Steering Damper

Joined: 18 Oct 2003 Location: Hunter Valley

I have just purchased a 4 Way RTC steering damper for my GQ Patrol LWB. I have heard they are a bit tricky to install and setup and was wondering if anyone could give me a few pointers and steps to help along the way.
Cheers Aazz

Joined: 19 Dec 2002 Location: Sydney

if you follow the included instructions they are pretty straight forward

Joined: 18 Oct 2003 Location: Hunter Valley

I didn't get any instructions with it. It only came in a vacuum pack with an allen key, screws, coil spring and the bracket for the spring. I'll go back to where I got it from and get the instructions.

Joined: 19 Dec 2002 Location: Sydney

with mine i got a instruction sheet, which i cant seem to find, its not that hard to do, and i got mine done spot on first time round.

Joined: 25 Nov 2002 Location: Golden Square

I havn't got one, but this is how I think I read it is done.

Undo the spring (so it isn't jammed on the dampner)
Fit Dampner as per normal.
Makes sure wheels are pointing straight.
Then Tighten the clamp on the spring.
And all is done.
Only other thing to do is go for a drive to test it out.

Joined: 03 Nov 2003 Location: Melbourne

i just got one fitted to my car today. didnt seem to hard but a little bit tricky

Joined: 23 Oct 2002 Location: Melbourne, Australia

hottiemonster wrote:

i just got one fitted to my car today. didnt seem to hard but a little bit tricky

Make much of a difference?

Joined: 19 Dec 2002 Location: Sydney

i had one fitted to my GQ after the 6" spring lift, and it reduced the front end wobbles!

Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2004 10:32 pm

aazz wrote:

I didn't get any instructions with it. It only came in a vacuum pack with an allen key, screws, coil spring and the bracket for the spring. I'll go back to where I got it from and get the instructions.

PM me with a FAX number and I'll fax the instructions through to you.

Joined: 08 Apr 2003 Location: Camden, Sydney

Im just about to fit a new one up to mine, in the hopes that i get a little bit smoother steering. Will let ya know if theres a big difference.

Screwy

Joined: 05 Jan 2004 Location: Snowy Mountains

I've not long stuck one one my GU ute and the difference between the factory steering dampner and the Tough Dog unit that I've got is like chalk and cheese. I run 35's on road and 38's+ off road. The bigger the tyre the more I notice the difference. Would never go back.

Joined: 22 Jan 2004 Location: eastern melbourne

how do you tell when the dampner is worn out and what difference will a new one make

Joined: 19 Dec 2002 Location: Sydney

from what i believe, its similar to a shock, if you take it off it should be reall hard to move by hand, once it gets to easy its rooted!

Joined: 27 Nov 2002 Location: Lost in Melbourne.

Was talkin to Bazzle about RTC ones, he says he has about 3-4 fubar ones under his bench at home... Could just have been 'that' make...

Joined: 18 Sep 2003 Location: lost

The RTC steering dampners traditionally have a much smaller actual shock body than most aftermarket ones so therefore a lot less oil and the results of this in a shock are well known.
The spring thing is a good idea though.
I have heard of a heavy duty style RTC one with a bigger shock body but I think I remember the price being HOLY HOLY SHIIIITT

Depending on space etc I think a really good dual steering dampner set up would include a heavy duty normal one eg rancho,tough dog, ome etc
and a RTC one of some sort and get the best of both worlds

Posted: Tue Feb 24, 2004 10:01 am

I had a couple of problems with shudder at 80kph...

I utillised the std damper into the new position on the main draglink between the hubs and installed a "tough dog" RTC damper to the normal place.
fixed the shudder and its a treat to drive at slow or high speeds ! Very Happy

The std damper is just visiable behind the draglink, its attached on the hub end to where the swaybar normally bolts too, took about an hour to do !

Joined: 18 Oct 2003 Location: Hunter Valley

The steering damper is fitted. It was actually pretty easy to fit, not as hard as a few people had told me. The wobbles the car used to get at about 80 kays an hour have gone but I think this might have more to do with the bushes that were put in. I also put a 3 inch lift in and castor correction bushes, the factory ones were stuffed with bits of rubber missing. The steering damper works great and I would recommend the RTC damper to anyone.