DO I NEED A STEERING STABILIZER?

[Whaler27]

Improper geometry and/or loose or worn suspension components cause death wobble. Steering stabilizers fight the symptoms of those loose or worn parts and improper geometry including death wobble but they don't cause it. The problem is the geometry is worse in the JL, due to the fact that Jeep just lowered the spec for proper caster as they started making models of different heights amongst other things. No 4⁰ isn't good enough despite what they tell you. The ball joints now come with crap plastic liners and are loose when new. Cheap bushings. The list goes on. An imbalanced tire can even cause death wobble. That's a lot of stuff to replace and then keep in perfect order, but the stabilizer isn't causing the wobble.

This ^^ 100%.

…. and I have had three Dodge 3500 pickup trucks and at least seven Ford F-350s, all with solid front axels, none with steering stabilizers, and I have never experienced death wobble in any of them. None of these trucks had huge lifts, but all had some lift, and all ran 35“ to 37” tires. I HAVE had several thoroughly wheeled Jeeps that developed DW, but I’ll spare everybody the Yeti video repair link I posted the last 23 times we discussed DW (and proved its cure without a steering stabilizer).

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[C.Sco]

I destroyed my steering stabilizer on some rocks. The jeep drove like crap because the internal valving was destroyed. I removed the stabilizer and it drove way better. I contemplated not putting another one back on at all since it seemed to drive just fine, even if a little "loose" on the steering.
A week later I got in a Fox stabilizer. Installed it, and instantly decided that having a stabilizer is the way to go. It's not that the jeep drives terrible without one. It just drives so much better WITH one.

Edit: also, bump steer. Having a stabilizer is likely "safer" because it will reduce bump steer on and off road.

Same exact story here, too.

Busted my stabilizer on a boulder, drove terribly until I removed it, and then it drove fine and I was considering just leaving it that way. Then about a week later I hit a huge pothole on the road and it threw my Jeep into a nasty death wobble.

Went and picked up a Fox stabilizer and a metalcloak relocation bracket the next day, and now everything is great.

Steering stabilizer isn't supposed to really do anything, and theoretically you shouldn't even need it as long as your steering system and bushings are in good shape and the geometry is right, but to me it's just good insurance, and feels a lot safer now driving over potholes on the highway. Roads are terrible here in California (our gas tax dollars at work! ) and I don't want to have to death-grip on my steering wheel every time I hit a little pothole.

 

[Deleted User 38384]

So I shredded my steering stabilizer today. Busted it out of its housing, and while driving the rest of the day through the off-road park without it, and through the access roads to the entrance of the park and back home, hitting speeds upwards of 85 mph on the highway from Oklahoma to dfw, turns out you don't need a steering stabilizer. In fact I'm just going to save my money and scrap mine.

I don't know if it's the 37s that make it the ride kushier, but I have zero steering wheel wobble from the lack of steering stabilizer at high speeds, and on the access road in the off-road park I was getting some steering wheel wobble, but honestly extremely minor considering the kind of constant wave-like bumps I was hitting at 20 mph. From my perspective and with my style of driving it's literally not even noticeable. Someone else might get all uppity about it, but there are lots of soft dudes around here.

Crazy part is that as it turns out the steering stabilizer is what was causing my issue with getting my steering wheel to full lock while turning left. Ever since I upgraded the 37s and installed that steering stabilizer, I have been unable to go to full lock while turning left, the second the steering stabilizer is no longer hooked up, I can go to full lock while turning left. Also the clunking when I steer is gone as well.

So there you go, no sway bars in the front, and no steering stabilizer and you're still good.

If you don't believe me, try it. If you're soft and you need a steering stabilizer, no one's going to hate you for it, but if you're a man, a manly man, you don't really need one.

 

[Ratbert]

So I shredded my steering stabilizer today.

It was relocated, right?

 

[mrtm1970]

So I shredded my steering stabilizer today. Busted it out of its housing, and while driving the rest of the day through the off-road park without it, and through the access roads to the entrance of the park and back home, hitting speeds upwards of 85 mph on the highway from Oklahoma to dfw, turns out you don't need a steering stabilizer. In fact I'm just going to save my money and scrap mine.

I don't know if it's the 37s that make it the ride kushier, but I have zero steering wheel wobble from the lack of steering stabilizer at high speeds, and on the access road in the off-road park I was getting some steering wheel wobble, but honestly extremely minor considering the kind of constant wave-like bumps I was hitting at 20 mph. From my perspective and with my style of driving it's literally not even noticeable. Someone else might get all uppity about it, but there are lots of soft dudes around here.

Crazy part is that as it turns out the steering stabilizer is what was causing my issue with getting my steering wheel to full lock while turning left. Ever since I upgraded the 37s and installed that steering stabilizer, I have been unable to go to full lock while turning left, the second the steering stabilizer is no longer hooked up, I can go to full lock while turning left. Also the clunking when I steer is gone as well.

So there you go, no sway bars in the front, and no steering stabilizer and you're still good.

If you don't believe me, try it. If you're soft and you need a steering stabilizer, no one's going to hate you for it, but if you're a man, a manly man, you don't really need one.

Like I posted before from my experience driving without one and then putting it back in when i got the mounting bracket finally in, my ride was much better, but as you said, you don't necessarily have to have it. I think it honestly would come down to what type of roads you drive on daily, especially if there are a lot of uneven surfaces or small to large potholes/railroad track crossings, etc. then you DEFINETLY would want the Stabilizer in.

As far as limiting full turn, I would think getting the type that has a longer stroke or that center shaft type would allow the full turn.

 

[Deleted User 38384]

It was relocated, right?

Yep, over the tie rod and somehow still got destroyed.

