Question for those with aftermarket steering stabilizers

cgmartine wrote:
On my 2008 Tioga 31M. with a Ford v-10, there is absolutely zero play in the steering wheel, standing still or while moving. When I move the steering wheel in either direction, I immediately have a positive feeling, meaning that I am immediately engaging the movement of the front wheels, without any perceptible slack in the movement of the steering wheel before engagement. There is no time or space lag. My Tioga now has over 110,000 miles. For the OP to have a unit with just 12,000 miles and that much play, well, it just is not normal. Also, for a mechanic to refuse, or to downplay, or neglect to at least address that issue, well, it is not acceptable.

Thanks for the reply, and I agree completely with you. But, being in a small town where only a couple of shops will even work on a motor home, it limits my options where to take it. I worked on cars as a body man my entire life until I retired. So, know my way around vehicles pretty well. As soon as I can walk again, because of a severely sprained ankle, I will get out and mess with the box. I should have done that to start with instead of taking it 140 miles round trip to have the almost $700 caster sleeves installed. Thanks again for the reply.

On my 2008 Tioga 31M. with a Ford v-10, there is absolutely zero play in the steering wheel, standing still or while moving. When I move the steering wheel in either direction, I immediately have a positive feeling, meaning that I am immediately engaging the movement of the front wheels, without any perceptible slack in the movement of the steering wheel before engagement. There is no time or space lag. My Tioga now has over 110,000 miles. For the OP to have a unit with just 12,000 miles and that much play, well, it just is not normal. Also, for a mechanic to refuse, or to downplay, or neglect to at least address that issue, well, it is not acceptable.

^^^If the steering box is too tight, they any input from the driver is exaggerated once the driver's pressure overcomes the tightness in the box...

Is the play in the wheel with wheels straight ahead? There WILL be play if you check with wheels off center. If you DO adjust it, check throughout steering range. I've found that tight close to center can lead to drag when off center. You'd feel it coming out of a turn. In other words, getting too much center play out of it caused it to bind off-center.

On a much older Ford E350, I adjusted to get play out of the box. That aspect worked. But then it leaked! I got a rebuilt steering box. That coach was nearly 20 years old with about 100,000 miles. Different game than yours.

If you're gonna adjust the box, be sure to HOLD the adjustment screw as you loosen the jam nut. Then, after "tightening" the adj screw, HOLD it in that position while you tighten the jam nut.

FYI - Hendersons Lineup has a good reputation in RV ride/handling work, and they recommend Safe-T-Plus. It'd be the "140" model (silver color, I believe, for Class C) and remember you remove OEM Damper AND Brackets. Must install Safe-T-Plus version of the brackets. OEM doesn't allow for the larger diameter of S-T-P. Good thing about Hendersons, they choose the products they consider best and don't stick to just one manufacturer. They sell lots of Roadmaster products, but in Steering Stabilizers they like S-T-P.

Need some play in steering box don't know why.Had an old class A removed all play from steering box, it walked all over the road.

fcooper wrote:

Nevadastars wrote:

cgmartine wrote:
If while standing still, you have play in your steering wheel as you described, a wheel alignment would not cure that. Nor, would a front stabilizer. Back in the old days, that steering play had to be adjusted by turning a screw in the steering box, as someone else suggested, but I don't know if newer vehicles allow you to do that.

Thanks for the reply. Yes, that is the old worm gear style boxes, and yes, the wheel moves sitting still without the tires moving. I mentioned that to my mechanic, and he said with only 12k miles, it shouldn't need it. But I feel that is my only option.
I did it to a 71 Ford F150 I had decades ago, and it definitely helped, but that box was wore out and finally gave up completely.

For some reason, most shops are very reluctant to make any adjustment to steering boxes. I had to adjust the one on my motorhome to eliminate about 1.5 inches of free play. The shop that did the front end alignment did not even check the steering box.

