Installing Roadmaster RSSC steer damper, Questions?

[jolooote]

Hi all. Going to install a Roadmaster RSSC Steering Damper on my 2015 Ford E-350 Class'C' chassis RV. Is there anything or tricks I need to know before I do? There is already a OEM Damper installed. Thanks. :h

[jolooote]

Got it installed. Only problem is the steering pulls just a bit to the right now. How should I adjust the installation to counteract this? Should I move the Tie Rod mount farther to the left or right? :S

[tarnold]

There is a metal cupped washer that keeps the spring on. On mine the spring pulled over the cupped washer, either the spring end expanded or the washer wore somewhat and sorta shurnk. After talking to tech support, we came up with a way to reinstall the washer, but it pulled right out again, so they sent me a brand new shock. It looks like the new cupped washer might be a little bit bigger. We are still on the road and didn't have an accurat enough measuring tool to tell.
If you look at your drag link, it came move up and down quite a bit. Under certain road conditions, I believe the spring makes contact with the Ubolts if the bracket is mounted backwards. I would think cutting off the exposed thread after torqueing might prevent it from getting snagged. Again this time I mounted the bracket as it was designed.

[DrewE]

jolooote wrote:
Great info & questions. I also was wondering if I could cure my off center steering wheel by off setting the spring mounting position.

That would not cure the steering wheel, assuming you mean that it's not positioned straight when the wheels are straight. Having the centering fiddled with the stabilizer simply moves the natural steering angle of the wheels with no other inputs (i.e. where they self-center to), but it doesn't alter or adjust the correspondence between the wheel positions and the wheel positions. (You could of course adjust it such that the steering wheel tends towards being straight but the vehicle pulls to the left or right--which presumably is not what you're looking for.)

Adjusting the tie rods would be one way to fix the problem. It may also be possible to more directly adjust the steering box or the steering wheel attachment to the steering shaft; I'm not sure of the details about how those parts of the E series are built.

[jolooote]

Great info & questions. I also was wondering if I could cure my off center steering wheel by off setting the spring mounting position.

[j-d]

^^^ Is the part that keeps the Spring on the Damper made of Plastic or Metal?

^^^ x2... Are the protruding ends of the drag link bracket U-Bolts a little too long, and could be cut off to help the clearance issue?

[tarnold]

The trick to getting it right the first time is to determine the position of your steering wheel when going down a long straight road. Mine is off about 2 degrees to the left. This is the position you want your wheel to be in when you do your install. Just last week had to replace Miya Roadmaster where the return spring had pulled loose from the damper. Their tech support was GREAT as they sent me a new one to acampground we new we were to be at for a few days. Now about the "backward " install of the drag link bracket. I also called on my original install about was it ok to install backwards and they said ok. However when I replaced mine, I noticed the paint on the spring was scrapped off, in one area, like it was rubbing against the Backward placement off the U bolts. I installed the new one with the bracket U bolts installed to the driver side as it should be. I returned my damaged one back to Roadmaster with a note as described above. Just saying, check your bolt clearances.
"

[j-d]

RambleOnNW wrote:
It is possible Roadmaster oem'ed the product from S-T-P. However it is a no-name gray damper part numbered from Roadmaster.

That could well be what happened. I don't know the history of RSS or S-T-P brand. Sure sounds like today's 140-series S-T-P, down to the silver or gray finish.

[RambleOnNW]

j-d wrote:

Ramble has Safe-T-Plus. Same Coil-Spring-Over-Damper except there are two springs and those springs are under a cover.

It is possible Roadmaster oem'ed the product from S-T-P. However it is a no-name gray damper part numbered from Roadmaster.

[j-d]

jolooote wrote:
Mike ?

Mike = MButts in a post a few back, where he installed a bracket a little differently to gain some clearance.
The OP I remember hasn't replied yet.
Ramble has Safe-T-Plus. Same Coil-Spring-Over-Damper except there are two springs and those springs are under a cover. Also requires removing OEM Damper and Brackets. The S-T-P for Class C is the 140 Series (140 pounds centering force) with the Silver finish. Like RSSC, the S-T-P needs vehicle-specific brackets and has to be centered accurately.

[RambleOnNW]

We have a version with the springs internal to the damper. With that and correct alignment the mh tracks straight down the road.

The main benefit is in case of a front tire blowout, resisting the natural tendency to turn toward the side with the blowout.

[jolooote]

Mike ?

[j-d]

There ya go. Mike may have found the answer to the issue the OP I mentioned said he had.

Mike, did it come out centered or did you have to take test drives and tweak it?

Please let it know if/how it helps you.

[Desert_Captain]

Why? What "problems" are you trying to solve. Have you weighed your rig and aired your tires appropriately? Had your alignment checked? Did you do a thorough pre purchase test drive? If so, what problems, that you now need to remedy, arose?

You may be searching for a solution for which there is no known problem {the government does this a lot}. Buying after market products is not necessarily the answer depending on the "perceived" problem.

For the record I have owned our 2012 E-350 for nearly 4 years and 36,000+ miles with zero, zip, nada, none whatsoever issues.

As someone once noted..."if it ain't broke, don 't fix it."

:h

[photobug]

I got lazy and had a mechanic install one on my E350 van since it didn't have one to begin with. The E450 MH already had one installed. Seems to help on both vehicles. I didn't have the right tools or flat driveway to do the install myself.