Extra steering damper on 1986 Winne 31ft chieftan

stealth4550bucs · July 11, 2019, 09:32 AM

I've run out of places to look. Attached are photo's (I hope) of an extra steering damper from a 1989 Winne. It attaches from the frame to the sway bar ? Don't know if original equipment or PO somewhere down the line. Any help in finding a replacement for this will be very much appreciated.

BrandonMc · July 11, 2019, 09:40 AM

WOW, yeah - that thing looks odd. Where, and how does it attach it attach to the "sway bar". Are those threaded connections on the ends? are you able to get a picture?

Rickf1985 · July 11, 2019, 10:13 AM

Your sig lists that you have a 86 but you are saying 89? Either way, the only steering damper that belongs on there is on the passenger side and attaches from the idler forward to the frame. That one is an add on. If you think you need more than one to control wander than you have bad bell cranks most likely and you can put five dampers on there and it will not help. The only way to fix it is to replace the worn parts with new parts. Not cheap but it is the only safe way to do it.

ClydesdaleKevin · July 11, 2019, 06:32 PM

Our 89 Holiday Rambler had something similar, as does our 95 Itasca Suncruiser. It is an additional heavy duty steering damper, usually put on by the factory...and its primary function is to control your steering in the event of a front tire flat/blowout to get you safely to the side of the road. The one in the Holiday Rambler was made by Safe-T-Plus, who are still in business and make these stabilizers to fit almost all RVs and trucks. Check out their website...they probably have a direct replacement.

http://www.safe-t-plus.com/rv/

Kev

Rickf1985 · July 11, 2019, 07:52 PM

I don't think that is what he is showing us there. I am curious to hear from anyone running that system. I looked on their site and they do not list anything for older RV's, I guess you have to call. I have the Steer Safe system on mine, http://www.steersafe.com/ And I can say it really does not stop any wandering. That had to be done with proper alignment.
When I had my own shop I used to build a home brewed setup using old hood springs that we used on big 4x4 trucks to keep the tires centered. It worked pretty well. So it is similar to the Safe-T-plus. Keep in mind that that was in a time when 38-40 inch tires were the biggest thing on the market and there was NO aftermarket suspension add ons or lift kits that big.

Rickf1985 · July 11, 2019, 07:56 PM

Tried to find any reference to that Trac-master and came up blank. It appears to be a centered stabilizer shock. If it is a spring type unit it is broken since it is all the way to one side and not centered.

ClydesdaleKevin · July 11, 2019, 07:57 PM

Quote from: Rickf1985 on July 11, 2019, 07:52 PM
I don't think that is what he is showing us there. I am curious to hear from anyone running that system. I looked on their site and they do not list anything for older RV's, I guess you have to call. I have the Steer Safe system on mine, http://www.steersafe.com/ And I can say it really does not stop any wandering. That had to be done with proper alignment.
When I had my own shop I used to build a home brewed setup using old hood springs that we used on big 4x4 trucks to keep the tires centered. It worked pretty well. So it is similar to the Safe-T-plus. Keep in mind that that was in a time when 38-40 inch tires were the biggest thing on the market and there was NO aftermarket suspension add ons or lift kits that big.

He probably means drag link, not sway bar...in which case it probably is a similar system to the Safe-T-Plus or your Steer Safe setup. It would help if there was a picture of it installed instead of removed...lol!

Kev

stealth4550bucs · July 11, 2019, 09:57 PM

As far as 86 vs 89 typo on my part. It is attached on the sway bar and the frame will get pics tomorow.It clamps on the sway bar and the frame. Yes those are both threaded ends. Thanks so far for the help !

Rickf1985 · July 12, 2019, 10:14 AM

Yes, need pics. Sway bar to frame would do nothing since neither is involved in steering.

ClydesdaleKevin · July 12, 2019, 08:14 PM

Quote from: Rickf1985 on July 12, 2019, 10:14 AM
Yes, need pics. Sway bar to frame would do nothing since neither is involved in steering.

That is what I was thinking too, Rick. If it is just a dampener between the sway bar and the frame, what exactly is it dampening, since the sway bar doesn't really move much? Seems totally useless to my engineer brain.

Kev