Fred

Correct Fred, that is exactly what I have been getting also. In fact, when I dropped it off at the alignment shop, I told them to check the play in the wheel. They just said, "everything is fine". Kind of frustrating to spend nearly $700 and still have the same play in the wheel. But it does seem to be more stable with the caster sleeves installed.

Nevadastars wrote:

cgmartine wrote:
If while standing still, you have play in your steering wheel as you described, a wheel alignment would not cure that. Nor, would a front stabilizer. Back in the old days, that steering play had to be adjusted by turning a screw in the steering box, as someone else suggested, but I don't know if newer vehicles allow you to do that.

Thanks for the reply. Yes, that is the old worm gear style boxes, and yes, the wheel moves sitting still without the tires moving. I mentioned that to my mechanic, and he said with only 12k miles, it shouldn't need it. But I feel that is my only option.
I did it to a 71 Ford F150 I had decades ago, and it definitely helped, but that box was wore out and finally gave up completely.

For some reason, most shops are very reluctant to make any adjustment to steering boxes. I had to adjust the one on my motorhome to eliminate about 1.5 inches of free play. The shop that did the front end alignment did not even check the steering box.

Fred

In the past when I've found play in the steering box in other vehicles, I've tightened it up with success. Indexed where it was originally, then tightened in small increments till the play just disappeared (not just keep going for good measure). Whats there to lose? The other alternative would be to replace the box. Saying this if you troubleshoot and and are certain the play originates in the box.

tpi wrote:
There shouldn't be play in the steering. Mine doesn't have it. This is a mechanical issue and should be corrected before steering stablizer (if any).

I personally would not be the least bit tolerant of play in the steering. The steering box may just need adjustment. Or it may have worn suspension parts. Find someone capable of repairing your concern of "excessive play in steering."

Frankly, at least on my 2011 E450 11300 lb class C, I can feel no handling issue a steering stabilizer would correct. There is already a factory stabilizer (shock absorber) installed on steering linkage. The steering has absolutely no sign of oscillation or shimmy. And I'm not particularly easy on the handling of this chassis if you've read some of my other posts.

I am also intolerant of this play in the wheel, which is why I have started two different threads. We had a 25ft 2010 Chateau before this one, and with roughly the same amount of miles on it as this 06, it also had zero play in the wheel. This 2006 with low miles is unacceptable the way it is.

I would go out right now and see if I can get a half turn out of the box, but I severely twisted my angle yesterday, so it's going to be a while before I can do much of anything. It sucks as we had planned on leaving on a trip Sunday, and I twisted it getting out of the motor home. :(

There shouldn't be play in the steering. Mine doesn't have it. This is a mechanical issue and should be corrected before steering stablizer (if any).

I personally would not be the least bit tolerant of play in the steering. The steering box may just need adjustment. Or it may have worn suspension parts. Find someone capable of repairing your concern of "excessive play in steering."

A stabilizer in no way will mask or reduce the play in the steering. Waste of money for that purpose.

Frankly, at least on my 2011 E450 11300 lb class C, I can feel no handling issue a steering stabilizer would correct. There is already a factory stabilizer (shock absorber) installed on steering linkage. The steering has absolutely no sign of oscillation or shimmy. And I'm not particularly easy on the handling of this chassis if you've read some of my other posts.

cgmartine wrote:
If while standing still, you have play in your steering wheel as you described, a wheel alignment would not cure that. Nor, would a front stabilizer. Back in the old days, that steering play had to be adjusted by turning a screw in the steering box, as someone else suggested, but I don't know if newer vehicles allow you to do that.

Thanks for the reply. Yes, that is the old worm gear style boxes, and yes, the wheel moves sitting still without the tires moving. I mentioned that to my mechanic, and he said with only 12k miles, it shouldn't need it. But I feel that is my only option.
I did it to a 71 Ford F150 I had decades ago, and it definitely helped, but that box was wore out and finally gave up completely.