steering stablizer opinion
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TinCup
Well-known member
I had problems when I first bought my car and purchased one. They work great but they are masking a problem. A couple years later I replaced the drag link and tie rod and problems went away. In fact it's in a bunch of parts I listed on the bay.
It is a quick fix but ultimately you want to find out what in your steering is causing the shimmy.
It is a quick fix but ultimately you want to find out what in your steering is causing the shimmy.
BRENT in 10-uh-C
Well-known member
Playing Devil's Advocate, several new brands of vehicles can be found with these installed by the O.E.M. as they rolled down the assembly line. So what were these O.E.M. "masking"? 
Tom Endy
Well-known member
There was one installed on my Victoria when I bought it years ago. I didn't seem to be causing a problem, so I left it there. Sometime later on a tour I noticed I was having difficulty making a left turn. There didn't seem to be enough turning radius. I had to pull hard on the wheel to keep from ending up on the sidewalk. As the tour progressed it became the opposite, I had difficulty making a right turn.
When I got back from the tour I crawled under the car for a look and found the tie rod badly bent. There were witness marks on it indicating the U-clamp attaching the stabilizer had been slipping along the shaft.
I was able to straighten the tie rod. I removed and discarded the stabilizer. I believe the leverage available at the steering wheel can overcome the clamp no matter how tight you tighten it.
Tom Endy
When I got back from the tour I crawled under the car for a look and found the tie rod badly bent. There were witness marks on it indicating the U-clamp attaching the stabilizer had been slipping along the shaft.
I was able to straighten the tie rod. I removed and discarded the stabilizer. I believe the leverage available at the steering wheel can overcome the clamp no matter how tight you tighten it.
Tom Endy
LukeDahlinger
BANNED
Playing Devil's Advocate, several new brands of vehicles can be found with these installed by the O.E.M. as they rolled down the assembly line. So what were these O.E.M. "masking"?
There's really no comparison between Modern Iron and Model A's. One car was designed with the stabilizer to work with the rack & pinion while the other one was not.
Besides, who cares about new cars?
I agree with the others, the stabilizer is a band aid for sub par repair work on Model A steering. For what you pay for one of those gaudy stabilizers you should put that money towards properly repairing your steering system.
CHuDWah
Well-known member
Yup. When I got my 30 CCPU years ago, it was an un-restored driver with a bad shimmy. Put on a stabilizer, which helped but didn't completely eliminate the shimmy. Rebuilt the steering/suspension when we restored the truck and no more problems.
Dick Deegan
Well-known member
I would not use a stabilizer bar. I have used one and like a couple of the others it bent the tie rod which, in turn, throws out the toe in. It also makes the steering a little more difficult to turn. Find the cause of the shimmy, repair it and it will go away.
Dick
Dick
jerry shook
Well-known member
I agree with brent on this one , i had the front end rebuilt on my 30 coupe bentlys did a great job every thing was redone . The narrow tires and big rims will cause some shimmie when you hit a pot hole or hump in the rd. I put the stablizer on for added support i can not tell any difference in how hard it is to turn , if you do it is not installed right .
Keith True
Well-known member
While I don't think they should be used to cover up a problem,I think they work great on absorbing the little shocks and bumps that come up from the tires. An old front end man told me he thought they were a lifesaver for front end parts.He felt the lumps and bumps were absorbed by the damper rather than the ball joints,tie rod ends,steering box etc.I have one on one A,it just takes up those little shocks to the hands that all old cars have with primitive worm and sector steering.It has been on there since the early 70's.I believe it was for a Jeep.It clamps the tie rod and the other end is rubber mounted through a hole drilled in the radius rod.Zero problems.I have a Dodge diesel truck that you can't drive when the damper lets g
ld Volkswagens had them as far back as I can remember,my 58 has one on it.I had an old Brockway that had one,no power steering to take up the shock but the damper did.I had a late Brockway that was not equipped with one,that truck sent every shock from every pebble up my arms and neck.
ld Volkswagens had them as far back as I can remember,my 58 has one on it.I had an old Brockway that had one,no power steering to take up the shock but the damper did.I had a late Brockway that was not equipped with one,that truck sent every shock from every pebble up my arms and neck.
