The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline Steering Stablizer

Anyone know where or what post I might find on installing a Steering Stablizer on a 1949 Chevy truck? Thanks for any help

If you have to make your own brackets, I'd get some stout angle iron and some u-bolts. In this truck it is easy to attach one end to the tie rod and the other end to the axle or you can make a mounting plate that attaches with two of your spring mounting nuts on one side. Don't drill through the axle...you can make a mount which wraps around it with the u-bolts. Turn your wheels all the way to one side and understand that will be the fully compressed or fully extended condition of your stabilizer, depending on where you're mounting the stable side of it. Attach the stabilizer to the mounting brackets and then attach them to the tie rod and axle or other mounting place. While your wheels are off the ground, turn your steering wheel through its travel in both directions to be certain you've got it right. Good luck.
Jon

Another note...it works best if the stabilizer can be kept parallel with the tie rod in my opinion.
Jon

Jon G, Thanks so much for the info. I'm going to put one on my 49'. The shocks are lever action. The steering feels good, no bunch of slack or anything like that. The truck seems to wonder when I'm on a paved road. Wheels are balanced and good tires. Thought a Stablizer might help. Again thanks, Steven

This is the damper kit you'll want, Moog SSD99. It comes with the brackets required, and is made for older I beam axle trucks. I have an earlier version, the SSD12. Had no major issues with installing it, and it works very well.

Longbox55- thanks for looking up the part number. That looks perfect for my application. Many thanks, Steven

Hi Steven,
Another option if you're ok with making your own mounting brackets is Rock Auto. They have one for about $11.50:
http://tinyurl.com/q3u2z2g

If your steering components and springs are ok, you might check your caster angle. This topic has been rattled around a lot here, but a couple of points that sometimes get overlooked:
If your front tires are smaller diameter than your rear tires this will subtract from your caster angle and this will cause your truck to wander. If your springs are worn to the point they've allowed your front end to sag, this can change your caster. Also your toe-in/toe-out. Check this as a slight bit of toe-in is good and will help you not wander so much. Also, count the number of leaves in your front springs...there should be 8 of them. And check to see if your caster shim is still there. Sometimes people will remove those not knowing what they are.
Jon

Also check the bearing preload on the center point of the steering gear. It's adjusted by tightening the screw with the locknut opposite the Pitman arm shaft. There's a definite procedure for doing the adjustment, so don't just crank down on the adjuster. You want to end up with a 10 inch/lb. increase in turning effort as the steering wheel is turned across the center point with the drag link disconnected from the Pitman arm.
Jerry

I agree with the guys. Make sure the front end is in perfect condition & lined up correctly. Then I would replace the lever shocks with tube shocks. A front sway bar kit does wanders for the handling of these trucks. I put one of those stabilizers on a truck a few years ago & it was scary. You couldn't make a turn or recovery fast. I took it off. Its for sale cheap if anyone would wan't to use it. Also you can't expect these old trucks to drive like these newer cars & trucks. They were not built that way.
George

Thanks to everyone. I listen to my Stovebolt friends. Steven