I don't know man, one second we're climbing boulders, the next second someone is telling me my Steering Stabilizer is dangling.

I got it zip-tied up right now to my track bar... Though in short order I do need to completely remove it.

 

[Deleted User 38384]

Like I posted before from my experience driving without one and then putting it back in when i got the mounting bracket finally in, my ride was much better, but as you said, you don't necessarily have to have it. I think it honestly would come down to what type of roads you drive on daily, especially if there are a lot of uneven surfaces or small to large potholes/railroad track crossings, etc. then you DEFINETLY would want the Stabilizer in.

As far as limiting full turn, I would think getting the type that has a longer stroke or that center shaft type would allow the full turn.

The good thing with how I'm going to do it now, is ZERO COST, assuming you don't factor in the $89 steering stabilizer shock, and the $110 Synergy over axle kit...

Btw, that's the second synergy product I've ever purchased for my request, and it's also the second product that failed..

I already removed their stickers from my Jeep last year. Definitely never going to buy from them EVER again! Talk about trash quality!!

 

[Zandcwhite]

If the stabilizer was stopping you from turning full driver you had the tie rod clamp too far towards the drivers side. It was fully extending when you turned left and your steering was trying to rip it in half. Eventually the steering won. That's not Synergy's fault, that's 100% user error.

 

[C.Sco]

So I shredded my steering stabilizer today. Busted it out of its housing, and while driving the rest of the day through the off-road park without it, and through the access roads to the entrance of the park and back home, hitting speeds upwards of 85 mph on the highway from Oklahoma to dfw, turns out you don't need a steering stabilizer.

Give it some time. I, too, made the same determination when I busted mine and just removed it. "Hey, I guess I don't need that stupid thing at all, it drives totally fine without it."

Within a week or two I was singing a different tune and buying a Fox stabilizer. Highway speeds were fine, but the bump-steer at low speeds (5-25 mph) was starting to get really obnoxious and I couldn't deal with it anymore.

 

[ParadigmDawg]

So I shredded my steering stabilizer today. Busted it out of its housing, and while driving the rest of the day through the off-road park without it, and through the access roads to the entrance of the park and back home, hitting speeds upwards of 85 mph on the highway from Oklahoma to dfw, turns out you don't need a steering stabilizer. In fact I'm just going to save my money and scrap mine.

I don't know if it's the 37s that make it the ride kushier, but I have zero steering wheel wobble from the lack of steering stabilizer at high speeds, and on the access road in the off-road park I was getting some steering wheel wobble, but honestly extremely minor considering the kind of constant wave-like bumps I was hitting at 20 mph. From my perspective and with my style of driving it's literally not even noticeable. Someone else might get all uppity about it, but there are lots of soft dudes around here.

Crazy part is that as it turns out the steering stabilizer is what was causing my issue with getting my steering wheel to full lock while turning left. Ever since I upgraded the 37s and installed that steering stabilizer, I have been unable to go to full lock while turning left, the second the steering stabilizer is no longer hooked up, I can go to full lock while turning left. Also the clunking when I steer is gone as well.

So there you go, no sway bars in the front, and no steering stabilizer and you're still good.

If you don't believe me, try it. If you're soft and you need a steering stabilizer, no one's going to hate you for it, but if you're a man, a manly man, you don't really need one.

Remember the part about the steering wheel getting away from that guy and it almost ripped his arm off and cost over $200,000 in surgery bills?

I bet without a SS, it would have been worse.

After my first day on the Trail with PSC, I would never run big tires without it.

 

[Deleted User 38384]

Remember the part about the steering wheel getting away from that guy and it almost ripped his arm off and cost over $200,000 in surgery bills?

I bet without a SS, it would have been worse.

After my first day on the Trail with PSC, I would never run big tires without it.

I don't disagree. I never put my thumb in the steering wheel for just that reason. If it gets away from you your arm and or your thumb goes with it.

I've been driving like this for a week now and hit potholes on country roads, honestly I don't notice any of it. Maybe it's just my driving style but literally doesn't seem to make a difference at all on my jeep.

If that ever changes in the future, obviously I'll change the setup but for now I just don't see the point wasting money for something I don't need.

I got to run out and do some errands later today, I'll see if I can't film a video for you guys.

 

[jadmt]

I don't disagree. I never put my thumb in the steering wheel for just that reason. If it gets away from you your arm and or your thumb goes with it.

I've been driving like this for a week now and hit potholes on country roads, honestly I don't notice any of it. Maybe it's just my driving style but literally doesn't seem to make a difference at all on my jeep.

If that ever changes in the future, obviously I'll change the setup but for now I just don't see the point wasting money for something I don't need.

I got to run out and do some errands later today, I'll see if I can't film a video for you guys.

ditto.

 

[Deleted User 38384]

***SWEAR WARNING***

Sorry, I'm not one of those people who can talk and not curse or throw out mild insults.

 

[ParadigmDawg]

***SWEAR WARNING***

Sorry, I'm not one of those people who can talk and not curse or throw out mild insults.

I am not sure those videos prove anything.

I also don't put my thumbs in the steering wheel but I do harder stuff than you and sometimes things just happen.

Since you aren't much over stock height, all of your parameters are probably better than those of us on big tires and lifts. I mean, there's a reason that Blake changed your name to "Crash"...lol

 

[Ratbert]

***SWEAR WARNING***

Sorry, I'm not one of those people who can talk and not curse or throw out mild insults.

At one point you had a significant amount of play in the wheel. Is that still there now that you've nuked both your steering stabilizer and anti-sway bar, or was something else at fault?

And yes, we'll sit back and wait for our self-appointed "hall monitors" to freak out about exceeding posted speed limits.

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