New Steering Damper for my ride

[rusty_nail]

Hi Guys,

I reckon my steering damper is shagged out, its very very easy for me to push and pull out the piston and thats something because im a real piss weak bloke. now there is so many options out there, infact too many and being an IT bloke i really have NFI what is good and what is not. i had a look on the superior website but there are at least a dozen different options on there, including RTC dampers, adjustable dampers and regular ones. the price difference is HUGE, like one is $300 and the cheapest i saw was about $110.

I'm not too concerned about price, more about what will suit me the best. There are so many mixed messages about RTC ones, and i noticed tough dog are the only brand that do them. Our local vendor Patrolapart only sell one, and its in the cheaper price range, which makes me wonder if its just a good deal, or will just be a cheapy to get me outta trouble? i want something that will last (for a reasonable amount of time) and something that will work with my current setup.

is lift height going to affect which one i choose? i have a 4" lift, and running 33" tyres. i need a pin to eye damper as i have a HD Adjustable draglink.

also, should i be buying a new damper bracket as on here (http://www.superiorengineering.com.au/nissan/patrol/gu/-wagon-lwb-dsl-3lt-td/steering/damper-bracket-tapered-pin-draglink-series-2-wagon-2340), mine is a little bent from overtightening but it is also different to what is in that link, from what i can see, that is for an eye link? while my drag link connection is for a pin?

Like i said im in a little over my head, im sure i could guess, it would just take me longer and im sure someone on here will have an answer for me?

TIA

Cheers,

Rusty

[Maxhead]

I personaly wouldn't go the RTC as you are hiding any issues if there are any so I went with the adjustable Tough Dog one
http://www.toughdog.com.au/products/steering-dampers/sv-adjustable/

[threedogs]

running 33"s you wont need a RTC which I think are sh$te.
Buy a brand name one and you'll have years of trouble free
use from it, I think mine is EFS or what ever TJM use cant fault it

[mudski]

I personaly wouldn't go the RTC as you are hiding any issues if there are any so I went with the adjustable Tough Dog one
http://www.toughdog.com.au/products/steering-dampers/sv-adjustable/

I use an RTC, was told by many they are shite for the said reason. But after adjusting it correctly, it works a treat. I no longer have my drifting left issue. Which is caused by a big lift and tyres and from my understanding, can only be fixed with an RTC. . Glad to be told otherwise.

[threedogs]

Drift left is what every car in australia will do on a straight road, ,,,,,,,,,,,,because
all roads have a camber on them, Not having a dig just saying

[Maxhead]

I use an RTC, was told by many they are shite for the said reason. But after adjusting it correctly, it works a treat. I no longer have my drifting left issue. Which is caused by a big lift and tyres and from my understanding, can only be fixed with an RTC. . Glad to be told otherwise.

Yeah, you know I'm no expert...LOL. never run big lift and tyres and have read to stick to a normal damper so yeah, no idea :)
My new one is soooo much better than standard Nissan one, ond I'm with TD on our roads slightly pulling to the left

[Clunk]

Never had any issues with the RTC, until I bent it that is. I like a bit more of a weighty feel to steering, so the RTC felt good to me and as Mudski already said, if set up correctly, it works well....... some folk like then, some don't but you get that, you'll never really know unless you drive a vehicle with one fitted. The downside to these, as you've probably read, they do mask any other issues you may have or might crop up.

So after I bent the RTC, thought I'd try something different, so went with the Toughdog adjustable jobbie. Love it, have adjusted it to how I like the steering to feel and for me works well. Cost more yes, is it worth paying the extra for it? Well to me the answer is yes, just because I've been able to set it to how I like....... I don't like light steering.

Others have their own opinions and above are mine :)

If you know folk who use different ones, I'd suggest asking them if you can have a drive and see how each one feels.

[mudski]

Drift left is what every car in australia will do on a straight road, ,,,,,,,,,,,,because
all roads have a camber on them, Not having a dig just saying

Our crumpy door doesn't drift left...Nor did the other one we had.

Yeah, you know I'm no expert...LOL. never run big lift and tyres and have read to stick to a normal damper so yeah, no idea :)
My new one is soooo much better than standard Nissan one, ond I'm with TD on our roads slightly pulling to the left
I agree with the road camber thing, no doubt with that. I'd love to change the damper to something else just to see the difference, but not a what they cost to buy. Too much $$$ just to see if theres a difference.

[rusty_nail]

Our crumpy door doesn't drift left...Nor did the other one we had.

I agree with the road camber thing, no doubt with that. I'd love to change the damper to something else just to see the difference, but not a what they cost to buy. Too much $$$ just to see if theres a difference.

surely you know someone with the same car and a different steering damper?? lol :tease:

[mudski]

surely you know someone with the same car and a different steering damper?? lol :tease:

Yeah plenty. But I'm not asking them to remove it off their car for me to try it out.

I've been thinking about this topic all morning. I would assume that the larger damper that are not RTC would take more force to compress and extend than the RTC I have, but without the spring on it. Assume. So the heavier damper may help in the same fashion as an RTC would at keeping the steering straight. Maybe????
As I know in my case, if I were to remove the spring, my car would just drift left all the time. I can't think of any other reason...