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Mike_M2's avatar
Mike_M2
Explorer
May 31, 2017

Steering Stabilizer, Bilstein vs. Roadmaster.....

I want to get a stabilizer but the prices are all over the place. Has anybody used the Bilstein? it is a fraction of the price compared to Roadmaster....
  • The Bilstein is actually not the same as the Roadmaster, it is a 50/50 shock the stops steering wobble. the Roadmaster and others also have a compression/extension spring, the tends to keep the steering centered in the straight ahead position. That is the reason for the difference in prices. They actually do different jobs.
  • I just removed steer safe from my 2002 Newmar Dutch Star and what an incredible improvement. I was never a fan of the way the Newmar drove compared to my semi. It always felt like there was slack in the steering to me. The alignment shop said everything was just fine and made some minor adjustments. One day, one of the Steer Safe brackets broke on the driver's side. I had the device removed on that side and I noticed right away I had more feel in the steering. Then I took the remaining springs off the passenger side and Voila! perfect steering feel. The problem I have with this spring type of device is that all they are doing is adding a preload to the wheels so that it takes the power steering, or bumps, or anything else, more force to move the wheels. The problem with that is that you have to turn the wheel a little bit further to increase the hydraulic pressure to turn the wheels. To me, this made the steering feel loose, and driving in construction, etc, very uncomfortable, I could barely look in the mirrors going through narrow construction zones because of the lack of feel in the steering. To me it was identical to having loose steering connections or a worn steering gear. I have much better feel now and can actually drive one handed even in narrow quarters. I can't speak for other stabilizers, but as far as I am concerned, the preload tension devices are not a good idea.
  • Just bought the blistern will be installing soon. Don't know when I will be trying before December on our trip to Florida.