Friction Steering Damper Mystery, oh the suspense...

[t ingermanson]

I'm trying to put together a friction steering damper for my 88ss project and my collection of parts is coming up a bit shy of complete. I've only been able to find one exploded view in the spare parts list for '55 Dominators (plate JJ), and one pic of the kit sold by Norvil.

My parts pile has got just about everything short of part #75 in the drawing, and I'm wondering what that part does. The part is missing in the descriptions, of course.

It looks like the part sits under the star spring on the adjustment rod and bridges over to the threaded hole in the lower yoke. Is it just as simple as that it's threaded onto the adjustment rod and provides the spring pre-load, when the knob or wingnut is tightened? If that is the case, how does it anchor to the yoke and allow for some vertical movement for the adjustment? Just slides on a bolt with an unthreaded shoulder?

Does anyone have one they can provide a photo of? Is this part steel or aluminum?

The knob I've got has seen better days too. Does anyone have a wingnut they'd part with?

Thanks for the help,
Todd

 

[Burgs]

Hi Todd
Is this what you are looking for?

I was missing some parts also, had to make the spacer at the top under the wing nut, but bottom side was all there all be it a bit beat up.
There is a spring on the rod inside that bears between a nut and the inside of the big nut that the rod passes through, it stops the whole vibrating when the damper is slackened off.
The original top yoke nut was flat on my bike but the only ones I could buy are raised as per the latter 650SS, mine is 1963. I will get the original re-plated later and refit.

Burgs

 

[t ingermanson]

Hi Todd
Is this what you are looking for?

View attachment 10048

View attachment 10049

I was missing some parts also, had to make the spacer at the top under the wing nut, but bottom side was all there all be it a bit beat up.
There is a spring on the rod inside that bears between a nut and the inside of the big nut that the rod passes through, it stops the whole vibrating when the damper is slackened off.
The original top yoke nut was flat on my bike but the only ones I could buy are raised as per the latter 650SS, mine is 1963. I will get the original re-plated later and refit.

Burgs

YES! Perfect.

Looks like it does what I thought it does.

Thanks for the photos and the explanation.

Cheers!

 

[Burgs]

Hi Todd
No problem I did forget to mention there is a spacer between the reaction arm and the gusset between the front down tubes, you will realize this when you go to fit it up if you haven't got it.
I fitted the whole assembly then measured the gap and machined one out of SS, it has a spigot on it to fit the hole in the reaction arm, bolt is 1/4", the spigot needs to be a snug fit in the reaction arm so there is no slack in the steering, if there is slack it will show up when you move the handlebars, ie no dampening then dampening which is not good.

Burgs

 

[t ingermanson]

Hi Todd
No problem I did forget to mention there is a spacer between the reaction arm and the gusset between the front down tubes, you will realize this when you go to fit it up if you haven't got it.
I fitted the whole assembly then measured the gap and machined one out of SS, it has a spigot on it to fit the hole in the reaction arm, bolt is 1/4", the spigot needs to be a snug fit in the reaction arm so there is no slack in the steering, if there is slack it will show up when you move the handlebars, ie no dampening then dampening which is not good.

Burgs

Thanks. There seems to be no shortage of lathe projects when building one of these.

 

[Burgs]

hi Todd
Yes Lathe and Mill both good options, luckily for me I have a CNC workshop, but finding free time for my bike projects is hard.

Best Regards
Burgs

 

[madass140]