Hi all,

First off why the hell are these so expensive, I can buy two basic shocks for the price of one basic stabilizer, considering theyre not THAT much different, and a shock is 3 times the size, wtf is up??

also, how do you know if its bad?  Im trying to eventually replace all weak/broken parts on my sammy, like a half ass restoration.

Thanks everyone...

get a grinder and cut off the cracket.....it's that cheap. I've never had one of my zukes and I've never had any problems with bump steer...this is after I'd rebuilt the front knuckles. IF you've got bump steer there are some worn parts in there. This is just my experience. It's like the sway bar....it's not needed.

My 1985 SJ413K didn't have a sway bar or stabilizer and it runs real good. The reason the bump steer comes out when you add big tires is that it exagarates the worn out parts. With a stock 195 tire on a samurai you won't get any problems....when you add the 33's with the size and weight it will show every problem and amplify it.

My old boss had a 92 Hummer H1 and with the stock 37's it drove so good. Then he went to 42" swampers and it was impossible to drive...then he put 44's because I told him that he couldn't fit them and it sat parked for years....he broke it all and you could only go about 40km/h

I ran without one for the longest time with running 33" BFG tires.  When I switched to the Pro-Comp tires I had to install one for cruising down the road.  The slightly heavier and slightly more out of balance tires just made that much of a difference.

I ended up modifying a Toyota stabilizer as I've modified the suspension a bit. 

I hate to be a factual stickler, but the term "bump steer" does not apply here.

Bump steer is caused when you change the vertical distance between tierod end of the draglink and the pinion arm through the installation of a suspension lift.





(pictures found at http://www.acksfaq.com/bumpsteer_explained.htm)

Wandering and pulling are caused by worn steering/knuckle components.

It is possible to drive without a stabilizer, but you depend on all the other parts in the steering system to dampen vibrations caused by road conditions at thre risk of accellerating wear on those same parts.  Suzuki put that steering damper on there for a reason... 

Thats kinda the way I see it too, and as for the sway bar not being needed, thats not a very safe way to go, unless your offroad only.  I DD mine, and swaybars are there for a reason also.  I just wanted to know why the hell the stabilizers are so expensive, Im sure mine needs replaced, everything on this thing needed replaced!!  Im just looking for a cheap(er) alternative, cant see spending 50-70 bucks on a glorified red ryder.

Hell it cost me less than 80 to put all 4 new shocks on!!   Thats just insane to me.

Thats kinda the way I see it too, and as for the sway bar not being needed, thats not a very safe way to go, unless your offroad only.  I DD mine, and swaybars are there for a reason also.  I just wanted to know why the hell the stabilizers are so expensive, Im sure mine needs replaced, everything on this thing needed replaced!!  Im just looking for a cheap(er) alternative, cant see spending 50-70 bucks on a glorified red ryder.

Hell it cost me less than 80 to put all 4 new shocks on!!   Thats just insane to me.

I think the reason is simply because they sell a lot less steering stabilisers than they do shocks. A budget solution could be to use two cheap shocks instead, its been done by a few people.

My 85 SJ413K has a steering stabiliser and swaybar.

They're more expensive for different reasons, but for your other question they are very different from a shock, don't use one for a stabilizer.
A stabilizer gives the same resistance in both directions, and will stay in one spot where a shock can have different resistance between compression & rebound, plus they always push out.

Well yea I wouldnt have used a shock for that, it just makes sense that is its going to STABILIZE the steering it would have to cushion both directions of travel, I figured that would make it maybe twice the price of a basic shock, ahhh I been digging deeper, I have found several for around 30-35 bucks, but they say I have to buy an install kit for 40 more, thats why I thought they were 70 bucks, I was looking at kits included in the package, whats this all about? anyone have a clue?

Would it work, if I just got this:http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/MON1/SC2941.oap?year=1987&make=Suzuki&model=Samurai&vi=1271135&partType=02894&parentPartType=C0203

Would I still need some kind of a kit, looks to me like it wouldnt be any different than replacing shocks.

I just went out and had to look to make sure that the sway bar and stabilizer had not been cut off....there is no sign of any of them. I drive my zuke on the road and don't have any issue with not having those parts...but this is just me. I am very carefull when driving and I make sure the parts are all checked on a regular basis.

My mechanic said if most poeple checked their vehicles like me it would be a safer world. I check it and once in a while I bring it for a second opinion. The cops have a habbit of pulling poeple over and getting them to go for a safety within 24 hours so I just don't want to get caught with busted parts.

For the fun of it I went to canadian tire last year with the 413K and got them to do a used car check. The mechanic told me that mechanically it was great but it really looked like it was old and busted and these guys are strict. A repaired rock chip won't pass with them if it's got a little bubble.

A stabilizer gives the same resistance in both directions, and will stay in one spot where a shock can have different resistance between compression & rebound, plus they always push out.

Thats why you have to use two shocks. A standard oil shock won't push out like a gas shock.

lol, like weld 2 together opposite one another, if that works that would be clever, of course if I could pick that one up at oreilly for 33 or whatever, and it works fine, I just do that.  I still need to get the rotors turned, got shimmying under braking, I might finally have a job now, can start getting some more stuff replaced.

Monroe has a factory replacement for the Samurai, no install kit needed.

Thats what the one in the link looks like, monroe, and it looks identical to stock.  I might pick one up soon, I will let you all know if it works, and if it made a difference.