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Is a steering stabilizer actually needed?

handloader90

handloader90

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Bout to finish my truck up and I was going to order a steering stab.

I swapped falt top knuckles onto a D44 that didn't originally have flat tops. My knuckles are reamed from the top vs. from the bottom like the knuckles original to the axle.

My tie rod is sitting above the axle tube.

I've got another flat top knuckled D44 in my garage and the axle side steering stab mount is in a totally different spot than the a le that under my truck.

I'm running crossover with a HD tie rod and bend draglink.

I was planning on doing hydro assist down the road.

I think i should be fine without the stabalizer but figured I'd ask first.
 
I had a bit of death wobble without. You may not, there are lots of things that cause death wobble. My stabilizer may have been the problem or just masked another issue.
 
HankScorpio said:
I had a bit of death wobble without. You may not, there are lots of things that cause death wobble. My stabilizer may have been the problem or just masked another issue.
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I've got new tie rod and drag link ends all around, new Moog "Problem Solver" ball joints, and a borgeson style steering shaft so I'm hoping i dont have any death wobble!!
 
Surprisingly thus truck didn't have any play in the steering with all of the stock stuff when I got.

Every other squarebody had some play somewhere in the steering. Had a '76 K10 a few years back that had about 3" of play in the steering... that thing was a hoot to drive lol.
 
I don’t have a stabilizer (D60, high steer, unbalanced 43’s) and don’t notice any difference. Since you’ve got all new parts, of the tires and alignment are good I think you’ll be fine.
 
nvrenuf said:
I don’t have a stabilizer (D60, high steer, unbalanced 43’s) and don’t notice any difference. Since you’ve got all new parts, of the tires and alignment are good I think you’ll be fine.
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Good to hear!

I'm planning on doing an alignment in my driveway :whistle::whistle:
 
Last year when one of my tie rods fell off my truck and I had to replace all of them,I had to take off the steering stabilizer shock so I could replace the long bar left tie rod assembly--the thing was completely empty,had rust bouncing around inside it,and I could push and pull the piston in and out with no resistance at all!..it was doing nothing..

I happened to have a big yelloe "Hecklethorn" stabilizer I saved decades ago in my garage,someone who lifted a K5 gave it to me when they decided to put dual steering stabilizers on it instead,it was practically new..
Now with that on it,if anything the steering feels less "firm" than before,and it seems to want to wander around more than before!..but I have no death wobble or other issues,despite the tires not being balanced--I have no weights on any of the 4 tires..It might be the tires that are making it feel weird,the fronts are 255/70-16 and only "P" rated,the rears I'm running are 265/75-16 E rated tires..
Also when my P/S box seals let all the fluid escape a few months ago,and I had to drive it home that way (and re-fill the pump every 4 miles!).
I might have messed up something in the steering box wrestling it around with no power assist..I've had other P/S boxes never feel the same after driving the truck with no P/S belt or losing the fluid before..
 
Bump steer is your trucks way of telling you you have worn out or damaged components.

Any and all trucks should drive fine regardless of most lifts within reason without a stabilizer.
 
I have a steering stabilizer that's pressurized with steering fluid off of the steering gear box, some call it hydro-assist. I think it's very needed and nice to have on a trail rig.

And yes my the first sentence is snarky, but the second sentence is true.
 
Lots of replies here from guys who know more than me but I will say that my steering stabilizer and its bushings were totally shot and I had death wobble bad, even at 30 mph. Replaced the stabilizer and got the alignment done last week and the difference is night and day. It is not scary to drive anymore. Might be the alignment and maybe my truck had problems yours doesnt.
 
No IMO it's not "necessary" with a good steering setup. I put 30k miles on my Blazer with 37" Swampers and no stabilizer. You will notice more feedback from the road which is amplified with larger tires. A stabilizer provides driver comfort and is no way there to prevent wobble. If you have slop or wobble then you have worn stuff or something is out of spec.
 
aceroth said:
Lots of replies here from guys who know more than me but I will say that my steering stabilizer and its bushings were totally shot and I had death wobble bad, even at 30 mph. Replaced the stabilizer and got the alignment done last week and the difference is night and day. It is not scary to drive anymore. Might be the alignment and maybe my truck had problems yours doesnt.
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You said the key word here "alignment"

I have over 100k miles on 37s with no stabilizer on my dodge. Dodges are notoriously bad about steering issues. My parts are in good shape and it is aligned properly.

My k5 had over 80k miles when it was my dd on 35s and 37s without stabilizers. Push pull and crossover. Half ton and one tons. Hydro assist really is badass though.

My 84 k30 dually never had a stabilizer on unbalanced 36 tsl. Enough caster and the right amount of toe with good components and you dont have problems.

My current 91 has dual fox 2.0 cause I think it looks cool under it. It really made it hard to steer because I'm fighting them.
 
The stabilizer is there to do what its name is to stabilize, not fix.

Are they needed nope, do they help sure, do they mask some issues, yea.
That being said would run one. No reason not to.
 
I run a stabilizer. My truck has cross-over, all new steering components, new tires, and was recently alighned. I can run without it, but my steering will shutter a little over big bumps without a stabilizer. I think it is the large over size tires I am running that cause it because with a smaller set of 35" tires it did not do that. My truck is a piece of crap so my opinion does not count.
 
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handloader90 said:
I swapped falt top knuckles onto a D44 that didn't originally have flat tops. My knuckles are reamed from the top vs. from the bottom like the knuckles original to the axle.

My tie rod is sitting above the axle tube.

I'm running crossover with a HD tie rod and bend draglink.
Click to expand...
This is the same as my setup. The problem I had with connecting the stabilizer is that the tapered hole is now angled in the wrong direction. Since the stabilizer isn't parallel to the tie rod and axle tube they put the stabilizer mounting hole at an angle perpendicular to how the stabilizer lines up. Now you have to flip the drag link over and that angle goes the opposite direction. I modified a mounting stud with "double angle" to compensate.
454Sub said:
Bump steer is your trucks way of telling you you have worn out or damaged components.

Any and all trucks should drive fine regardless of most lifts within reason without a stabilizer.
Click to expand...
Bump steer is a factor of geometry. Only way it's zero is when the suspension links are parallel to the steering links. Leaf springs with crossover will have it UNLESS parts are worn. I agree a stabilizer won't fix bump steer.
 
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