[s-cars] steering damper - VW Fox Application

[Wayne Dohnal]

>I believe many have gone to a VW Fox steering damper.  It is on my to-do
>list that is getting ever longer.  The part number I have documented is 305
>425 021 2.  Scott Mockry(sp?) has them for $25.  Perhaps somebody who has
>installed this can chime in.
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>Perhaps a silly question, but I'll ask it anyway... how do you know if you
need a new Steering Damper?
>what are the signs or procedure to indentify if  the Steering Damper is on
it's way out...
>at $25 that's a great price if it fits the job and improves steering...
assuming the old tired unit needs replacing
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In my case I replaced the steering damper because it was generating a
maddening rattle.  Unfortunately I was totally convinced that the rattle was
somewhere under the dashboard and had spent at least a year disassembling
everything under there trying to fix it.  I used the VW damper, but only
after some careful measurements.  The VW unit does not compress quite as far
as the OEM unit, and it also does not extend quite as far.  In my car, at
least, the range of movement in both directions was barely enough to not
restrict the steering gear limits.  When you replace the damper be sure to
note the warning in the Bentley about the locking tab under the bolt that
connects to the rack.  If the bolt were to fall it would jam the steering.
Hans or somebody else slipped up on my car because the tab had never been
bent over as it should have been.  This is a not-too-bright design.

My old damper was totally worn out and offered  little or no resistance to
movement.  The car has about 145K miles at the time.  I don't really notice
any difference in the steering, but the rattle is gone, and that is sweet.
(Of course now I just notice the next-loudest rattle that was masked by the
steering damper rattle).

Wayne Dohnal
1994 S4