Are steering dampers all the same dimensions?

[FlyingTexan]

I'm looking at swapping out to see what's it like. I don't feel like paying $300 for one. Are they mostly the same lengths? I'm looking at the old man emu which people liked. What's the difference between the 48 and 24?

Amazon.de

 

[Dokatd]

Are you saying you want to start with a cheaper unit? Or you want to just feel the effect for a few miles.

I can offer you two options depending on where you are located. First being remove your existing and drive around. Just for liability sake I'd say don't go galavanting down the highway to much in case your truck is prone to death wobble. I drove to the best of my memory several hundred to upwards of 1000 miles without one at all.

Second, if you are in DFW I am happy to pull my Fox unit off and slap it in your truck for a few miles. Heck, I may even let you run it for a day or two if you really want. And of course you are welcome to drive my truck to feel it as well.

 

[INEOS OG]

What Dokatd said. Take yours off and see how you like it.

Most OEMs never used a steering stabilizer until "stock" trucks were lifted in tbe late 90s or 2000s.

To answer your question no, they are not all the same and the product you linked to is not for the Grenadier.

As I understand it, the made in China brand in question is $300 for the Grenadier. The Amazon unit you linked to looks to be for a Jeep.

Fox and others do a USA made unit for the same as the Chinese Emu Grenadier unit.

Go with the direct fit Fox.

 

[Shopkeep]

I'm looking at swapping out to see what's it like. I don't feel like paying $300 for one. Are they mostly the same lengths? I'm looking at the old man emu which people liked. What's the difference between the 48 and 24?

Amazon.de

The answer is no, not all steering dampers have the same dimensions. They vary in their minimum compression and maximum extension range and also in the size and type of the mounting holes. The factory Bilstein damper has an extension of approximately 440mm to 620mm, so you need to find a replacement that covers this range. The factory damper also has 14mm mounting holes, many of the alternatives may have mounting holes of 16mm so you need some bushes to fill the gap. Steering dampers made to suit Landcruiser 60-105 series should be suitable replacements, those made to suit other Cruisers may have different compression ranges and are not suitable. I fitted an Ironman 4X4 3524 damper in April last year and it has been awesome, steers exactly like a normal truck and no "death" wobble. At full retail its US$149 with free delivery to your Texan doorstep so might be worth a try, check it out here. I went for this as its a well priced modern foam cell damper plus it has a plastic bell housing that covers the piston shaft (no bonging, keeps the merde out and should flex if impacted).

Here are my posts covering fitting this damper:
https://www.theineosforum.com/threads/steering-stabilizer-bar.12415420/post-1333278857
https://www.theineosforum.com/threads/steering-stabilizer-bar.12415420/post-1333279399

I say give it a go, if in doubt just try removing the factory damper and drive around the block. It gives you a very quick and clear indication of how this truck can feel with an aftermarket damper fitted.

 

[INEOS OG]

The answer is no, not all steering dampers have the same dimensions. They vary in their minimum compression and maximum extension range and also in the size and type of the mounting holes. The factory Bilstein damper has an extension of approximately 440mm to 620mm, so you need to find a replacement that covers this range. The factory damper also has 14mm mounting holes, many of the alternatives may have mounting holes of 16mm so you need some bushes to fill the gap. Steering dampers made to suit Landcruiser 60-105 series should be suitable replacements, those made to suit other Cruisers may have different compression ranges and are not suitable. I fitted an Ironman 4X4 3524 damper in April last year and it has been awesome, steers exactly like a normal truck and no "death" wobble. At full retail its US$149 with free delivery to your Texan doorstep so might be worth a try, check it out here. I went for this as its a well priced modern foam cell damper plus it has a plastic bell housing that covers the piston shaft (no bonging, keeps the merde out and should flex if impacted).

Here are my posts covering fitting this damper:
https://www.theineosforum.com/threads/steering-stabilizer-bar.12415420/post-1333278857
https://www.theineosforum.com/threads/steering-stabilizer-bar.12415420/post-1333279399

I say give it a go, if in doubt just try removing the factory damper and drive around the block. It gives you a very quick and clear indication of how this truck can feel with an aftermarket damper fitted.

Just full disclosure. Not hating on affordable solutions, but...

Inside Ironman 4x4's facility in Australia: Photos & overall experience | Team-BHP

BHPian SS-Traveller recently shared this with other enthusiasts.Ironman 4x4 is a name we often hear on the off-road modification forums and discussions. So when an opportunity became available to visit ...

www.team-bhp.com

 

[Shopkeep]

I'm looking at swapping out to see what's it like. I don't feel like paying $300 for one. Are they mostly the same lengths? I'm looking at the old man emu which people liked. What's the difference between the 48 and 24?

Amazon.de

If you want to try the OME the OMESSD24 is suitable for Landcruiser 60/70/75/80 so should cover the compression range required for the Grenadier.

 

[TheDocAUS]

There is one steering dampener under development that is quite different to any other. It is from JMACX Australia.

View: https://youtu.be/QxDNSfdIN54?t=154

 

[Shopkeep]

Just full disclosure. Not hating on affordable solutions, but...

