Falcon steering stabilizer not recentering

[MSFTMatt]

Recently upgraded front end steering components, sector sharply brace, ball joints, tie rod, drag link and steering stabilizer. I got the non adjustable Falcon stabilizer. Everything is good, alignment, torques, etc, except when turning my wheels are not recentering. On big swooping turns the wheels will stay turned when coming out of the turn. I measured the stabalizer to make sure it’s centered prior to install. Only thing I can think of is I remember it was very very hard to manually move the piston when new from box to center it. Like I needed to use body weight to move it. Anyone else with similar issue or possible fix?

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[Hootbro]

I have the same stabilizer. While stiff moving it by hand, it should still self center. I bet you have a bad one. I would contact Teraflex/Falcon and see what they say.

 

[MSFTMatt]

I have the same stabilizer. While stiff moving it by hand, it should still self center. I bet you have a bad one. I would contact Teraflex/Falcon and see what they say.

I’ll give them a call tomorrow and see what they say.

 

[ffeggleston]

My adjustable teraflex one will not recent without some love on medium setting and on firm forget about it recentering.

 

[MSFTMatt]

My adjustable teraflex one will not recent without some love on medium setting and on firm forget about it recentering.

I don’t have the adjustable one. Just seems not right

 

[ffeggleston]

I don’t have the adjustable one. Just seems not right

Yea I would check it out. Seems like something isn’t quite right.

 

[Badunit]

I'm pretty sure the stabilizer does not self center. It is just a damper. The advantage of it over the regular internally charged stabilizers is that it does not push (extend) due to the internal pressure,. Those ones can make it feel like the vehicle is pulling to the right.

I have the same stabilizer and it reduced the return-to-center on my Gladiator as well as taking away almost all the road feel on straight sections of road.. It wasn't all that great to begin with, though. It did make it way more stabile in the wind, passing trucks, on rough roads, etc. I think return-to-center got a little better over time but it is still not good.

Even with the stabilizer disconnected mine does not have very good return-to-center. I've been thinking something else is too tight on mine, like maybe the steering gear (which would be opposite what everyone else reports about them). You mentioned new ball joints. Those can be stiff, too.

As a test, unbolt the stabilizer from the tie rod mount and zip tie it out of the way on the axle with a few heavy zip ties. Go for a drive.

 

[Sikjeep2]

Same as above, test drive with the stabilizer disconnected. Sometimes new ball joints will be stiff and create memory steer.

 

[MrT]

I had to switch to a steer smarts neutral stabilizer.

 

[hjdca]

Recently upgraded front end steering components, sector sharply brace, ball joints, tie rod, drag link and steering stabilizer. I got the non adjustable Falcon stabilizer. Everything is good, alignment, torques, etc, except when turning my wheels are not recentering. On big swooping turns the wheels will stay turned when coming out of the turn. I measured the stabalizer to make sure it’s centered prior to install. Only thing I can think of is I remember it was very very hard to manually move the piston when new from box to center it. Like I needed to use body weight to move it. Anyone else with similar issue or possible fix?

Assuming it is not ball joint stiffness, and they need to break-in.... then this -----

With a lift kit, the Steering wheel not re-centering after a turn, is a typical symptom of not having enough positive caster. Do you have a lift kit ? If so, shoot for 6.5 positive caster, ie. point the pinion angle down a little bit more. Just half a turn on all the control arms.

 

[MSFTMatt]

Updating this and looking for opinions. I adjusted to get more positive caster, running about 6.5 positive now but still wandered. Pulled my stabilizer and rides much better without anything. Took video, please for the live if god and all things good and holy ignore my guttural sounds, but tell me if it’s not moving the way it should be. Hey @Northridge4x4, if you can advise as well that’s be killer since I purchased from you guys-not laying blame though.

 

[Badunit]

That's how mine was/is. I'm actually pretty happy with mine now.

To update my prior post, I loosened my steering gear 1/8 turn and set the toe to 0 degrees (or somewhere thereabouts) and now it is a pleasure to drive. It is about like every other straight axle vehicle own. It returns most of the way to center but still needs some assistance, especially at low speeds. The 0 degree (or so) toe reduced wander. Not that I am suggesting you mess with your steering gear, just relaying what I did and that I discovered my steering gear was binding from the factory. You may have binding from your new ball joints and, combined with the stiff stabilizer, it is too much drag. Give it some time?

 

[MSFTMatt]

That's how mine was/is. I'm actually pretty happy with mine now.

To update my prior post, I loosened my steering gear 1/8 turn and set the toe to 0 degrees (or somewhere thereabouts) and now it is a pleasure to drive. It is about like every other straight axle vehicle own. It returns most of the way to center but still needs some assistance, especially at low speeds. The 0 degree (or so) toe reduced wander. Not that I am suggesting you mess with your steering gear, just relaying what I did and that I discovered my steering gear was binding from the factory. You may have binding from your new ball joints and, combined with the stiff stabilizer, it is too much drag. Give it some time?

Yeah I don’t want to mess with steering gear. Maybe I am expecting too much too soon and it all does need to loosen up. I kinda figured it’d be good to go pretty quick.

 

[WILDHOBO]

Yeah I don’t want to mess with steering gear. Maybe I am expecting too much too soon and it all does need to loosen up. I kinda figured it’d be good to go pretty quick.

What ball joints did you install? I did a similar project in early summer, and have some memory steer as well. I think the preload on my ball joints is going to be the issue. I initially thought it was my adjustable stabilizer (Fox ATS), but I’m no longer convinced.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

What ball joints did you install? I did a similar project in early summer, and have some memory steer as well. I think the preload on my ball joints is going to be the issue. I initially thought it was my adjustable stabilizer (Fox ATS), but I’m no longer convinced.

If things are not "too tight", caster of 5 to 6 degrees should be enough to cause things to move back to center. But then, it's going to depend on wheels and tires as well. If certain "angles" and measurements were changed in the process of swapping parts like tires, wheels, lifts, then caster may not be strong enough to re-center these. And if the steering gear preload is set too high, you run into this as well. That's why I urge caution when messing with those - and that's all anyone is doing, is messing with it, with no understanding of what it looks like inside or why certain settings exist.

A proper stabilizer should be totally neutral and not force things in any direction - but then not all of them on the market are proper, and they are aimed at certain audiences.

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