Has anyone fitted a steering damper on a BDR?
 

I'm continuing to update my BDR #98...I've installed new springs, set the ride height, balanced the tires, adjusted the tire pressures, and performed a 4-wheel alignment. I'm of the opinion, my Backdraft would benefit from the installation of a steering damper. Has anyone made this modification to their Backdraft...I know Flaming River makes parts that may be suited to this application...I would appreciate any advise on this matter!!
With best regards,
Randy
BDR #98

Brudda, I had what I call "steering wheel dance" until I lowered my tire pressure to 18lb all around on the advice of an old stock-car racer.

Keep in mind that I am running 17" sticky Nittos, not "correct" 15"s.

I did the alignment thing, a heavily-scrutinized wheel balance, watched my man torque the lug nuts to 100 lb by hand, and the steering wheel still tried to "dance" under my hand.

I dropped my tire pressure and the little car tracked like Grandpa's Buick.

We own very lightweight cars, with more power than God ever intended us to have, I can't whine because the steering wheel "shimmies" down the road.

The hell I can't!

I'm gonna guess that every BDR has a different weight ratio setup that needs to be tuned.

I have a wonderful, experienced front-end guy, but I can't find a mechanic.

UT

18lb, holy cow that seems low. I know these are light and as such should have less pressure, but I've never run less than 25. have you tracked it at that pressure? I wonder what the white shoe polish test on the tire's shoulder would show.

I remember a thread about steering, months, maybe years ago, about vibration dampening.

Something about a device or accessory attached to the R&P setup that absorbed "twitches." Was it called a "mop"? Something odd like that.

About my tire pressure... Gunrack has never been tracked, but I work empirically. The pressure drop stopped the steering wheel dancing, good enough for me.

I'm running 8" front, 10" rear, with 45-profile tires, Nitto street slicks, barely enough tread to make them legal.

Gunrack weighs 2700 lb with me on board, I figure a 60/40 weight ratio, calculate the weight load per tire, estimate each tire's footprint, somebody out there has the smarts to do the math to figure out the load per tire. (not UT!)

I'm repeating myself now, I drove Gunrack in the rain, accidentally, once.

Once.

I found out the hard way that those Nittos' sticky rubber compound turns into Teflon when it hits wet pavement.

Look up "hydroplane" in the dictionary and you will find my picture.

I know that I am scrubbing rubber onto the pavement like a rubber eraser on sandpaper, but Hey! Three years today, less than 5,000 miles. Tire mileage is 'way down on the "concern" list.

Somebody please buy my car, I need it like I need a 3rd herniated disk. I've had my fun, I have the pics, I have the memories.

UT

I would be very careful running such low tire pressures regularly on the road for several reasons.

1. all the roads in the U.S. SUCK!!! We are poor and can't fix them anymore!

2. I've seen the result of running low pressures for extended periods.. it eats the inside of the tire. I seen one get pulled off a wheel and the inside was full of little rubber balls which was causing serious vibration and unbalance.

I would definitely think there is a better fix!

I think its called a RAG Joint?

IIRC the rag joint was in some of the donor stangs the FFR guys use. They all get rid of it as it has issues with these light cars.

Randy - you running 15's ? BF's by chance? Those tires have been known to have heavy spots in them, and not to be the most true running tire when on the rim. A Hunter Force balancer will find those spots and balance the tire and rim correctly. Track one down in your area and I think that'll fix the need for a damper

Enjoy the Drive

Rag? Mop? HAHA! Gimme a couple of points for even getting close!

Fsstnotch, I think we agree to disagree.

Gunrack is on the highway for less than an hour, EVER.

And yes, until recently, on our US highway, do to poor construction, I have had one front wheel go Airborne, not pleasant at 70 MPH.

The car is fine, but after an hour the driver is totally stressed and depleted (In my part of the world) avoiding NAFTA overspeed semi's and Bunnies in large SUV's with cell-phones grafted to their ears.

I live in a tiny "highway town" with no nice, twisty almost vacant paved rural roads. I either hit the highway or putt around town and annoy the local PD.

The option is... driving on gravel. (Ewww!)

We visited Gettysburg in October, 1994... breathtaking.

Cobra weather and Cobra roads, looking back.

UT

Gravel! haha

Anybody ever used those tire balancing beads? I've heard mixed opinions abuot them.

uncltodd,
Where in southeastern OK are you? I was stationed at Tinker before coming over here. I have a house in Midwest City. A friend of mine has a family cottage down on lake Eufaula. It's nice down there! Did a little fishing even! Very good time!

Neat, compact and it WORKS

http://www.borgeson.com/VibrationDamp.htm

It works on what for what????

I'm thinking it is a high tech rag joint.

There has been a lot of talk over the years about the team three wheels being "hub centric". Meaning the hole in the wheel should fit tight on the hub to center it. The spacing on the BMW hub is smaller than the hole in the team three rims. There is a spacer that BDR used to supply, that would let you center the wheel before bolting it up. There is a manual method that I used when I had the problems mentioned above.
I had taken my car to a shop to have the front wheels rebalanced. The shop pulled the wheels checked the balance which turned out to be OK. But when I drove home the problem was worst then when I went in. I called Reg and he knew exactly what the problem was. The wheel was not centered.
Simple fix. Jack up the car. Loosen the lug nuts, then slowly tighten them by hand a few turns at a time, do the star pattern, round and round till they are tight. Lower the car then torque. I think 100 ft lbs is a bit much, I was always told 70 to 90 ft lbs.
Once I centered my wheels the problem went away. I have seen 140mph (straight at Sebirng) and no shimmy.

The above dampener fits into the steering shaft somewhere between the rack and the steering wheel.