Do I need this?

[ahhjaws]

I started to get a rattling sound inside my steering wheel last week. I opened it up today and found out that the steering damper? is almost broken off. It has only one of three rubber connections left. I really don't see the use of this piece, and it would be really easy to fix the rattling if I just take it all the way off. Does anyone know what it does and if I need it?



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[Jason_25]

I have a rattle in my steering wheel too. It's driving me nuts. Can you actually feel it vibrate slightly through the steering wheel?

Also, does it only rattle when turning?

 

[jimbo74]

if it is a damper... it will cuase vibration without it...

 

[ahhjaws]

QUOTE]Also, does it only rattle when turning?[/QUOTE]

I can feel it through the wheel, but my rattling occurs whenever there is a slight vibration.

if it is a damper... it will cuase vibration without it...

How would I fix it then, both of the rubber mounts are sliced in half. I really don't want to spend any money trying to fix it.

 

[Jason_25]

How hard was it to pull that stuff off and get to the damper?

 

[ahhjaws]

Not very hard at all, you just unscrew the screws on the back of the wheel with a torque wrench. I think there are two of them.

 

[Robb]

It might be just me, but I tend to not take off anything that Ford put on when it comes to something critical like steering. No matter how much you can't figure it out, there had to be a reason for it.

Robb

 

[ahhjaws]

No matter how much you can't figure it out, there had to be a reason for it.

That is what I thought too, but I have been driving for almost two weeks now with it hanging off, so it must not be that important. I went to NAPA to see what they thought, they didn't even know what it does. Go figure.

 

[Jason_25]

I think it just dampens feedback into the steering wheel from the suspension/steering.

 

[ahhjaws]

So how do you guys think I could fix this? Do you think I could glue or epoxy the rubber pieces back together?

 

[94EBexplorer]

just find some rubber peices of around the same size and epoxy them in the same place.... its just a little nub... just as long as something is there to take the LITTLE but of vibration such as rubber or foam preferibly rubber, it will be perfectly fine

 

[ahhjaws]

OK, I'll try that this afternoon, and post whether it works or not in case others have the same problem.

 

[taxx]

Originally posted by Jason_25
I have a rattle in my steering wheel too. It's driving me nuts. Can you actually feel it vibrate slightly through the steering wheel?

Also, does it only rattle when turning?

Have you checked the bolts on your steering extender for your BL (if you have one).

 

[Jason_25]

Nope no BL for me. Maybe I'll pop open the steering wheel today and see what I can find.

 

[akcrogers]

I hit a bad pothole yesterday and my steering started doing this too, but its maybe more of a clunk than a rattle. Its kinda hard to explain, anytime I drive over anything rough it makes a clicking noise like there is are two pieces of metal touching. If I turn the wheel left and then right I can hear/feel it. Its definitely somewhere in the upper steering though... I'm going to go look at it today, but hopefully this is all it is, I was thinking maybe the steering u-joint got messed up.

 

[akcrogers]

Well, mine is the exact same thing *sigh of relief* I'm super glad that its not tie rod ends or something else. Mine was completly detatched on both the side ones, but held on by the top one. Any bumps or turns would cause it to bounce and swing, connecting with the tubular frame inside the steering wheel. I was pretty worried it was going to be a big $ fix, glad to know its just some $2 epoxy. It is amazing how such a little piece can create such a big noise and make you really feel it in the steering wheel. The interesting thing is that my Mustang felt the exact same way, but it was really the steering shaft being loose.

 

[ahhjaws]

Epoxy worked for me. I tried it this afternoon, and it worked fine, except I didn't let it dry long enough and went 4x4ing 3 hours after I glued it back on, so it fell off again. Maybe next time I'll let it dry the full 24 hours.

 

[94EBexplorer]

cool told ya it would work... or you could do it before you go in for the night or something... that way it dries intill you get in your ride next.... least 8 hours ya know?