 | Home > Technical > Steering damper.... |
 
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| Wild Card 90 Member Since: 03 Dec 2014 Location: Gerlingen Posts: 1060   
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Steering dampers have been often discussed here on the forum, but i just thought i´d like to share with you my own recent experience and observations.
My 2012 2.2 90 now has a fairly easy going 75000 kilometers on the clock. Runs fine, but needed a little bit of a refresh on the rust protection on chassis and suspension, ready for the coming winter. One of the less savoury looking items underneath (having not been painted since new) was the steering damper. I had removed it about two years ago and it then felt fine, but didn´t know what to expect now, some 30 Tkm later. No real complaints about the steering, other than the occasional light wobble at 80 kmh reminding me that this is an ancient concept with way too large tyres on it. Damper removed, and tested, and it seemed to be fine. A well damped resistance over the whole throw, with just a wisper from the oil inside being hydrauliced around. but boy did it look rusty. i´m very inclined to having parts like this primered and painted up nicely, but decided that for a few dollars more i can buy a nice fresh one from one of the many suppliers on the net. My engineering knowledge tells me that "return to centre" ones don´t make any sense at all for my little bit of off roading, but i was looking seriously at the 4 stage adjustable damper from Terrafirma. I decided eventually to go for a known brand, and received promptly a B6 Bilstein item for a reasonable price. I had in the meantime driven a few short trips without a damper fitted, and it was enough to convince me that the original damper had actually been doing a fine job. A lot more wobble at speed and the extra feedback that the wheel was giving me just didn´t suit the defender at all. Was I wasting my time with the new fancy B6? I wondered. I actually tried manually comparing the two, compressing and extending them both, to experience the difference. I could hardly feel any difference whatsoever. Except that the Bilstein irritatingly actually extends itself under it´s own pressure, leaving me with the fear that it would cause the Landy to pull to one side at speed. Faith, my boy, i thought. Fit the fancy damper and try it. What an incredible difference a new damper made! The steering has become so smooth and cultured that....well it almost feels modern! I notice every time I´ve driven it since. No sign of that little wobble, and it just feels tighter and better assembled than before. And definitely an unexpected amount better than with the original unit. Complements the excellent slick-shift that still impresses me every time I select a gear. The Landy is a real joy to drive, and just feels that little bit better than before. 
Just my personal experience, but no-one is more surprised than me about the result. 1998 Tdi 90 SW, 2008 Td4 90 SW, 2012 2.2 90 SW, 2" raised Trailmaster/Terrafirma Heavy Track Raids, 255 MT´s, Recaro CS´s, anorak, wellingtons Last edited by Wild Card 90 on 12th Oct 2016 3:29pm. Edited 1 time in total |
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11th Oct 2016 6:53pm |
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| Roy5695 Member Since: 15 Feb 2014 Location: Cornwall Posts: 1123  
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Very good. It's on my shopping list along with the 4 other dampers. 2011 Defender DCPU 2.2 - https://www.defender2.net/forum/topic30623.html
Instagram - @r22oyp Roy |
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11th Oct 2016 7:21pm |
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| Wild Card 90 Member Since: 03 Dec 2014 Location: Gerlingen Posts: 1060
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The bushes are the rubber ones supplied with the Bilstein. They are already more substantial than the originals. I did buy a set of poly bushes for the damper, but in view of the result with the rubber bushes will leave it as is. 1998 Tdi 90 SW,
2008 Td4 90 SW, 2012 2.2 90 SW, 2" raised Trailmaster/Terrafirma Heavy Track Raids, 255 MT´s, Recaro CS´s, anorak, wellingtons |
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12th Oct 2016 4:34am |
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| custom90 Member Since: 21 Jan 2010 Location: South West, England. Posts: 20371
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Don't blame you, tried Poly's more trouble than they are worth. $W33T $0U7H3RN $UG4R
🇬🇧ðŸ´ó §ó ¢ó ¥ó ®ó §ó ¿ðŸ´ó §ó ¢ó ·ó ¬ó ³ó ¿ðŸ´ó §ó ¢ó ³ó £ó ´ó ¿ðŸ‡®ðŸ‡ªðŸ‡ºðŸ‡¸â›½ï¸ðŸ›¢ï¸âš™ï¸ðŸ§°ðŸ’ª |
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12th Oct 2016 10:43am |
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| rossy Member Since: 29 Nov 2010 Location: Co. Roscommon Posts: 1296  
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I'm going to get one of those too, Wild Card. Whats the part number ? Thanks
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12th Oct 2016 2:35pm |
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| Wild Card 90 Member Since: 03 Dec 2014 Location: Gerlingen Posts: 1060
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https://www.nakatanenga.de/fahrzeugtechnik...ilstein-b6
This is the one I have... 1998 Tdi 90 SW, 2008 Td4 90 SW, 2012 2.2 90 SW, 2" raised Trailmaster/Terrafirma Heavy Track Raids, 255 MT´s, Recaro CS´s, anorak, wellingtons |
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12th Oct 2016 3:36pm |
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| 1978 Member Since: 04 Aug 2015 Location: Lancashire Posts: 519 
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This is the same one, I fitted it last week and can highly recommend it.
http://www.paddockspares.com/da1014-steeri...in-b6.html |
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12th Oct 2016 3:42pm |
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| Wild Card 90 Member Since: 03 Dec 2014 Location: Gerlingen Posts: 1060
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..and a nice price, too
1998 Tdi 90 SW,
2008 Td4 90 SW, 2012 2.2 90 SW, 2" raised Trailmaster/Terrafirma Heavy Track Raids, 255 MT´s, Recaro CS´s, anorak, wellingtons |
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12th Oct 2016 4:12pm |
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| rossy Member Since: 29 Nov 2010 Location: Co. Roscommon Posts: 1296
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12th Oct 2016 6:10pm |
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| Pickles Member Since: 26 May 2013 Location: Melbourne Posts: 3784  
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Isn't this B6 link referring to a shock absorber, rather than a steering damper? Pickles. |
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12th Oct 2016 9:13pm |
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| 1978 Member Since: 04 Aug 2015 Location: Lancashire Posts: 519
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No, the photo shows the steering damper and 'Lenkungsdämpfer' translates directly to 'steering damper'. What made you think that mate? |
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12th Oct 2016 9:28pm |
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| Wild Card 90 Member Since: 03 Dec 2014 Location: Gerlingen Posts: 1060
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Yup, lenkung is steering...
One of the sites showing the same yellow damper listed it as a B8. I wondered if there is a such a thing, and looked at the Bilstein website. The B6 and B8 ranges include both road and steering dampers. The B6 range is painted yellow, the B8 is silver. 1998 Tdi 90 SW, 2008 Td4 90 SW, 2012 2.2 90 SW, 2" raised Trailmaster/Terrafirma Heavy Track Raids, 255 MT´s, Recaro CS´s, anorak, wellingtons |
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13th Oct 2016 5:20am |
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| Pickles Member Since: 26 May 2013 Location: Melbourne Posts: 3784
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There is another link which i must have confused it with, the paddock spares link, which shows shocks? Pickles. |
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13th Oct 2016 5:46am |
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| 1978 Member Since: 04 Aug 2015 Location: Lancashire Posts: 519
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They have used the same photo of the B6 front & rear shocks on the listing for both the front & rear shocks and the steering damper, the link above is correct. http://www.paddockspares.com/off-road/susp...7-td5.html |
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13th Oct 2016 7:40am |
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