2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission DSS Trouble

[Dave M]

I'm ready to install the DSS but I don't see a locking ring thats mentioned in the instructions. Am I missing something? The pics show 2 set screws with allen wrenchs hanging out for reference. Were would the locking rick go?



I'm ready to do this now but can't till I figure this out.



Edit (3/1/07): I called PSC and found that the stabilizer I bought was not made by Solid Steel but instead was made by PSC. They look the same but are not. The TB bracket and Adj TB were Solid Steel products. Buyer beware!



Thanks

Dave

 

[Jeff Knight]

I can't remember if mine has a locking ring or not. Maybe they updated the part and not the instructions. It looks like the set screws will do the same as a locking ring.



Jeff

 

[Dave M]

I can't remember if mine has a locking ring or not. Maybe they updated the part and not the instructions. It looks like the set screws will do the same as a locking ring.



Jeff

Thanks for responding Jeff. That was my feeling too. All the pics I've found of the install don't look like mine. I guess I'll put it in and tighten these set screws.



If anyone can verify this for me I'd feel better.



Edit (3/1/07): I called PSC and found that the stabilizer I bought was not made by Solid Steel but instead was made by PSC. They look the same but are not. The TB bracket and Adj TB were Solid Steel products. Buyer beware!



Thanks,

Dave

 

[Bob V]

They must have changed the bearing, yours does NOT use a locking ring. You should be good to go.

 

[Dave M]

Hers a few more pics of the DSS bearing. One pic has it in upside down but it shows the bearing better.



Edit (3/1/07): I called PSC and found that the stabilizer I bought was not made by Solid Steel but instead was made by PSC. They look the same but are not. The TB bracket and Adj TB were Solid Steel products. Buyer beware!



Dave

 

[Dave M]

They must have changed the bearing, yours does NOT use a locking ring. You should be good to go.

Thank You! Now... I'm off to get this done.



Dave

 

[rotohead]

I've run the same bearing on my DSS four months now with no problems yet. Also, my extended pitman nut was way off center in the beam but I followed the tightening sequence they stated in the instructions and it seems to work fine. I have the addition of a front reciever hitch and it all fits good but enclosed bolts with the DSS kit aren't long enough. Great addition. Now I wish I had installed a 3 turn gear box before. :{

chuck

 

[Dave M]

I've run the same bearing on my DSS four months now with no problems yet. Also, my extended pitman nut was way off center in the beam but I followed the tightening sequence they stated in the instructions and it seems to work fine. I have the addition of a front reciever hitch and it all fits good but enclosed bolts with the DSS kit aren't long enough. Great addition. Now I wish I had installed a 3 turn gear box before. :{

chuck

My extended pitman nut was centered ok in the bracket hole but I also found the 4 bolts for the bracket to frame were shorter than the stock ones so I re-used the stock bolts. There were washers missing for the two bearing assembly bolts and the 4 mounting bolts... go figure. I have a hitch but its on the the ranch hand bumper and out of the way.



It's in now and I've completed the PSC box, DSS and SS TB bracket and adjustable TB this weekend. Lets see if this ends my death wobble. An alignment is due end of next week.



Also, did I mention... . uhh... hmmm... I LOVE THIS PSC 3 1/4 TURN BOX. Sorry to shout. Man this things steers effortlessly... . Yahooo..... Wow... Weee!



Edit (3/1/07): I called PSC and found that the stabilizer I bought was not made by Solid Steel but instead was made by PSC. They look the same but are not. The TB bracket and Adj TB were Solid Steel products. Buyer beware!



Dave

 

[rotohead]

Also, did I mention... . uhh... hmmm... I LOVE THIS PSC 3 1/4 TURN BOX. Sorry to shout. Man this things steers effortlessly... . Yahooo..... Wow... Weee!



Dave

I was afraid you where going t say something like that... :{

 

[McLaughlin]

Mine had the separate locking ring. As long as the barring doesn't bind I'd think your setup, with the set screws in the bearing would work.

 

[DJW]

Not sure if the Bearing shown is the same as a typical industrial one, but for many, if there is a Blind hole drilled on the same surface as the tapped holes, that is used to facilitate the use of a C-Spanner or punch to lock bearing to shaft to stop shaft from moving on the bearing (endo) that portion of the bearing is eccentric and probaply called a Locking Collar or Ring. Hope this helps, a Bearing Shop could be of help to you.

 

[Dave M]

Not sure if the Bearing shown is the same as a typical industrial one, but for many, if there is a Blind hole drilled on the same surface as the tapped holes, that is used to facilitate the use of a C-Spanner or punch to lock bearing to shaft to stop shaft from moving on the bearing (endo) that portion of the bearing is eccentric and probaply called a Locking Collar or Ring. Hope this helps, a Bearing Shop could be of help to you.

I called PSC today (where I ordered the DSS stabilizer, SS TB bracket, SS 2003 adjustable TB and PSC steering gear/box) and they said the bearing for the DSS stabilizer had been updated and no longer uses the locking ring. Just tighten the 2 allen head screws against the new extended nut/shaft and your done. They are going to update the installation procedure.



Did I mention... I just love my new PSC 841M 3 1/4 turn steering box. What an improvement in steering response. I just love driving the truck now. :-laf



Edit (3/1/07): I called PSC and found that the stabilizer I bought was not made by Solid Steel but instead was made by PSC. They look the same but are not. The TB bracket and Adj TB were Solid Steel products. Buyer beware!



