Steering Question

F

fathousecat_

New member
Hello,

I have a question regarding steering. What would cause the feeling of a "deadness" in the steering wheel when traversing gravel? Over washboard especially it is noticeable. It is a feeling of disengagement. I have no other way of how to describe this. It is a '99 with 271k on odometer.

Thanks
 
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fathousecat_ said:
Hello,

I have a question regarding steering. What would cause the feeling of a "deadness" in the steering wheel when traversing gravel? Over washboard especially it is noticeable. It is a feeling of disengagement. I have no other way of how to describe this. It is a '99 with 271k on odometer.

Thanks
Click to expand...

Are you referring to understeer? I've noticed our vehicles have quite a bit of it at times, almost like there's a sort of sweet spot in the turning where it occurs most
 
fathousecat_ said:
Looking at 1.2k max. But I am open if given options I like.
Click to expand...

If you're handy and willing to look, you can buy a set of Kings that need to be rebuilt for about that cost. No need to run the lift they're capable of. The upside is that you'd Never need to buy shocks again as they're rebuildable (replace the oil every other year).

If you want new and no fuss, then the Bilstein 6112/5160 combo is excellent. That's what I bought/run and I couldn't be happier... well, less cost would have made me happier, but as far as function goes I'm very pleased. Again, capable of lift but I'm running stock '99 height (plus or minus about a half inch). Their main benefit is a bigger body, which means more oil which translates to a little longer life and better performance over sustained rough conditions (washboards). I've punished mine with more than 30 miles of continuous washboards without any problem.

Below that you have a number of cheaper options that I know next to nothing about. A couple Bilstein options (5100/4100?), KYB gas-a-justs (which are supposed to be close to OEM for on-road performance) and a host of stuff no one talks about much on this forum.
 
Thanks for all the recommendations there! Looking at the Bilstein combo you recommended most seems to be best bet. Seems easy to install as well.
 
fathousecat_ said:
Thanks for all the recommendations there! Looking at the Bilstein combo you recommended most seems to be best bet. Seems easy to install as well.
Click to expand...
Just don't expect it to go away completely... there is just less grip on loose surfaces.

Oh, and run lower air pressure (if you have tires that will handle it correctly) to get much better comfort and grip off road. It allows the tires to conform to small road imperfections instead of bouncing over them. Obviously only worthwhile if you are going to be off road for a while and have access to a pump.

-Charlie
 
Washboard is tricky no matter the suspension but obviously some are better than others. Shocks that provide a quicker rebound can help so you aren't 'floating' over the tops of each washboard section.

I also agree on airing down. I'm not much of an off-roader but I did buy a cheap set of speed bleeders and a simple air pump. It sits in the back of the truck. I can air down in about 5 minutes and air back up in about 10. If I need to get back on pavement I can still drive as I only air down to about 15 PSI. That's enough to still be fine on the road. It tuned my P rated Highway tires (yes, highway tires) into off-road beasts as I was getting less wheel slip than the guys with A/T tires with aggressive treads who did not air down.
 
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