BRENT in 10-uh-C
Well-known member
Sometimes it is good to stir the proverbial pot to see what rises to the surface. It is indeed interesting for me when comments are made to analyze why the person making each comment says what they do.
I personally do not use them on customer's vehicles unless I am instructed to, however we have run them on our own personal vehicles, --most notably on a Model A that was in the GreatRace a couple of times where we needed to have the utmost control over the vehicle during mandated speeds. I am however of the opinion that just like modern shock absorbers, when something is installed with little or no regard for match-engineering, then it can be a deterent instead of an advantage. Therefore my position is that Model A's driven as they were designed & engineered to be driven probably will not see a huge improvement however since most Model A owners choose to modify because it seems to be the right thing to do on their Model A (which is generally not properly maintained), then they are probably a slight improvement, -or up to a huge improvement. The one thing that can be argued is what does it hurt having one installed? If someone complains about it becoming difficult to steer with, I refer back to the vehicle being properly maintained.
I personally do not use them on customer's vehicles unless I am instructed to, however we have run them on our own personal vehicles, --most notably on a Model A that was in the GreatRace a couple of times where we needed to have the utmost control over the vehicle during mandated speeds. I am however of the opinion that just like modern shock absorbers, when something is installed with little or no regard for match-engineering, then it can be a deterent instead of an advantage. Therefore my position is that Model A's driven as they were designed & engineered to be driven probably will not see a huge improvement however since most Model A owners choose to modify because it seems to be the right thing to do on their Model A (which is generally not properly maintained), then they are probably a slight improvement, -or up to a huge improvement. The one thing that can be argued is what does it hurt having one installed? If someone complains about it becoming difficult to steer with, I refer back to the vehicle being properly maintained.
Fred K-OR
Well-known member
I have one installed on both of my rigs. I have reworked both front ends( I probably did not know what I was doing) but still find that using a stablizer gives you better control of the drive.
The last one I installed which I just purchased a month or so ago, had different types of hookups to the tie rod and axle. Each hookup now has a "set" pin that tightens the clamp to each hookup so they do not slip on the tie rod or axle. But the problem is that the instructions are written in Chinese/American, not complete and you are on your own to try to figure how to install them.
The last one I installed which I just purchased a month or so ago, had different types of hookups to the tie rod and axle. Each hookup now has a "set" pin that tightens the clamp to each hookup so they do not slip on the tie rod or axle. But the problem is that the instructions are written in Chinese/American, not complete and you are on your own to try to figure how to install them.
Mike V. Florida
Well-known member
Jim Parker Toronto
Well-known member
Now that we have hashed the steering stabilizer set up, does anyone have an opinion on the one for the rear end which is supposed to stop the body from rolling when cornering? Just curious, I do not have either, but want to hear from someone who has one installed.
Gord. B by the bay
Senior Member
Jim are you refering the "panard bars" Dick Deegan has them on his coupe He thinks they are OK Gord, B by the bay
Craig Lewis
Well-known member
This barnfind roadster at the Vancouver B.C. 2010 MAFCA meet had an interesting setup.
It appears the spring loaded bars utilize friction against the tie rod to settle down road shimmy.
Not exactly my cup-of-tea as a shimmy solution... but a pretty cool era accessory!
PS = I find my pictures become darker when loaded to this site ??
You would have to brighten your screen to see the spring loaded base, clamped behind the axle.
It appears the spring loaded bars utilize friction against the tie rod to settle down road shimmy.
Not exactly my cup-of-tea as a shimmy solution... but a pretty cool era accessory!
PS = I find my pictures become darker when loaded to this site ??
You would have to brighten your screen to see the spring loaded base, clamped behind the axle.
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Jim Parker Toronto
Well-known member
Yes, Gord, that's the one I was referring to. I didn't know that Dick had one on his. I don't really feel that they are necessary, but I wanted to hear from people who have them, to see what they "helped" with besides just lightening the wallet!
On the spring setup for the front tie rod as shown above, I has seen a few of these and they go right in the junk pile!