If you are searching for what do steering stabilizers do, you have come to the right place. Moreover, a steering stabilizer helps to stabilize the steering of your vehicle. However, they are not very simple and focused as the name seems.
Sure, they stabilize the steering of your vehicle. But there are tons of reasons to fit in a new one or upgrade from the old to the new one.
The name death wobble seems obvious among Jeep Wrangler owners. Further, the solution to this is the steering stabilizer.
However, there are facts about this statement. The real fact isn’t that simple. Keep on reading to know more about what do steering stabilizers do. Further, get to know what kind of steering stabilizer do you need.
Contents
Steering Stabilizer
Note that you do not need a steering stabilizer if your vehicle has stock suspension. This is because the stock vehicle comes fully optimized to perform under any conditions.
However, everything will start to see different once you start altering the factor parts with aftermarket parts.
Fitting large radius wheels, lift kits, and different types of mod will hamper the suspension of your vehicle and bring a tremendous imbalance to the vehicle.
However, things might seem to be minor, but things start to be visible as time passes. Moreover, handling gets impacted the most.
Steering instability is caused mainly due to those larger tires and lift kits. However, the installation of bumpers also hampers the stability of vehicles highly.
Steering stabilizer reduces bump steers and makes the vehicle much smoother to drive. The steering wheel tends to move without your input when it hits a bump-like pothole.
However, a steering stabilizer absorbs the shock of that bump and keeps the steering wheel directional. A huge bump might impact the steering stabilizer shocks.
RELATED: Best Shocks for Lowered Trucks
How Does The Steering Stabilizer Function?
We all have heard of shock absorbers. Steering stabilizers are just shock absorbers too but they are of the steering system.
However, they are not aligned like suspension shocks. Steering stabilizers are fitted horizontally on the steering.
The front axle of the vehicle undergoes several bumps. Thus, the wheels tend to turn due to bumps.
Moreover, this puts pressure on the steering wheel. Therefore, the steering stabilizer absorbs shock waves to reduce shock and minimize the impact on the wheel.
There are two primary alignments of the stabilizer. One is the single stabilizer setup and the other is a double setup.
Further, they are named differently due to the mechanical differences between both of them. Both of the setups dampen the bumps undergone by obstacles like potholes.
Moreover, double stabilizers are essential for an unruly steering system. Otherwise, a single steering stabilizer will do the work for you.
You now know how the steering stabilizer function. However, you need to know how to install one of them too. We have discussed it below.
RELATED: How Long Does A Wheel Alignment Take
The Installation Process Of Steering Stabilizer
The installation process of the steering stabilizer is comparatively easy. However, you need to have a jack stand or a lift for the process.
The rest of it is easy and it just involves attaching and detaching bolts.
We cannot assure the exact process because it depends on the vehicle to vehicle. We recommend you to watch the video from CJ OFF Road’s channel on YouTube.
Moreover, the installation process is of a double steering stabilizer. Further, they are installing it on a JK Wrangler.
So what does a steering stabilizer do? Let’s know them below.
What Does Steering Stabilizer Do?
Without a doubt, the steering stabilizer improves the handling of your vehicle. Further, the handling improvement is more visible while off-roading as you go through bumps.
However, they are not the main solution to handling issues. This is because there are tons of more important parts working together to make your vehicle smoother and minimize turbulence.
Steering stabilizers aren’t the solution for death wobble. Death wobble is caused by Jeep Wranglers’ suspension problems.
Moreover, the steering stabilizer will just hide problems underneath the hood but they will not solve those problems.
Further, steering stabilizers are good at hiding suspension problems.
First of all, you need to make sure your suspension parts are working just fine. Or else the steering stabilizer will not solve the problem alone.
Now you know what does steering stabilizer does. Let’s dive into some frequently asked questions which will solve your problems further.
Frequently Asked Questions
Now we will discuss some important frequently asked questions on the internet. These will solve most of your problems too besides answering. So let us get into it.
