[Seth2013]

Hi All

rebuilt my kingpins last week - I have removed the steering dampener to make sure all the wobble was gone and it is the question is do I refit the steering dampener or leave it off - could the steering dampener shorten or increase the life of the kingpins or other components. the feel with it on/off isn't an issue, I really couldn't care less either way. opinions please

[Gwagensteve]

It won't make anything last any different. It's up to you. The dampers primary function is to reduce severe steering kickback off-road- you may find this much more noticeable, but if your happy with the feel leave it off.

[alien]

FWIW I took mine off my sierra because the factory one shat it's pants... i didn't notice any difference at all to bump steer. The steering just got lighter because i wasn't fighting the mangled mess that was the insides of my damper.

[Seth2013]

thanks steve, logically I couldn't see that it would help.

to be honest I can't tell the difference either alien, just a feels a b it lighter, its an adjustable tough dog one, so maybe I had it set too hard anyway, I'll take it for a spin on a nearby rocky river bed and see what its like on that.

[alien]

Just smack into the kerb out the front of your house... That'll give a good idea of how much it tries to yank the wheel out of your hands =)

I've got 31" tyres on mine so it should be more pronounced, but it's not. I don't think the stock damper was ever stiff enough to actually do anything noticeable until it got old and seized up!

If you have an adjustable one in good working order, why not just set it to it's softest setting and re-fit it? Then you have the knowledge it's on there and miiiight do something, but being on the lightest setting it's unlikely to affect day-to-day driving?

[MrRocky]

I like to run no dampener it lets you pick up on something needing attention in the front end easier with out it (bearings/swivelhubs ect)

[shep]

I never had a dampener on My lwb sierra and never felt the need for one and it was 1400km of very shit corrugated roads to do a shopping trip.