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  #1  
Old 05-28-2015, 08:56 AM
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Steering Damper differences?

Hello, the Steering Damper on my 124 is buggered, I have a spare new one from a 123 I had lying around, but looking online and checking against several manufacturers, it seems they're different parts- but main dimensions/stroke etc appear exactly the same.

Can anyone tell me the difference and if they're interchangeable?

I can only assume that perhaps for later models they're heavier-duty perhaps?

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1993 320TE M104
---------------------------------------------------
past:

1983 230E W123 M102
1994 E300D S124 OM606 (x2)
1967 250SE W108 M129
1972 280se 3.5 W108 M116
1980 280SE W116 M110
1980 350SE W116 M116
1992 300E W124 M103
1994 E280 W124 M104
----------------------------------------------
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  #2  
Old 05-28-2015, 11:11 AM
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I looked in the FSM but couldn't find a chapter with a procedure for checking the steering damper - there's one for shock absorbers and so I kind of expected the same treatment for this damper. Ideally I wanted to find the friction force.

In the end I had to opt for the cocking Febi (of all bloody places) web site!

It looks like the W124 dampers have a greater resistance =>

W123:



W124:



{It looks like google translate did the English version of these pages - Das "exhaust phase" is der friction force}
Attached Thumbnails
Steering Damper differences?-w123-febi-steering-damper-specs.jpg   Steering Damper differences?-w124-febi-steering-damper-specs.jpg  
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1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
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  #3  
Old 05-28-2015, 11:21 AM
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Ah, well done... I could only find the friction force for the W124 one online. It should be stiffer then... missus.
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1993 320TE M104
---------------------------------------------------
past:

1983 230E W123 M102
1994 E300D S124 OM606 (x2)
1967 250SE W108 M129
1972 280se 3.5 W108 M116
1980 280SE W116 M110
1980 350SE W116 M116
1992 300E W124 M103
1994 E280 W124 M104
----------------------------------------------
"music and women I cannot but give way to, whatever my business" -Pepys
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  #4  
Old 05-28-2015, 11:22 AM
Stretch's Avatar
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oooo er...
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1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!
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  #5  
Old 05-28-2015, 11:38 AM
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I removed My Steering Damper on My W123 to degrease it but had to drive the Car before I put it back on. What I found out is not having it on made steering in slow speed tight turns (backing out of My Drive way every morning) slighly easier and when I took it on the Freeway there was no change at all.

So I never put it back on and in fact it is buried someplace now unknown in My Garage.

Perhaps the Steering Damper makes a difference at max speed on the Autobahn or when you are driving over the Cobblestones that they still had in the Towns when I was in German.
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Old 05-28-2015, 11:43 AM
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I've heard some people saying they felt no difference, but I've cured a couple of cars that felt loose with new dampers, so I'm a fan of keeping it... plus they're cheap
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1993 320TE M104
---------------------------------------------------
past:

1983 230E W123 M102
1994 E300D S124 OM606 (x2)
1967 250SE W108 M129
1972 280se 3.5 W108 M116
1980 280SE W116 M110
1980 350SE W116 M116
1992 300E W124 M103
1994 E280 W124 M104
----------------------------------------------
"music and women I cannot but give way to, whatever my business" -Pepys
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  #7  
Old 05-28-2015, 01:36 PM
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I've been driving my w201 and w124 without the steering damper for years. Steering effort at low speed is reduced and the wheel self centers faster. The difference is very noticible in both cars and its for the better.
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Old 05-28-2015, 03:10 PM
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I have never owned a Mercedes with the steering shock in place. And I have had seven.
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  #9  
Old 05-28-2015, 03:10 PM
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All other cars I have owned or seen do not have a steering damper, and I know of no basic difference in the steering setup for our M-B cars that would require one. You do see them on rock crawlers, but we don't go there. The damper kind of worries me that it could jam and lock the steering. That said, I replaced one because a new one was only ~$10.
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Old 05-28-2015, 08:36 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tjts1 View Post
I've been driving my w201 and w124 without the steering damper for years. Steering effort at low speed is reduced and the wheel self centers faster. The difference is very noticible in both cars and its for the better.
Does that mean the steering damper is what keeps our cars from having the easy, numb, pinky controllable steering typical of American land barges of the same era?
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  #11  
Old 05-28-2015, 08:52 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by H-townbenzoboy View Post
Does that mean the steering damper is what keeps our cars from having the easy, numb, pinky controllable steering typical of American land barges of the same era?
Its what hides any hint of road feel and keeps the steering wheel from self centering like any modern car.
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  #12  
Old 05-28-2015, 11:37 PM
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My thought was that a Person could drive without the Steering Damper and see if it makes a dfference or not and from there diecide if they want to buy or otherwise aquire one.
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  #13  
Old 05-29-2015, 04:14 AM
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I had major speed wobble issues with my car that got fixed with the replacement of the steering damper...I shudder to think what could happen without it installed (pun intended )
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  #14  
Old 05-29-2015, 04:33 AM
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I have never driven without the damper but I have replaced them before and it made the steering feel much tighter. It is only $30 so why not? I feel like you may put more wear on the steering system if it is not installed. If you felt little difference with it out, it was probably already worn out.
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  #15  
Old 05-29-2015, 11:48 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NZScott View Post
I had major speed wobble issues with my car that got fixed with the replacement of the steering damper...I shudder to think what could happen without it installed (pun intended )
The question there is if the Steering Damper is covering up some other issue.

I have been driving mine with out the Steering Damper for 7 Years now and I have no wobble. But, I also have a good set of lower Ball Joints, Tie Rods Joints and I replaced the Upper Control Arms and the Lower Control Arm Bushings.
The replacements were due to the Lower Control Arm Bushings rotting out wheel tilit that was ate up tires in 3 days of use. I also found on Upper Control Arm Ball Joint shot. But, with all of that I had no wheel wobble.

At one time I had a lot of Steering Wheel Play but adjusting it took care of that.

I suppose it could also be the Roads themself. Southren CA has decent Roads and no Winter to cause Road Damage and they are generally kept repaired.

Latey the City tore up the Road in front of My House and did a rather poor repair but that is the exception to the Rule. The Water Dept dug the length of whole blocks and is apprenly not very skilled at road repair.

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