I like my stock bumper, which means I'm keeping my stock skid plate. Will I have to lose the plate if I install a stabilizer? I thought I read somewhere that you had to, but didn't pay enough attention back then and of course can't find that thread now.

Jens!

You can keep your stock skid plate. Look at my photos on External mods and you'll see mine and ChuckH's write up. 4X4parts can sell you a Stabilizer for $65.00 plus shipping...just tell them you are in PNWX.

This is good news! Thanks Rick. I'll be adding the stabilizer in my Big Spring Mod Fest 2002 along with all the other toys I have in mind. Methinks next year will be a gooood year!

I have the pictures and instructions up on my new website. Forgive the fact that only about 20% of it works, but I hope to everything back online by the end of the week. My free host disappeared from the face of the earth with my website, so I'm putting it up on a real host now. Atleast I have a real domain name now! Anyway, the stabilizer page is up. Just follow my link and go go to the "Exterior Mods" page and then you'll see a link for the stabilizer instructions. Hope it helps! :)

Aftershock Xterra Adventures (http://www.aftershockxterra.com)

What are the risks associated with a steering stabilizer (if any). I drove someone's rig with one on a few months ago and loved it. Is there any reason why you wouldn't want one? Like does it make the power steering pump work harder.....

I don't know these things, so I must ask....

Not quite sure yet, but it could be accelerating the wear on the steering relay rod.

Originally posted by ToeJam
What are the risks associated with a steering stabilizer (if any). I drove someone's rig with one on a few months ago and loved it. Is there any reason why you wouldn't want one? Like does it make the power steering pump work harder.....

I don't know these things, so I must ask....

Aside from the risks associated with installing it wrong and having it put a hole in your oil filter, I don't see any other real risks. The stabilizer doesn't replace anything and doesn't change the relationship between your relay rod and other connected components. Infact I still don't see how it actually works because there's still a solid connection between the relay rod and the pitman (?) arms, and I'm generally mechanically inclined.

Anyway, questions of my intelligence aside, I don't see how there could be much if any risk associated with this upgrade.

Originally posted by ChuckH
The stabilizer doesn't replace anything and doesn't change the relationship between your relay rod and other connected components. Infact I still don't see how it actually works because there's still a solid connection between the relay rod and the pitman (?) arms, and I'm generally mechanically inclined.

Basically, it absorbs lateral forces of the steering components, just like a shock absorbs vertical movement of suspension.

When you drive over a bump with one wheel, that side of the suspension compresses, causing the angle of the tie-rod to change, either shortening, or lengthening. This causes the tie-rod to move the relay rod, which causes the "bump steer" you feel at the steering wheel.

The steering stabilizer tries to slow this movement of the relay rod, thus decreasing what you feel at the steering wheel. If the movement is slowed, it must go somewhere else, and my theory is that it is stressing the joint between the idler arm and replay rod, which is nothing more than a weak plastic bushing.

Again, just a theory.

So what's with the heavy duty tie-rod adjusters at EOE, and the idler arm truss at SLR? Ok, pardon my newbie-ness here, I'm still learning. If I'm adding a stabilizer, is it necessary to change these components also? I'm asking coz I figure if I'm down there getting greasy ...

Any IFS system is inherently weak. Even solid axle steering setups are weak compared to a non steering rear axle, due to more torque going in more directions :)

The stock idler arm is probably strong enough to last driving on the street for 500,000 miles or more, with occasional off-road use, but once subjected to steep tie-rod angles, and more flex using disconnects, it will wear faster than Nissan intended.

An idler truss will beef up the idler arm, but again, we get back to "where does the force go now" ? The same thing with the EOE tie-rods, they wont break, but something else, somewhere, will be taking more stress than originally designed.

An idler truss is a good idea, since it will also help the idler truss bushings from wearing (also made of plastic). The EOE tie-rods will hold up longer than the truck, and are also recommended.

Will any of this cause problems anywhere else ? So far, it's just the relay rod (which unfortunately, is expensive), and SLR (and others as far as I know) has a solution for that in the works. I really hope to be testing it in 3 weeks in Moab.

XOC,

Let me know how that thing works out. I was on the phone with SLR last week regarding the Stage 4 lift. I figured since I already have to spend the big bucks for the Stage 3, I might as well go to the Stage 4. And because of the problems everyone's having with wearing out relay rods, it has really piqued my interest.