Are steering dampers all the same dimensions?

So if I understand, the added stiction of the factory stabilizer creates a window of dead slop in the steering system in the attempt to break free from the stiction? Under load (like going around a curve), it’s not all that noticeable… going straight however, I’ve got a solid 1.5” of free play back and forth on the wheel (where it feels like at the outer edge of this dead space the steering finally starts to engage).

nuclearmonkey said:

So if I understand, the added stiction of the factory stabilizer creates a window of dead slop in the steering system in the attempt to break free from the stiction? Under load (like going around a curve), it’s not all that noticeable… going straight however, I’ve got a solid 1.5” of free play back and forth on the wheel (where it feels like at the outer edge of this dead space the steering finally starts to engage).

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Take off the factory stabilzer, drive around the block with no stabilzer and all will become clear. Put the factory stabilzer back on and start searching for aftermarket solution.

nuclearmonkey said:

So if I understand, the added stiction of the factory stabilizer creates a window of dead slop in the steering system in the attempt to break free from the stiction?

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No. Recirculating ball steering box can't be constructed with zero play. Measure it engine not running and wheels straight ahead using only small amount of force. There will be free play on the steering wheel. Land Rover has specified 50 mm (2 ") on the steering wheel radius being acceptable. In this steering box there is adjustment but it should no be tigntened below 25 mm (1") and entire working area must be checked against tight spots.

Most propbably changing steering damper will not make any measurable improvement (excluding the feeling inside your head ). More agile correction after corners will be achieved by removing the damper. This may cause problems on highway (death wobble) and off-road (rapid steering wheel response when hitting one front wheel on an obstacle).

nuclearmonkey said:

So if I understand, the added stiction of the factory stabilizer creates a window of dead slop in the steering system in the attempt to break free from the stiction? Under load (like going around a curve), it’s not all that noticeable… going straight however, I’ve got a solid 1.5” of free play back and forth on the wheel (where it feels like at the outer edge of this dead space the steering finally starts to engage).

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I must respectfully disagree with @Tinerfeño. While the steering will never be rack-and-pinion direct, removing the resistance (friction?) of the steering damper makes an immediate and quantifiable improvement.
I urge you to verify this yourself and not take my word for it.
Exactly as @Shopkeep suggests. Remove your steering damper.
It takes 5 minutes max!
Drive around your neighborhood and see if you feel there is any improvement.
Please report your findings back here.

Tinerfeño said:

More agile correction after corners will be achieved by removing the damper. This may cause problems on highway (death wobble) and off-road (rapid steering wheel response when hitting one front wheel on an obstacle).

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Isn't this exactly same?

And liquid dampers don't have "friction" but viscous damping which at low speeds is practically zero and increase rapidly when speed increases.

Tinerfeño said:

Isn't this exactly same?

And liquid dampers don't have "friction" but viscous damping which at low speeds is practically zero and increase rapidly when speed increases.

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It's stiction in this case. It's a bit of a made up term but is widely used in some industries. The seals tend to stick so it's been termed stiction, this is more common when gas charge has been applied to the cylinder. That said, the stock damper has abnormally high valving as well. So both valving and stiction cause the damper to over power the very light forces attempting to recenter the front wheels due to moderately poor front end geometry on the Gren. This combined with the inevitable and natural slop of a recirc ball steering box can cause the squirrely feeling some drivers note. The symptoms appear to reduce some with more and more mileage which is to be expected, but there is also some amount of people just accepting and getting used to it.

The remove the steering damper for a test drive is 100% the best way to feel the difference immediately. The difference is dramatic to say the least.

That said, there is always the possibility that some bad steering gears made it on some trucks.

Oh, and which rovers have recirc ball steering gears? I admit I don't have a ton of experience with the series trucks or the forward control, but everything from that point forward had a worm gear setup.

nuclearmonkey said:

So if I understand, the added stiction of the factory stabilizer creates a window of dead slop in the steering system in the attempt to break free from the stiction? Under load (like going around a curve), it’s not all that noticeable… going straight however, I’ve got a solid 1.5” of free play back and forth on the wheel (where it feels like at the outer edge of this dead space the steering finally starts to engage).

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Yes and no, the dead spot is real, but not as big as you think. Its impact on how the truck drives is simply amplified by stiction and over valving of the steering damper. And debatably some by heavy preload of the swivel pin bearings. Yet this does prove out as much as the steering damper issue as the problem disappears when you change the steering damper. Meaning the preload of the swivel pins is inconsequential.