Steering Damper
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New User
Joined: Mar 2007
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From: Northeast Arkansas
Steering Damper
Has anyone had any experience with a steering damper on a 2wd 81 F150. Had the front end aligned. They replaced both radius arm bushings and installed new Rancho RS5000 shocks on all four corners. Truck drives much better but still wanders a little. The truck has 275-60-15 all season tires on it. All other front end componets are in good shape.
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A steering damper will take care of a lot of incurable front-end problems.
Trouble is, you will most likely have to buy a generic kit and make it fit a 2wd truck.
If you decide a steering gear is necessary, the only place to buy one is HedHead Steering Gear.
They have a special way of building the Ford gears that eliminates the pitfalls that Ford designed in.
Trouble is, you will most likely have to buy a generic kit and make it fit a 2wd truck.
If you decide a steering gear is necessary, the only place to buy one is HedHead Steering Gear.
They have a special way of building the Ford gears that eliminates the pitfalls that Ford designed in.
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Joined: Nov 2005
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Originally Posted by LongRider
A steering damper will take care of a lot of incurable front-end problems.
Trouble is, you will most likely have to buy a generic kit and make it fit a 2wd truck.
If you decide a steering gear is necessary, the only place to buy one is HedHead Steering Gear.
They have a special way of building the Ford gears that eliminates the pitfalls that Ford designed in.
Trouble is, you will most likely have to buy a generic kit and make it fit a 2wd truck.
If you decide a steering gear is necessary, the only place to buy one is HedHead Steering Gear.
They have a special way of building the Ford gears that eliminates the pitfalls that Ford designed in.
and generally speaking, while a company may eliminate pitfalls, ford didn't design in a pitfall, its just a change in quality control, manufacturing practices, or simply different standards, i.e. ford designed things for the "average" driver, which most of us don't qualify for, and we're way beyond expected life of almost anytihng automotive...
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Joined: Mar 2007
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From: Northeast Arkansas
The OEM tires were 215/75/15. I am running 275/60/15. Considerable difference in width but on .5 difference in height. I don't mean to imply the truck feels unsafe, it simply does not hold a good line on the road. I have seen worn out steering boxes and this one is by no means new, but it is not sloppy. If you move the steering wheel the pitman arm moves. Maybe it is just me from driving late model trucks for several years where the steering is firm and quick.
There are several outlets for name brand 2wd single damper bolt on kits.
There are several outlets for name brand 2wd single damper bolt on kits.
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From: The dark carnival
Originally Posted by LongRider
A steering damper will take care of a lot of incurable front-end problems.
Trouble is, you will most likely have to buy a generic kit and make it fit a 2wd truck.
If you decide a steering gear is necessary, the only place to buy one is HedHead Steering Gear.
They have a special way of building the Ford gears that eliminates the pitfalls that Ford designed in.
Trouble is, you will most likely have to buy a generic kit and make it fit a 2wd truck.
If you decide a steering gear is necessary, the only place to buy one is HedHead Steering Gear.
They have a special way of building the Ford gears that eliminates the pitfalls that Ford designed in.
Using a damper to fix front end problems on a rig like this (stock tires or close to etc.) is a band aid. There are other problems present.
And there are other places to buy a quality steering gear. I use www.prosteering.com and have never had a problem. What are HedHead doing that makes their gears different??
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From: Virginia
Maybe it is just me from driving late model trucks for several years where the steering is firm and quick.
If after driving it awhile, if you still don't feel comfortable with driving it, there may be something wrong with it still.
P.S. Have you raised the rear ride height since the alignment? If you raise the rear or lower the front after an alignment, it will affect your castor angle. The castor is what gives the auto that "centered" in the road feel, and is what helps the steering wheel return to center if you let go of the wheel.
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Take A Look
Originally Posted by eco
What are RedHead doing that makes their gears different??
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/3...n-rebuild.html
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From: The dark carnival
Linkey no workey..
Anyways, the only things that I have heard of (and there may very well be things about this matter that I have not heard of) that make the Fords PS gears "better" is to add bushings to the housings of the older long shaft PS gears and using recirculating ball bearings that are 1/1000 oversized. These things are more or less to compensate for wear of the output shaft, worm and piston.
Is this what they do?
Anyways, the only things that I have heard of (and there may very well be things about this matter that I have not heard of) that make the Fords PS gears "better" is to add bushings to the housings of the older long shaft PS gears and using recirculating ball bearings that are 1/1000 oversized. These things are more or less to compensate for wear of the output shaft, worm and piston.
Is this what they do?
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From: Northeast Arkansas
Originally Posted by Franklin2
That could be too. Drive it awhile and see how it behaves. My older vehicle's steering feel is different than my newer ones, but it's not "unsafe". On a level road, you point it in the right direction, and it should go there. What you will notice on an older vehicle is if the road crown suddenly changes, such as a dip to the edge, you will have to correct for that. Any banking or tilt in the road, you will have to correct for that also. But after a couple of drives it comes quit natural and you don't think about it.
If after driving it awhile, if you still don't feel comfortable with driving it, there may be something wrong with it still.
P.S. Have you raised the rear ride height since the alignment? If you raise the rear or lower the front after an alignment, it will affect your castor angle. The castor is what gives the auto that "centered" in the road feel, and is what helps the steering wheel return to center if you let go of the wheel.
If after driving it awhile, if you still don't feel comfortable with driving it, there may be something wrong with it still.
P.S. Have you raised the rear ride height since the alignment? If you raise the rear or lower the front after an alignment, it will affect your castor angle. The castor is what gives the auto that "centered" in the road feel, and is what helps the steering wheel return to center if you let go of the wheel.
The truck is stock ride height. The alignment tech did say the castor and camber were off but should offset each other. I don't remember which one was off positive and the other was off negative. I asked if he could correct this and he assured me they should cancel each other out.
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From: Virginia
I think I would take it somewhere else. Castor and camber don't "cancel" each other. Camber is the setting that makes the top and bottom of the wheel plumb, just as if you would take a level and lay it vertical on the front tire, crossing the hubcap.
If you took the same level and instead of holding it vertical, if you moved the top of the level to the rear of the truck on the tire, this is caster. What they will do is move the upper balljoint ahead or behind the lower balljoint. If you have kingpins, the pin will be tilted forward or back.
If you have twin-I-beam, sometimes the beams have to be bent to set some of the alignment specs, so you might as well take it to a shop who doesn't mind messing with it.
If you took the same level and instead of holding it vertical, if you moved the top of the level to the rear of the truck on the tire, this is caster. What they will do is move the upper balljoint ahead or behind the lower balljoint. If you have kingpins, the pin will be tilted forward or back.
If you have twin-I-beam, sometimes the beams have to be bent to set some of the alignment specs, so you might as well take it to a shop who doesn't mind messing with it.
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From: Northeast Arkansas
It has twin I beams. I know from class 8 otr trucks the axles had to be bent. I guess I will have to find a heavy duty truck shop to bend the axles(I beams). I don't understand why in reading differences in model years the 82 is listed as having adjustable camber?
That Link Has Always Worked Before
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Linky Worky Now
Originally Posted by NavyMIDN08
dead link, either the company was such a success it drove itself out of business, or...
The site must have just been temporarily down for repairs.
That link will work now.