Bilstein steering damper - I'm sick of it.

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Originally Posted by Larns

I hear ya Wally, I recently fitted one to my 90 and what a pain. It's still there out of spite of how much they cost! I'll be buggered if I'm spending any more money on it either.
It certainly is tighter than the munro job though.

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That's exactly it. I would have got rid of it long ago if it didn't cost so bloody much.

I'm guessing not enough swivel pre-load. (as that old quote says ;))

I don't think having a pressurised damper is ideal as it may do what you've experienced, but I've been running one for six years now without a problem on the Defender, other than the drag link always trying to push away from the damper (looks like it's rolled backwards).
Maybe sometimes they slip out of the factory with the gas pressure they use in their normal dampers ? (Bloody high, something like 20 bar :eek:)

A mate had a Billie specially valved for use as a monoshock roll damper in a race car, (monoshock cars don't have any roll damping normally) and even with it being gas pressurised we could even out the corner weights and it didn't seen to want to roll one way more than the other :D

Wish I had seen this thread earlier. Just fitted a Bilstein steering damper to the D1 last weekend and guess what.....pulls to the right and steering no longer centres. DO NOT GET ONE! Great for suspension - but keep em away from your steering.

Luckily I complained soon enough to get a refund.

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Originally Posted by Ricky

Wish I had seen this thread earlier. Just fitted a Bilstein steering damper to the D1 last weekend and guess what.....pulls to the right and steering no longer centres. DO NOT GET ONE! Great for suspension - but keep em away from your steering.

Luckily I complained soon enough to get a refund.

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Thats a big big call, i reckon 80% of aftermarket ones will be bilstiens, i have them fitted to all my Landys and have had no problems, i'd be looking for another problem. Was the correct one fitted?

I had one for ten years on the D1 and had no problems,,,

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Originally Posted by feral

I would like to give Wally a little support as I have the same problem in my D2.

I have recently put a lift in and replaced the steering dampner with a Bilstein. I am forever chasing the 'centre point' and it is so frustrating :mad:

My lift measurements are 530mm front guard to hub, and the rear is 535mm. I am still working throught it to 'whatever it takes' to get it right but that is not for us to hijack the discussion now.

Back to Wally's problem....

It is as if the natural centre point of the steering is to the right i.e. if you let go of the steering it will drift off to the right. I have done everything to make it correct with alignments which Bob Jane has said it wasn't far out but when you drive it the centre point is worse. I have adjusted the drag link to try and get the steering wheel centred but it appears to always be pointing to the right. I know we need to take into consideration the camber of the road and such but it just feel so unnatural to having to tug the steering wheel all the time just to keep it straight.

Interesting comments from all of you, indeed.

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Well since these outlandish comments were made things have changed :D

I eventually got it to centre and it feels great. I don't know what I have done but it tracks well and no tyre wear.

I imagine it was just a case of everything to settle down and just to make a fine adjustment.

Its all good.:thumbsup:

Caster???^^^:(

Well several months back I tossed the Bilstein in the shed and put on a new Boge one in its place. Problem solved. The damping's not as good but it now drives in a straight line, and I know what I'd prefer. Some day I'll get around to checking the swivel preload. It may well be that, as Rick suggests.

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Originally Posted by GuyG

The point is not the purpose of the dampner or what it does or how it makes the car drive but that where previously you were able to remove your hand from the steering wheel the car would continue in a straight line (not a safe practice) but after the bilstein is fitted you constantly have to steer with pressure on the steering wheel as if you are making a slight left hand turn in order to keep going straight ahead.

Possible cause is too much gas in the dampner making it extend too much thus causing the vehicle to want to swerve to the right.

I have one its done 200km and back in the box it came in because it sucked.

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OK to update this, I have now fitted a Maxi track rod which has the ability to adjust where the dampner mounts onto it as opposed to the standard track rod which has a fixed position. At the same time they refitted the Bilstein Dampner and the problem is now sorted in my rangie and the rangie will now drive in a straight line without the need for constant correction.

I suspect the problem is with the gas preload. I can't understand the logic of preloading a steering damper with gas.

Shocks are gassed to minimise the oil foaming from sustained high frequency /high amplitude oscillations.

Steering dampers do not oscillate at anywhere near the frequency /amplitude combination amplitude of axle-based ones. The standard oil filled OEM is more than sufficient.

A steering damper preloaded with gas is going to extend to the max when left with no compression load. So when compressed half way in the straight ahead steering position, of course it's going to try and push the steering one way or t'other.

It's essentially there to try and prevent (broken thumbs from) violent changes of direction of the front wheels being transferred back through the steering wheel when travelling in the rough...

idle thoughts ...for info

cheers