OME Steering Stabilizer on Saginaw conversion

[JAFO2014]

Said I would post when I figured out how I would install the OME steering stabilizer on my Saginaw power steering setup.

I measured and found my tie rod travels a little over 6". The OME steering stabilizer only travels 5", so trying to install it on the tie rod was a no go.
Once I discovered this bit of data I knew I had to go a different route. I examined how the factory stabilizer is setup and then did some research on welding to my pitman arm. The pitman arm is cast steel, so welding with 7018 rod should be fine.

I am fabbing a mount to the pitman arm that should allow me to mount the OME stabilizer in a similar fashion as the factory stabilizer. Got most of the work finished this evening. Tomorrow I plan to mount the factory bracket that I removed tonight.

Pitman arm removed. Plan is to weld a plate on the pitman are that will hold one end of the stabilizer. And move the other factory
bracket over so that the stabilizer will fit.

Scrap steel from an old truck hitch. I will cut a piece to weld to the pitman arm.

Cut this out of the scrap steel plate. Will weld to pitman arm to support stabilizer.

Saginaw pitman arm.

Pitman arm with plate weldeded on. Having the stabilizer end more towards the power steering end means the stabilizer won't travel as far. I laid things out on the floor and I think it will move maybe 4" total travel.

Factory stabilizer bracket I plan to move more to the passenger side.

Test fitting one end of the stabilizer to the pitman arm.Tomorrow I will determine where the bracket for the other end needs to get welded to the frame.

factory bracket will go somewhere over here...

 

[Downey]

My gut feeling is your front end is still going to wobble/shimmy due to the slop in the remainder of your steering system, I believe attaching a steering stabilizer onto the pitman arm is attaching too far down the chain of moving parts, too much over-leveraged to have much affect???

 

[JAFO2014]

My gut feeling is your front end is still going to wobble/shimmy due to the slop in the remainder of your steering system, I believe attaching a steering stabilizer onto the pitman arm is attaching too far down the chain of moving parts, too much over-leveraged to have much affect???

Maybe. An experiment. The stabilizer is on the drag link on my Bronco and on many other systems. The drag link goes from the pitman arm down to the tie rod, so seems sort of similar arrangement. The OME stabilizer doesn't have enough travel to attach directly to the tie rod it seems to me, so I was trying to think of another way to use it within its travel range of 5".

 

[Downey]

I get what your idea is, but the best point for mounting a steering stabilizer (from a leverage standpoint) would be on the relay rod that goes from tire to tire, that is the first piece the tires want to move/wobble/shimmy.

 

[JAFO2014]

I had found this article, which is an OME stabilizer kit for a Suzuki, so I figured it's been done before attaching to the pitman arm. Maybe not optimal, but if any of my parts get sloppy I'd replace them for sure. I'll finish up the install tonight and see if I notice any change. As it is my steering feels good. My OME stabilizer came in the kit I bought when I replaced all my springs, so I just wanted to see if I could make it work.

OME Steering Stabilizer

 

[JAFO2014]

Got the stabilizer installed. I think I feel improvement. Not a negative anyway. Enjoyed the project at least.

Got the damper centered and then welded the factory bracket in new location.

Pitman arm in place. Factory bracket in place. Ready for the Stabilizer.

Stabilizer in place. At each end of travel I have about 1/2" of stabilizer travel to spare. Test drive was very good.

 

[thecrazygreek]

I dont get it.... Saginaw with a sterring dampner/ stabilizer?

I thought the idea of the dampener was to lessen the blows delivered to the center arm, and in tern to the steering box.
Nothing to do with wobble or shimmy. I could be wrong tho. Wouldn't be the first time.

 

[camcruiser13]

slap a ram on there and ditch that bandaid


is your steering terrible without it?

 

[JAFO2014]

slap a ram on there and ditch that bandaid


is your steering terrible without it?

No, it wasn't. I just wanted to add it and had seen articles of a damper connected to the pitman are. With it the steering feels less sloppy, if that is the word. Maybe not less sloppy, but feels more smooth. Anyway, project is done and I like it, so it stays.

 

[camcruiser13]

word..

 

[woytovich]

Reviving this thread!
I just finished a Saginaw install on my 40 and the steering feels very very light. I would like to add some resistance to the system and I thought a stabilizer might do that. Are there any options other than the one mentioned here for installing an OME stabilizer, or something else for that matter, when doing a Saginaw conversion?

 

[pb4ugo]

You're probably are not going to feel much of a difference. P/s is pretty strong. The kits I've seen in the past mount to the tie rod and runs parallel to the rod and is mounted to the axle. Ive tried them in the past and later found my alignment was the issue. Do you know youre caster angle? Maybe adding more caster my offer you a better tighter feel. Yrs ago, I removed my sag steering and went to scout. I ran atf in the sag steering and when I went to scout I used p/s fluid. I noticed immediately the steering was a little stiffer. Idk, if that was becuase of the different box or the fluid. I recently did a 2nd scout box on my other 40 and using atf, it turn easier also. It maybe you're just not used to it yet. I would not weld on my pitman arm.

 

[pb4ugo]

Oh, I haven't run a stabilizer in decades.

 

[woytovich]

Oh, I haven't run a stabilizer in decades.

Ok, thanks for sharing.