Hey I have been wondering for a little while now, why my truck has a little hydralic arm on the steering gear. I'm told it is a damper for the steering, but I still don't know why it is there or what it is supposed to do.

I have been worried about this part because it is simply the most vulnerable thing on the underside of the truck. I figured that if anything would get damaged while off-roading that would be it.

Well, this weekend I snapped it off while off roading. I was worried that there would be some problems, but I haven't seen any difference in the drive or handling of the truck, so I am still left with the question of what it was supposed to do?

Anyway, I think that I am going to replace it with a 3rd party part that has a cover over the shaft. And I may have to limit my off-roading to just running around in the 4- wheelers.

 

The stearing damper does just what it says. It dampens the forces put on you steering components. You need to replace it with another good damper other wise you are going to wear out ball joints on your tie rods and drag link quickly.

 

How will it wear out tie rods and drank link?
They don't include the steering dampner on all SD's, or other trucks for that matter.

A steering dampner, does nothing more than act as a shock.
When your running bigger tires, they amplify the the bumps and ruts more than stock tires. A dampner will act as a shock and will eliminate most of the
"jolts" you feel in the steering wheel.
They will slow down the "whip of the wheel" if you were to hit a rut, that normally would whip your wheel to one side or another.

 

Maybe it helps out the rod ends by limiting the side to side movement?


Definatly put a new one back on there, i notcie a BIG difference while driving around, especially if it is on a bumpy road. That is when you will learn to love it.

 

They do nothing to help the life of the parts. Just to make the steering better on bumpy roads and at high speeds. They have been around for years. Really nice to have on sport bikes as you get steering wabel at high speeds a dampener helps alot then.

 

Jaygos, if your getting a death wobble on your bike at high speeds, I would be a little leary of getting on it!!!
Dampers are nice, but they also mask small problems, that in turn, could become a BIG problems fast.

I have no wobble what so ever on either of my bikes, if I did, Im not so sure I would get on it untill I knew why and fixed it.

 

What kind of bikes do you have? Plus I am talking about speeds of 160 an up Most sport bikes come with dampers now days. If you take a GSXR 750 with a damper and take it up to 160. Then take the damper off and do it you will see how it helps. Not saying you have to have one. Just saying it helps. with a past of about 10 years road racing bikes with and without them. I like it better with.

 

Do early '99s have them stock? I don't seem to have one. I do have some sort bracket with two holes near the passenger side spring u-bolts. Is that where it would go? I'd love to have a smoother ride while driving washboard or such roads.

 

Depends on what "package your truck came with, off road or the plow packsge then yes.


I ride my hawk gt's, I don't race them, but I do agree with you that dampers are a nice added option. I just demoed a Limited Edition GSXR, very sweet bike, but I love my naked sport bikes

 

No plow package for sure; I have VB springs. What damper could I replace the stock one with most easily? (since I don't know how it was attached before)