steering dampner?

[stevefed]

tried a 1.5 inch hubcentric wheel adapter (spacer) on all 4 corners, and got a terrible steering "shimmy" where the steering wheel bounces crazy from left to right (side to side) only at about 65-70mph. everything is in balance, the spacer shop said some trucks don't like the width. I am running 265's, that with the spacer is a bad combo for me.
is there a steering dampner we can use? or any other solution?> I like the look and no rub with the adapters installed, but travel hiway a lot and can't have the shakes!

 

[macknos94]

i didn't have an issue at all with my 1.5 inch spacers. i even have them on with the 35s

 

[Heavymentill]

You have changed the scrub radius and moved the pivot point outside of the tires footprint area which causes harder steering, wheel shimmy and a tendancy to wander. Scrub radius is the distance between where the steering axis inclination intersects the ground and the center of the tire.

 

[macknos94]

i'm not questioning you heavymentill but i'm just wondering why it doesn't happen to other explorers also? i know a bunch of people on here are running the 1.5-2 inch spacers including me. could it just be the explorer? even with my 35s with the spacers i can run all the way up to 80-90mph without any issues

 

[JCUZ]

i'm not questioning you heavymentill but i'm just wondering why it doesn't happen to other explorers also? i know a bunch of people on here are running the 1.5-2 inch spacers including me. could it just be the explorer? even with my 35s with the spacers i can run all the way up to 80-90mph without any issues

Agreed - the scrub radius may have changed, but is 38mm for a 1.5' spacer really changing it that much? Especially if you then fit 265s (as opposed to factory 235 or 245s) - you'll get some of that 38mm back.

I am running 1.5" spacers with no shimmying at legal speeds (up to about 140km/h - a bit over legal when overtaking). Haven't pushed it past that as I like my license too much.

 

[Heavymentill]

There are many factor you have to take in account. Height of tires, width of tires, camber angles, with of spacer, back spacing on the rim. I didn't make this up, I just understand it. I suspect some people judge with blinders on when they have spent a lot of money on something. The people who originally design suspensions don't take into account what people are going to do differently to them.

 

[macknos94]

i agree with you. i think you know more about suspension then i do just when i don't know something i like to ask and learn more.

 

[stevefed]

thanks for the posts so far, and I fully understand the implications of changing suspension from the factory specs. BUT, like others have said, why do 90% have no issues, and some experience the shimmies? the shop I got them at told me a similar story, some trucks shake, others don't. they offered to replace mine with 1.25", after restock/postage of course, but I cant see how a quarter inch is going to change much at all...(and drop $50 just to see)
and in missouri the speed limit is 70mph on interstates, most do 75-80, so to keep up I can't have the wobbles at any speed. i was goign to try to pinpoint the issue, whether it be rear only, one side or the other, but have not had time.

I have some roadbullys to install, too, but want to solve my issues before potentially adding more.

my question remains, though, if one of those steering dampners/shocks will work on my Ex like those real lifted trucks and jeeps have.

 

[Heavymentill]

Steering stabilizers are only avaliable for steering box with parallelogram linkage not rack and pinion.

 

[stevefed]

Steering stabilizers are only avaliable for steering box with parallelogram linkage not rack and pinion.

exactly what I was looking for, thanks a bunch.