Is it necessary for all Jeep vehicles to have a steering stabilizer?
A steering stabilizer stabilizes all the turbulence of the vehicle caused by bumps and uneven roads. However, it is not necessary for a vehicle with impeccable chases and tires that are just up to the mark.
However, there are some things to check before heading on driving without a steering stabilizer.
First of all, give a test drive without the steering stabilizer. Go over all the bumps and turbulent areas. Further, check if your vehicle gets unwanted cabin vibration or is not confident steering.
You need to see if the vehicle suffers from shaking or wobbling. However, you do not need a steering stabilizer if none of the cases above arises during your test drive.
To be honest, a steering stabilizer is like a mask. It is good at hiding internal vehicle problems so that you do not get any visible impacts due to the internal faulty parts of your vehicle.
However, you do not need to install a steering stabilizer if you do not have any internal problems and have an unmodified vehicle without any lift kits.
Does it have any impact due to the high-pressure gas-charged steering stabilizer?
A very common question among people is if the high-pressure gas-charged steering stabilizer makes the jeep move to one side.
Vehicle owners often get scared of using gas-charged steering stabilizers over hydraulic steering stabilizers. Sure, it might use pressure to move the shaft with the gas-charged steering stabilizer.
However, it does not impact the electrical or hydraulic steering box. There might be a problem that might cause the steering stabilizer to move to one side or drift.
RELATED: Subaru Tire Pressure Sensor Problem
Is it possible to cure death wobble by using a steering stabilizer?
A steering stabilizer can cure death wobble sometimes in cases. However, there are selective cases for that.
However, death wobble is caused by something severely wrong which might not be solved by the steering stabilizer. As we all know that steering stabilizer is good at hiding faults of the vehicle.
They are not used to cure all the faults present in the vehicle.
There may be some problems like tire balance, tire wire pattern problems, or even the suspension problem. Moreover, your vehicle might have a faulty suspension and shock absorber.
In that case, it is better to cure the suspension rather than install a steering stabilizer.
In some cases, adding a steering stabilizer will minimize steering turns but in a small amount. Further, they will also or might minimize the vibration too.
However note that even if a steering stabilizer cures death wobble, they are curing it temporarily only.
Therefore, you need to find the actual reason for the death wobble. Or else, the steering stabilizer will bring a temporary fix which might begin to show again.
How do understand if the steering stabilizer is in good condition or bad condition?
Your vehicle might have a steering stabilizer problem. However, how can you diagnose it? While driving if you experience an unwanted vibration issue, you can suspect it to be a steering stabilizer fault.
Moreover, the first thing to do is to check the shaft seal. If there is oil leakage, you need to repair or replace the system.
The steering stabilizer uses the same mechanism as a suspension shock absorber. This means it has fluid inside which might leak. We are not sure why it leaked.
However, there are a few reasons for which the steering stabilizer might shock. Your vehicle might have undergone some severe bumps.
This put tremendous pressure on the shock absorber of the steering wheel. High pressure on the fluid caused it to leak. Thus, you might see a leakage of the hydraulic fluid.
However, you do not need to worry if the shaft looks clean and dry. Moreover, you can unbolt its shaft to check if there is any oil leaking out.
My jeep lacks a factory steering stabilizer so can I install one?
There are tons of aftermarket steering stabilizers available in the market. However, you should do some research on steering stabilizers before buying one.
There are tons of poor-quality steering stabilizers available in the market today. You should buy the best steering stabilizer for better longevity and performance.
Conclusion
Now you know what does steering stabilizer does. Further, you also know what are steering stabilizers along with some important frequently asked questions.
Steering stabilizers are used for better steering handling during bumps. However, you need to make sure that all other components are working fine too like the shock absorber along with shocks.
A steering stabilizer will minimize the impact of a faulty shock absorber but it will not solve the problem. You need to replace faulty parts to repair your vehicle.
Moreover, the steering stabilizer does not ensure a fix to wobble death. However, it might solve the problem for a short time but not preeminently.