RE: [ihc] Mixed Bag: Front Ends, Close Encounters and "Who Is It?"!!

["Mac @ TRIAD" <mac@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

## >> I made somewhat of a joke about the steering stabilizer that
## >> I have on
## >> my Terra because Im not sure that it is of any help at all.

i'm pretty sure the stabilizer on the front of our 800A is a joke, too.  i
don't know if it does anything at all, either.  i know it's in good shape
and it works, but...  does it really do anything?  i can't really tell.  the
truck doesn't have power steering and does have a fairly high ratio
steering, much higher than the 1110 TravelAll does.  five and a half turns
of the steering wheel, lock to lock.

the stabilizer on the 1110 TravelAll, now...  i know that one has some
effect.  the ratio for the steering on that is fairly tight.  three turns
lock to lock, that's all it has.  but it also has power steering.  i
remember very well the way the 1010 used to handle.  that one has power
steering, three-turn ratio, and 31" tires.  that power steering is very
sensitive to road shocks and bumps and things.  any input at the wheels, and
the power steering thinks this is steering input, and is trying to turn me
in whatever direction the wheels just got bumped.  could get very exciting.
the 1110 does the same thing, and with those 33" tires, the effect is
greater, i think.  the stabilizer slows it down noticeably, though.  i had
to take it off for something once, and the difference...  you could tell it
wasn't there anymore.  i put it back, everything is fine.

## >> I do know absolutely that the steering stabilizer is an
## >> important part
## >> of the front end machinery on both Cherokees and Grand Cherokees.

my dad's '88 Cherokee Chief has solid D30 axles front and rear.  he's got at
least one steering stabilizer under there, and i know it came with it.  i'm
pretty sure that if he took that off, the thing would stop handling
properly.  i don't think he's ever tried taking it off, but if i remember
right we were comparing his to mine one day, i mentioned taking mine off,
and his reaction was quite negative to the idea.

now, speaking of my dad's Cherokee Chief...  he's got a problem.  the nasty
old 5-speed transmission it came with is going out.  nearly gone, as it
happens.  it's that yuckie french POS transmission, drawing a blank on the
name right now.  he bought a Warner World Class T5 (i think it's a T5, might
be a T4, i'll have to ask) for it, had it shipped in from Florida, but when
it was delivered, he found that the input shaft is the wrong length and he's
having trouble getting the thing installed.  he's got all the right parts to
make it work, except for that input shaft problem.  anybody have any advice
for dealing with this?  what's the best way to proceed from here?  thanks to
one and all for the help.

--Mac

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Krystof "Mac" MacBryghde
TyrGothi

http://master.triad.ath.cx/