Uprated steering damper Q's?

[JD_975]

Does anyone have an uprated steering damper fitted and if so how are you finding the drive?

I've just this week replaced a lot of front end steering/suspension parts and also fitted a rancho steering damper from roughtrax.

I've not been far since all the work but I'm finding the drive a little strange, the truck turns in a lot better and the steering is more responsive in general (new idler and pitman arms fitted, lower ball joint and new wheel bearings), the problem being (if I can figure out how to describe this right) the steering doesn't seem to self centre any more, it will to some extent but it won't find straight ahead if you like, meaning both hands on the wheel at all times to keep it going in a straight line, motorway driving is a constant series of corrections leading to an unnerving weave rather than the steering finding its own path and you just keeping it there.

I've reset the tracking, done all the tyre pressures but none of this has helped. I'm hoping that its just down to everything being tight again and will loosen off in time but I'm worried that it may be down to the uprated steering damper.

Any feedback appreciated

[muddle]

Did you prime the damper, also what wheels/tyres do you have

[stormforce]

I had a uprated damper on my old surf and found it was ok.

[JD_975]

I moved the damper from fully compressed to fully extended a few times until I couldn't feel air in the fluid and I have 33" mud terrains fitted, previously I've always ran them at 35 psi but I've dropped it 30 psi as the truck was far too twitchy with all the new bits fitted.

The only other thing I can think is I've set the tracking to parallel, perhaps a little toe in might help.

[wishbone]

Have you had the camber / caster checked as well as the tracking ? (sounds like caster is out)

[JD_975]

No I've not had the camber/castor done, I haven't got the gear to do it myself , I'm pretty sure the castor is fine and even if its not I don't think adjustable on the surf, and it was driving fine before the new bits went on, the only thing that would affect the castor (as far as I know) is badly out of line ball joints or bent arms/knuckles which I would venture so far as to say are fine.

It does have a little negative camber as I have ball joint spacers fitted (only 15mm spacers to avoid cutting the arms) but again it's been like that for 18 months previous and been fine

[muddle]

I would put it down to the tyres bud, theres a lot of resistance with muds and yours being 33s its more so. Setting the toe parallel isnt really going to be an issue and most certainly wont cause the symptoms youre getting. Mine does it with 31s just learnt to live with it. How far is your surf lifted and what method did you use?

[JD_975]

I have a 2" body lift, roughtrax +2 rear coils, 15mm ball joint spacers and a tweak on the torsion bars to make up the difference, the springs have settled in now so I'll probably drop the torsion bars down a little next week and redo the tracking.

Just a bit gutted that with all its faults previously it drove absolutely fine, spent something in the region of £300 on new parts and its awfull to drive

[muddle]

With a 4 inch lift and big tyres it wont drive as toyota intended you just have to make the most of it. It is a pain, mine was the same after new trackrods and ball joints, a few sessions greenlaning sorted it. See how it goes over the course of a month, and recheck the alignment.

[Wolfracer]

Soften the suspension to allow it to work and soak up bumps. did you tighten the steering box? I did in the 3litre and had to back it off as there was no return to centre... attachment shows toe in after Ross had fitted bj spacers
threw it out a country mile...

[JD_975]

I've got a full days green laning in tomorrow so hopefully that will bed everything in, will take it back to work next week and let the torsion bars off a bit and redo the tracking. Fingers crossed its not overkill from the new steering damper!

[muddle]

Unlikely bud, try and have a look at the camber if you can, you can use a small spirit level as a guide wont be perfect. Also loosen the box a little like wr said

[JD_975]

Soften the suspension to allow it to work and soak up bumps. did you tighten the steering box? I did in the 3litre and had to back it off as there was no return to centre... attachment shows toe in after Ross had fitted bj spacers
threw it out a country mile...

It was me who told you to slacken the box back off lol, no only adjusted the box once when I first got it nigh on two years ago. It is giving the same symptoms of an over tightened steering box though, hopefully a good work out tomorrow will slacken everything back off, my main concerns was that it was the uprated damper causing the issues

[JD_975]

I'll back the box off a little and see if that helps, the wear in everything else may have compensated for an over adjusted box and just showed a problem now I've replaced everything

[muddle]

Will be stiff to start with especially compared to an 18 year old one, your box may still be too tight mind to compensate for the old unit. Have fun tomorrow