Maverik Posted July 16, 2010 Share Posted July 16, 2010 I have just removed a de carbon orange steering damper of my LR90 and it decided on extending to its full stroke by itself. Are steering dampers pre loaded like this, or is mine on its way out? Cheers Mav Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
errol209 Posted July 16, 2010 Share Posted July 16, 2010 I have just removed a de carbon orange steering damper of my LR90 and it decided on extending to its full stroke by itself. Are steering dampers pre loaded like this, or is mine on its way out? Cheers Mav Mine doesn't do that, and it would make you steer left all the time? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverik Posted July 16, 2010 Author Share Posted July 16, 2010 Mine doesn't do that, and it would make you steer left all the time? Hmm, thats what I did wonder, but I just wondered if it was preloaded slghtly to balance out the linkage resistance from being on one side. Come to think of it, it did want to wander one way when I last drove it... (9 months and counting). As a replacment, has anyone used a "return to zero" damper? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David_LLAMA4x4 Posted July 16, 2010 Share Posted July 16, 2010 I have just removed a de carbon orange steering damper of my LR90 and it decided on extending to its full stroke by itself. Are steering dampers pre loaded like this, or is mine on its way out? Cheers Mav The de Carbon one you have is supposed to extend BUT unless you have a second damper working against it then it is a bad idea! It will tend to turn the steering to left lock all the time - the answers from the old 'Orange Shop' was to knock a shim out of the swivel to tighten it up!!!!! The parent company of Rough Country ( the shocks I import ) are leading producers of OEM and after market steering dampers and when I asked about a gas one the slow Southern voice reckoned they 'were dumb'. The only gas steering they make are fitting in pairs with one pushing from either side - this has the effect of 2 uprated gas dampers without the turning force on the steering... if fitted in singles then they reaally should not be self-extending..... Hope that answerrs your question David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bishbosh Posted July 17, 2010 Share Posted July 17, 2010 It is just a gas charged damper so it will extend due to the pressure inside. The fact it did extend is a good sign - it means it is still sealed and functioning correctly! I had one for years and despite the warnings that I would always be fighting it, I never noticed any tendency to turn the steering. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David_LLAMA4x4 Posted July 17, 2010 Share Posted July 17, 2010 It is just a gas charged damper so it will extend due to the pressure inside. The fact it did extend is a good sign - it means it is still sealed and functioning correctly! I had one for years and despite the warnings that I would always be fighting it, I never noticed any tendency to turn the steering. It does indeed show that the damper is working properly but it in the application that there is a problem.... I only know three people who ever fitted them and they all hated them and took them straight off!! The option of tightening the swivels by knocking a shim out was also thrown out as bloody stupid - the preload on the swivel is ther for a reason and that reason is not to prevent an incorrect application of a damper making you turn left! David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted July 18, 2010 Share Posted July 18, 2010 There are generally two types of dampers marketed for LRs - old fashioned oil filled dampers and after market high-performance gas dampers. The gas is pressurised to increase the boiling temperature of the oil inside the cylinders (to prevent the oil boiling). A side effect of this pressurisation is that the dampers self-extend. Your damper is functioning normally, but if you are sure it is the damper and not another issue that is causing the pull (castor angle, dragging brakes, tyre issues or just plain simple road camber, which does affect LRs significantly), replace it with a standard oil filled damper - I would not fit a gas damper to the steering because of this effect and also because it simply isn't needed, a standard damper being perfectly able to deal with the task. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverik Posted July 19, 2010 Author Share Posted July 19, 2010 Thanks for the feedback. I've got my eye an a coil over self centering damper, failing that I'll pop a standard one back on. The wander of the vehicle could be accounted too another few issues I've found, (like bent radius arms!!!) but I do remeber a distinct pulling to one side and having taken the swivals from the axel and feelig how little resistance is in them, I've got a feel the damper was to blame, it has a heck of a push, with effort I can retract the damper, so I figure it was manageing itself to push the steering to one side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicks90 Posted July 19, 2010 Share Posted July 19, 2010 just dont fit a steering damper. make sure your wheel bearings are set up correctly - the swivel preloads are set up right - no need for a steering damper! Ok, offroad i get a bit of kick of i hit a big bump at speed. But on road it makes no difference, other than my steering is lighter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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