any tips for doing front steering damper? (1 Viewer)

[BILT4ME]

Also: Assemble it DRY. No oil.

 

[sunrk]

That OTC tool is great. Make sure you *always* wear safety glasses using any sort of ball joint or tie rod or pitman arm tool as if something breaks under force you want your eyes protected. On the subject of Dobinson stuff I did once have a Dobinson damper and didn't like it. So went back to a genuine one which was easy to get new. Dunno about most people, but I use copper grease (it's my go-to anti-sieze) with all tapered fit ball joint and tie-rod end type fixtures as you never know when you'll need to take it apart.

 

[8cam]

thanks man. i found a video. but this dobinson stuff does not come with very good instructions.
do you happen to know if this end goes DS i assume? and it just bolts up with a - well like a big washer and then the helical spring washer and then a nut?

Since it's designed to be installed horizontally, I'm not sure it matters which end is which, but others might know the Dobinson damper better than I do. As far as assembly, yes big washer, lock washer, then nut. Those are lock nuts, make sure the blue ring is to the outside when you install them. There is a torque spec for those nuts, I think it's 54 lb-ft. Like I said, much easier to just take the old damper off with the brackets, and then use the tie rod tool on the bench. Be ready for a big POP when it breaks loose.

 

[landcruiser3DP]

gents!

sorry for the multiple questions on a half a banana job. but the deal is i undo the two bolts at the bracket to frame in #1, then i undo the bolt at #2. then i bolt up the bracket back at the frame in #1 upside down and i get the bolt at #1 off? then i use the ball joint remover for the ball joints that are force fit into the damper?

then on reinstall i get the #1 ball joint back on with an impact wrench, and bolt #2 and the two small bolts at the bracket back on the vehicle with an impact wrench?

 

[8cam]

Unbolt the 4 bracket bolts and take the whole assembly off the truck. Take note of now everything is aligned. Then using the ball joint puller, unbolt the ends from the brackets (bang!). Bolt the new damper to the brackets in roughly the same alignment as original, big washer, lock washer, nut as above, just sorta tight so you have some flexibility. Then install the whole thing to the truck, getting the bracket bolts tight (not sure of the torque, but tight). Then torque the damper end nuts to 54 lb-ft. Done. You will be amazed at how much stronger the steering feels.

 

[landcruiser3DP]

Unbolt the 4 bracket bolts and take the whole assembly off the truck. Take note of now everything is aligned. Then using the ball joint puller, unbolt the ends from the brackets (bang!). Bolt the new damper to the brackets in roughly the same alignment as original, big washer, lock washer, nut as above, just sorta tight so you have some flexibility. Then install the whole thing to the truck, getting the bracket bolts tight (not sure of the torque, but tight). Then torque the damper end nuts to 54 lb-ft. Done. You will be amazed at how much stronger the steering feels.

man my photos did not take the first time. the mount on the left side of the vehicle also has a bracket with two bolts is that right? i can see the two bolts for the mount on the left side of the vehicle very easy. i guess it will be clearer when i start pulling it apart...

 

[8cam]

Not the green circle. There are two bolts where you have the red Z. Those two plus the first two you pointed at. Remove those four and the whole damper comes off.

 

[landcruiser3DP]

Not the green circle. There are two bolts where you have the red Z. Those two plus the first two you pointed at. Remove those four and the whole damper comes off.

thanks. i guess i haven't been sticking my head far enough up into that thing to see them. but there are four total bolts and two come off here somewhere. can i just also ask if there is a bracket or some kind of protection that should come off first? i don't think i saw anything like that but some of the instructions i saw said to take a bracket off or something?

 

[zapatius]

Really, you are over-complicating this. The actual damper only has two bolts. One bolt goes in the relay rod and the other goes in the bracket that mounts under the radiator. Just get under there and take it off. This is a 15 minute job, if that.