[marcman]

I need a new steering damper. Just wondering if there are any other shockies that will fit, that I could get from an auto parts store? Sorry if its a dumb question I'm just curious.
cheers marc.

[Gwagensteve]

How have you determined you need a new one? They do next to nothing and many people prefer the feel of the steering without one.

You'll need to buy a suzuki specific replacement part if you decide to fit one. I don't have a recommendation apart from staying away from an RTC damper.

Steve.

[christover1]

ARB Old Man Emu used to do one, Gabbriel used to, and Munroe did back when I owned a Sierra.
No idea now. But you cannot use a normal shocker, wrong valving.

[Daleyzooker]

http://bit.ly/169P2b8

[Gwagensteve]

Yep, that's definitely the one to avoid.

Steve.

[Chester]

May i ask Steve, because i have no idea, what is wrong with that RTC?

[christover1]

I'm no engineer, but it looks like it puts extra strain on already over stressed steering parts, and is entirely unnecessary.

Also in many off road situations, you don't want your steering fighting you when your trying fine steering control.

Just my opinion, can't back it with any tech.

[Gwagensteve]

The spring is there to make it feel like you have enough caster in your front end. Self centering is a function of caster, it shouldn't be a function of a spring forcing your steering straight.

I think the rtc damper was "designed" to counteract the effect of inadequate caster in lifted radius arm coil sprung vehicles with power steering.

In power steering cars the spring does nothing to help anything at all. It's just masking that your front end has incorrect geometry. It's kind of like wearing rubber gloves if you're going to stick a knife in a toaster. It's "better" but that doesn't make it right.

In manual steer cars it mostly just makes the steering heavier.

If I was being cynical, I'd say the spring was just there to make the steering damper look like a Hektik coil over. Which made me wonder if I should look out for bypass and remote reservoir steering dampers, because they'd be as dumb.

[Matthew]

Gwagensteve wrote:

bkibdnof police wearing rubber gloves if you're going to stick a knife in a toaster.

???

[Gwagensteve]

Autocorrect massive fail. Edited.

[christover1]

My Sierra always self centred in normal highway driving.
Once I fitted power steering, never refitted or needed the steering damper.

[Matthew]

Haha, that's gold.

And to add something useful to this thread, OP a steering damper only masks existing problems. If you fix you're actual problem you won't need to worry about replacing the damper.

[johnmath]

I had a stock damper and swapped it for a Tough Dog RTC damper. To be honest, I can't tell the difference! And it certainly did not make the steering heavier. I thought it might be useful to counter the leafy Sierra's tendency to drift off in the direction of the camber in the road, but the spring isn't anywhere near stiff enough to do much of anything IMHO. To the OP, plenty of aftermarket ones on eBay.

[303zuke]

marcman wrote:

Just wondering if there are any other shockies that will fit,......

Some tech on the difference on why a shock designed for suspension won't work for a steering damper.

Although both of a similar design, telescopic shocks work in reducing sudden, uncontrolled movements by passing hydraulic fliud through valves to slow the rate at which they move. In suspension dampers, the compression valving virtually always provides less damping than the rebound valving (irrespective of the particular vehicle application), as compression is working against the spring (which provides it's own resistance to compression), while rebound also has to control the expansion of the spring. In a Steering damper, both left and right need to be equal rates of valving in Compression and Rebound, so a Suspension Damper used in a Steering application will give you uneven rates of valving and feel "off".

While there may be suspension dampers on the market with similar open and closed lengths and the right eye configuration, just buy a Steering damper for your Suzuki, plenty of brands to choose from at a wide range of quality and price.

[marcman]

cool thanks for all the info guys.