Steering stabilizer centering

[CopperBronco]

Installing new stabilizer brackets on my Bronco… just to check…

Take full compressed stabilizer, then fully extended stabilizer, find the center of travel.

Then attach stabilizer to drag link, then take other frame bracket and align to middle of travel or the stabilizer to mount it in the right position? This is assuming steering wheel, etc… are centered.

I did also try turning my wheels all the way left and all the way right and trying to see if bracket would fit, but appears my new stabilizer from Tom’s doesn’t fully support my 6 turn steering box… so might lose a little turn radius if I don’t replace with longer stabilizer. Am I thinking this through correctly? Photos attached showing fully turned to left and stabilizer extended, and then fully turned to the right and compressed. You can tell by position that fully extended doesn’t reach the fully compressed… meaning stabilizer is too short, correct?

Also ignore that L bracket hanging down from old stabilizer, will cut it off.

One other potential problem, where the frame bracket will get drilled in with beefy self tapping screws, there is already a larger hole drilled. I’m assuming the only way to fix is to weld shut? Or the cheap-o solution is to fudge bracket over, or only attach with one screw? Or drill another hole in frame bracket… curious what any of you would recommend?

Also would accept loss of turning radius or get a longer stabilizer?

Thanks!

 

[.94 OR]

I'll be curious to see what you come up with. I attempted to install the same stabilizer and it would limit my turn radius. I pulled it off and remeasured like you are doing and determined the frame bracket needed to be over a little bit so I built a new bracket to use the existing holes. Still doesn't work correctly so I shelved it for now. It appears I am not able to post pictures at the moment.

 

[CopperBronco]

Duff says you need to buy theirs if yours doesn’t travel all the way. I’m guessing their extended length is longer than Toms.

 

[CopperBronco]

I just measured, Toms had 3” less of travel than Duffs, so bought there’s, gives a full 8” of travel and should mean I don’t over extend stabilizer. They say with their new Heim steer you don’t need stabilizer, but I guess I’m too untrusting of my old beast to not put one on.