Dave

 

[rotohead]

The newer bearing that just has two allen screws to hold on the extended putman arm nut worked for me with my Drawtite front rec hitch but just barely. The nut extends through the bearing and barely covers the allen screws so you can get purchase into the nut. It would be nice to have that nut about a half inch longer. I do think this is a better bearing b/c I've read of a few people that have had trouble getting the locking ring off the nut trying to remove the bearing for service. I don't see that happening with this setup.



And Dave... your driving me crazy with the steering box comments... I'm going to have to come up with the money and pull everything all apart again sometime this spring... thanks alot. :{

Chuck

 

[Dave M]

And Dave... your driving me crazy with the steering box comments... I'm going to have to come up with the money and pull everything all apart again sometime this spring... thanks alot. :{

Chuck

Ah... I admit it... that comment was directed to you. :-laf I reached the point where I was tired of hearing how good the 3 turn box was so I caved in and got all the steering goodies at once from PSC and Boy am I glad I did. Get the box... you won't be sorry.



I hope the 2 allen nuts hold the shaft without getting loose. I'll see how it holds up.



Edit (3/1/07): I called PSC and found that the stabilizer I bought was not made by Solid Steel but instead was made by PSC. They look the same but are not. The TB bracket and Adj TB were Solid Steel products. Buyer beware!



Dave

 

[Threewolves]

Dave M,

Thanks for posting, I did my 3rd gen adj track bar last week. The DSS is suppose to be here tomarrow. I am glad you put the pictures up, because I would be asking the same questions. I want to get it on before I go to Montana this weekend. Paul

 

[RTessier]

Just to clarify, you did not purchase a Solid Steel Ind. Dodge Steering Stabilizer.



If your shaft/nut assembly is too short, and your bolts are too short, and the bearing does not have a separate locking collar, then someone has sold you a knock off of our DSS.



And by the pictures you posted I can guaruntee that is not our product.



Its too bad that when someone copies a design that they can't get it right.



If you were told that is a Solid Steel Industries DSS, then someone is lying to you. If you had purchased a genuine Solid Steel Ind product, you wouldn't have these problems.



Regards,

Russell Tessier

Solid Steel

www.solidsteel.biz

 

[Dave M]

Just to clarify, you did not purchase a Solid Steel Ind. Dodge Steering Stabilizer.



If your shaft/nut assembly is too short, and your bolts are too short, and the bearing does not have a separate locking collar, then someone has sold you a knock off of our DSS.



And by the pictures you posted I can guaruntee that is not our product.



Its too bad that when someone copies a design that they can't get it right.



If you were told that is a Solid Steel Industries DSS, then someone is lying to you. If you had purchased a genuine Solid Steel Ind product, you wouldn't have these problems.



Regards,

Russell Tessier

Solid Steel

www.solidsteel.biz

Huh... ... ... I did not realize there were other products similar to yours. I got mine from www.pscmotorsports.com. I looked again at their site and it does not mention Solid Steel in the descriptions for the Steering Stabilizer, 2003 TB bracket or 2003 adjustable track bar.



I've installed all them products last weekend along with the PSC box that all came from PSC. I just assumed they were Sollid Steel products. Did I get screwed!:{



Edit (3/1/07): I called PSC and found that the stabilizer I bought was not made by Solid Steel but instead was made by PSC. They look the same but are not. The TB bracket and Adj TB were Solid Steel products. Buyer beware!





Dave

 

[Jeff Knight]

Thats interesting!!!!!

 

[rotohead]

If your shaft/nut assembly is too short, and your bolts are too short, and ...

Regards,

Russell Tessier

Solid Steel

www.solidsteel.biz

Just to clarify, the shaft/nut assembly and bolts are too short ONLY if you're attempting to fit the DSS 'type' stabilizer over a front receiver hitch. I'm the one who posted that info not the OP'er. As for the lack of a locking collar on the PSC unit in place of the allen screws, as long as the allen screws are firmly anchoring into the extended nut (as it has on my unit for some time now) then I don't see what the drawback would be. As a matter of fact I see it as an advantage b/c I've read and heard of a few people that have had trouble removing the collar on the nut when trying to service or remove the unit for other reasons. Next week I'm planning on pulling it all off again to install the 3-turn PSC steering box (Thanks DaveM) and repair the vacuum/ps pump leak so I'm glad to not have to worry about a locking collar hanging up on me.

I don't feel that I've been screwed or duped in any way. The only thing that I can say is during installation reading the instructions from PSC it shows the locking collar type unit and if it bothered me I could've stopped there and returned the whole thing to PSC. I choose to continue and see how things went together and as I've said before I've had no problems, seems to work as advertised after 3-4k miles and some off road/heavy snow driving. Not trying to cause any problems but wanted to clarify what I had stated.

Chuck

 

[Dave M]

Just to clarify... ... ... ... ..... As a matter of fact I see it as an advantage b/c I've read and heard of a few people that have had trouble removing the collar on the nut when trying to service or remove the unit for other reasons. Next week I'm planning on pulling it all off again to install the 3-turn PSC steering box (Thanks DaveM) and repair the vacuum/ps pump leak so I'm glad to not have to worry about a locking collar hanging up on me... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . I don't feel that I've been screwed or duped in any way. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . Chuck

I guess you're right about the PSC type Steering Stabilizer being better but Solid Steel Ind. may not be happy about this clone. I was a little shocked to discover I had not bought the SS equipment that I wanted.



I'm glad to see you are bitting the bullet and getting the PSC box. :-laf It was a tremendous upgrade over the stock box. So... you can blame me for the big grin on your face when you first turn the wheel lock to lock. You will be thanking me for harassing you.



Oo. Oo. Oo.



Dave