Inside Ironman 4x4's facility in Australia: Photos & overall experience | Team-BHP

BHPian SS-Traveller recently shared this with other enthusiasts.Ironman 4x4 is a name we often hear on the off-road modification forums and discussions. So when an opportunity became available to visit ...

www.team-bhp.com

But what? They make affordable 4X4 accessories in Asia, were you did you think they were going to be made?

 

[anand]

Go with the direct fit Fox.

One thing to remember is that the Fox unit is not made for a Grenadier, plenty of owners who ordered them early on got raw Fox part numbers on their boxes. If I'm not mistaken it is for a late model Ram

 

[Dokatd]

One thing to remember is that the Fox unit is not made for a Grenadier, plenty of owners who ordered them early on got raw Fox part numbers on their boxes. If I'm not mistaken it is for a late model Ram

Depends on who you bought it from, seems like there are a couple different ones out there.

But you are correct, non are made specifically for the Gren. The Fox ATS I have is actually a fair bit longer than necessary. As most off the shelf units will be. The Gren has a rather short throw unit from the factory.

 

[INEOS OG]

One thing to remember is that the Fox unit is not made for a Grenadier, plenty of owners who ordered them early on got raw Fox part numbers on their boxes. If I'm not mistaken it is for a late model Ram

It is if you buy it at Agile Offroad. It is a drop in part.

View: https://youtu.be/PVq1JXeajNA?si=YtPy_l2Ru_uBh1EM

 

[Shopkeep]

It is if you buy it at Agile Offroad. It is a drop in part.

View: https://youtu.be/PVq1JXeajNA?si=YtPy_l2Ru_uBh1EM

I believe Agile Offroad take a Fox damper designed for a different vehicle, fit a bracket to it, put a sticker on it, and bundle it with an installation kit that makes it fit a Grenadier. I am sure it is a high quality product and Agile know what they are doing but Fox do not design it specifically for a Grenadier any more than OME/ARB do.

 

[Dokatd]

I believe Agile Offroad take a Fox damper designed for a different vehicle, fit a bracket to it, put a sticker on it, and bundle it with an installation kit that makes it fit a Grenadier. I am sure it is a high quality product and Agile know what they are doing but Fox do not design it specifically for a Grenadier any more than OME/ARB do.

This is true. Agile, Owl etc just use a generic stabilizer and include their brackets instead of the ones that come with the stabilizer. Originally they all used a specific Fox clamp that worked OK but didn't allow good alignment of the stabilizer.

 

[anand]

It is if you buy it at Agile Offroad. It is a drop in part.

View: https://youtu.be/PVq1JXeajNA?si=YtPy_l2Ru_uBh1EM

I'm not saying it isn't a drop in part, but the part is not built by Fox for the Grenadier, it is a part originally intended for another vehicle that is used on the Grenadier

 

[INEOS OG]

I'm not saying it isn't a drop in part, but the part is not built by Fox for the Grenadier, it is a part originally intended for another vehicle that is used on the Grenadier

Thats ok, the Grenadier "OEM" steering stabilizer behaves like it is left over from something a Magna Steyr monster truck parts bin. Fortunately the aftermarket fixed it.

 

[nuclearbeef]

I'm looking at swapping out to see what's it like. I don't feel like paying $300 for one. Are they mostly the same lengths? I'm looking at the old man emu which people liked. What's the difference between the 48 and 24?

Amazon.de

As stated, The stabilizers made for certain Land Cruisers will fit. I wanted to do a cheap test, so I bought this one...

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000C59SOC?tag=globalgrena0b-20

A $39 Monroe brand made for the Land Cruisers.
I'm still running it since installing last May. Probably not the highest quality and when it wears out, I'll get an OME or IronMan one to replace it. (around $100-$150)
I have some IronMan foam cell shocks on my Troopy and on my 200 series Land Cruisers and have been quite pleased with them.

You will need to fab some bushings for spacers. I went to the local hardware store and bought some split-tubing spacer material. Worked a treat.

 

[FlyingTexan]

But what’s the difference between the 48 and 24?

 

[nuclearbeef]

But what’s the difference between the 48 and 24?

24 is made for Land Cruisers. Length extended is 651mm. Compressed is 417mm.
48 is made for Jeeps. Extended is 499mm. Compressed is 310mm.

They come with different mounting hardware also, although they both have eyes with bushings on both ends.

 

[nuclearmonkey]

Is it just the return to center that the stabilizer swap addresses?… I’ve got about 1.5” of dead play in the steering wheel at highway speeds. Wondering if there’s a simple solution.

 

[Dokatd]

Is it just the return to center that the stabilizer swap addresses?… I’ve got about 1.5” of dead play in the steering wheel at highway speeds. Wondering if there’s a simple solution.

It just cures return to center. But.....that is likely what's bugging you on the highway. The dead space in the steering is amplified by the fact that the factory stabilizer holds the steering in effectively the last place you set it. So as you correct for the dead band the stabilizer is locking you in so you have to make another correction across the dead band. It's a very small but palpable feed back loop if you will.