I'm installing OME springs/shocks on my 2002 Disco II this weekend. I hadn't really considered putting the ARB/OME Steering Stabilizer on at the same time, mainly because I don't really understand what it would do for me.

I've read a few conflicting things about this--it's not an expensive upgrade, but is it necessary...recommended...problematic?

Any explaination or recommendation would be greatly appreciated...

I have an ARB bull bar bumper on my Disco, but otherwise no other aftermarket upgrades.

Thanks,
Andrew

 

A quick I-net search and....

Stabilizer bars are part of a car's suspension system. They are sometimes also called anti-sway bars or anti-roll bars. Their purpose in life is to try to keep the car's body from "rolling" in a sharp turn.
Think about what happens to a car in a sharp turn. If you are inside the car, you know that your body gets pulled toward the outside of the turn. The same thing is happening to all the parts of the car. So the part of the car on the outside of the turn gets pushed down toward the road and the part of the car on the inside of the turn rises up. In other words, the body of the car "rolls" 10 or 20 or 30 degrees toward the outside of the turn. If you take a turn fast enough, the tires on the inside of the turn actually rise off the road and the car flips over.
Roll is bad. It tends to put more weight on the outside tires and less weigh on the inside tires, reducing traction. It also messes up steering. What you would like is for the body of the car to remain flat through a turn so that the weight stays distributed evenly on all four tires.
A stabilizer bar tries to keep the car's body flat by moving force from one side of the body to another. To picture how a stabilizer bar works, imagine a metal rod that is an inch or two (2 to 5 cm) in diameter. If your front tires are 5 feet (1.6 meters) apart, make the rod about 4 feet long. Attach the rod to the frame of the car in front of the front tires, but attach it with bushings in such a way that it can rotate. Now attach arms from the rod to the front suspension member on both sides.
When you go into a turn now, the front suspension member of the outside of the turn gets pushed upward. The arm of the sway bar gets pushed upward, and this applies torsion to the rod. The torsion them moves the arm at the other end of the rod, and this causes the suspension on the other side of the car to compress as well. The car's body tends to stay flat in the turn.
If you don't have a stabilizer bar, you tend to have a lot of trouble with body roll in a turn. If you have too much stabilizer bar, you tend to lose independence between the suspension members on both sides of the car. When one wheel hits a bump, the stabilizer bar transmits the bump to the other side of the car as well, which is not what you want. The ideal is to find a setting that reduces body roll but does not hurt the independence of the tires.

Or....

Steering stabilizer systems are specifically engineered to improved handling characteristics and improve wheel vibration - which can lead to suspension component failure. Steering stabilizers are shocks that help absorb the jar and bump to your steering system. This action results in increased vehicle control under all driving conditions by reducing steering shimmy and driver fatigue. A stabilizer will also help improve tire wear and even provide better control in blowout conditions. Single stabilizers are ideal for 4WD and 2WD trucks, SUV's, vans, motor homesand for use with tires up to 35". Dual steups are recommended for the aggressive off-roader and for large, oversized tires.

 

Thanks, that's helpful in understanding the basic idea.

Any recommendations for or against installing the OME stabilizer along with the spings/shocks?

 

There is reason not to replace this, with or with out a lift. All solid axle 4X4's need a stabilizer to stop any laterial movement caused by hitting bumps, the factory stabilizer is poorly build and takes a beating, wearing out around 40,000 miles or so and installing and OME replacement is one of the smartest thing you can do.

 

I just installed an OME steering damper (stabilizer)on my '99 disco last week.
The difference in the feel of the vehicle is amazing..........do it.
They are less than $100 with shipping and it's a 10 minute install.
dk

 

Well, I orderded the stabilizer...I'm traveling this week so I will not be able to install the shocks/springs/stabilizer until the next weekend. Looking forward to getting the job done, though! With the ARB Bull Bar already on the front, I may have to spring for one of those ARB/OME stickers you see on eBay...

 

I had 130K on my rig and found one for $40 locally. Club guy that found he didn't need it anymore..(toasted the truck before he could get it on). I noticed a huge improvement just putting it on a stock system. Steering feels tighter and doesn't pull away from you. The guy that aligned the truck recently couldn't believe how tight it still felt...

You won't be dissapointed.