Dual Steering Dampers - Good!

[ddroger]

Hey -

I was wondering about a way to get my front end to be less sensitive to ruts and bumps, as the steering seemed to be a bit skitterish. I had already checked my steering damper & it was good, so I was wondering what to do next.  I deduced that the causes were widewheels/tires as well as possibly too much offset towards the outside of the car. Then I read about Rodney Dickman's dual steering damper kit.  Hmmmm..

I made my own kit for just a few dollars worth of locally-available parts and the results were really good.

There are two ways to go:

#1 is to use a second stock Fiero Steering damper, this is easiest but maybe a bit more expensive:  a) get a second Fiero Steering damper. b) go to Valley Hardware, 65 Bentley Ave; and get  qty 2 M10 coupling nuts part #158-021, qty 4 M10 flat washers, and Qty 2 M10 bolts that will stick out about 15mm beyond the damper eye  I'd guess 30 - 40 mm would do it. c) remove the nuts that hold the damper and replace them with the M10 coupler nuts, then bolt the new damper to the coupler nuts with the bolts and washers  that you bought at the same time as the coupler nuts.   Ta-Da! You now have dual steering dampers.

#2 is to use a Princess Auto surplus steering stabilizer ($9.95), the pair of coupler nuts as before, and fabricate an angle bracket to adapt the bayonet end of the Princess Auto damper.  You'll also have to round up a sleeve for the bushing eye of the damper, and a pair of rubber bumpers and washers (used on sway-bar links) for the bayonet end.  A bunch more fiddling that method #1, but I had most of the bits around anyway. Your tool-box may vary.

The end result is much-reduced  kick-back at the steering wheel and the front end of the car feels much more "planted" going 'round curves and corners. If you have wide wheels & tires and have the same skittery feel, I'd recommend trying this mod.

Don

[GoFast85]

Can visualize in my head. Will have to take a visual when you are at Alymer