Steering Dampner Failure

[dorkweed]

A while back, I posted a thread about hitting a "log" in the road that bent the shaft of my steering stabilizer. Well, anyhow, the one I replace it with, failed on me. I was under my truck a couple days ago greasing the front end, and noticed that the dampner was wet with oil.............it was leaking. My truck for a while seemed to be pulling to the right because I'm having to ____ the steering wheel slightly to drive straight and because I'm noticing a bit more "road" in the steering. So I'm thinking that the damper took a crap.So I ordered a "top of the line" one from Geno's Garage..............Bilstine, just like my shocks. It came today, so I pulled the old one and installed the new one.Upon inspection of the old one, I could hardly get it to go "in and out"!!!!!!!!! Essentially it was seized when compared with the new one!!!! When to old one was fully extended, with me putting all my weight on it, it took 25 seconds to compress all the way. Then for me to extend it back out, I had to pinch the end between my boots and pull for all I was worth!!!!! About the same amount of time to extend it.Test drive proved it was seized essentially. Steering is much easier, and the steering wheel is centered now!!!! I didn't think a stabilizer could affect the steering and drivablility that much!!

[jlwelding]

I bet the power steering pump feels like it's on vaction.

[AH64ID]

I have developed a slight pull to the right, and all my alignment specs are within spec... I though it was a BJ on it's way out.. but now you have me thinking. 72K on the OEM one, with lots of windy dirt roads.

[dorkweed]

I have developed a slight pull to the right, and all my alignment specs are within spec... I though it was a BJ on it's way out.. but now you have me thinking. 72K on the OEM one, with lots of windy dirt roads.

I'd check it out. My old one wasn't seized, but it was stiff that's for sure. The steering on my truck is much easier now, and the relatively hard pull to the right is gone. Any ____ to the steering wheel is due to road crown now!!!! As I said in my prior post, I got a Bilstein unit from Geno's Garage, and the circumference on this bad boy is noticably larger than the NAPA brand one I had on that failed............plus it has the rubber boot to protect the rod/piston from dirt and debris. I have my nice handling truck back. I was worried that I had BJ's or tie-rod ends going again!!!!! And that's with me greasing everything on the front every 5000 miles!!!!! Glad I sprung for it!!

[packinheat2]

I wonder if this is what is going on with my truck. It wants to pull to the right and after I had the new tires on it I had it aligned. I have replaced the steering dampner once with an oem one maybe its bad again.