would get invovled with that and a damper would make a big difference in keeping it under control, instead of growing larger and larger.
 
Three years ago, I was driving at 65mph on the highway and after I hit a small bump, the whole Jeep started to shake violently. I initially thought I had a puncture until I slowed down to 45 and the shaking suddenly stopped. I stayed at 45-50 until I reached home a few miles later 'cause I was too scared the same thing would happen again.
I had read about death wobble before but that was the first and only time I experienced it and I'm sure my pants must have turned brown.
Nothing looked wrong with the Jeep until I checked the steering damper and found that it was leaking hydraulic fluid. After replacing it with a new one, the death wobble never recurred so I'm with Choppafella.
 
The stabilizer will NOT cause DW, it will "band-aid" it. Again, many here run without one. It is designed to prevent excessive bump steer, that is all.

Rev
 
Rev Den said:
The stabilizer will NOT cause DW, it will "band-aid" it. Again, many here run without one. It is designed to prevent excessive bump steer, that is all.

Rev
Click to expand...

I partially agree with you. However, I am running a 9" L/A lift, and I decided to run the rig without a stabilzer after the detailed install (high steer conversion, etc.) and after hitting a "standard" road bump at 35mph I experienced DW for the first time... not fun. I then re-installed the aftermarket stabilizer... no issues since. If you're running a larger lift it WILL stop the side-to-side axle shimmy before it escalates into a 8.5 on the Rictor scale. The DW is like an earth quake... it's starts out small, and then............ the stabilizer will smother that initial quake.
 
I've been running without mine for a year, I've got an 88. I say if you're steering components are good you don't need it.

I never even knew it was bad until I was under there changing tre's and took it off and it just slopped back and forth in the cylinder.
 
Dr. Dyno said:
Three years ago, I was driving at 65mph on the highway and after I hit a small bump, the whole Jeep started to shake violently. I initially thought I had a puncture until I slowed down to 45 and the shaking suddenly stopped. I stayed at 45-50 until I reached home a few miles later 'cause I was too scared the same thing would happen again.
Click to expand...


Maybe if someone lives in a land with smooth highways, or doesn't drive at
highways speeds, they can live w/o a steering stabilizer.

Here in PA (where the state mammal is the pothole), they are a vital piece of keeping the Jeep running in a straight line after hitting massive potholes, lumps, or crevasses at speed.

And, apparently, this sort of thing abuses them. Mine (stock '00) was shot at 35k (literally offered NO resistance when it was taken off... it would run in/out under it's own weight)... and at 67k, I'm beginning to get a bit of wobble again.

This is a stock '00... with stringent state inspections that insure that nothing is loose in the front end.

Den
 
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