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Thread: Steering Stabilizer Rebuild: Any Pointers?

  1. #1
    Join Date
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    Metro Detroit, Michigan USA
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    Steering Stabilizer Rebuild: Any Pointers?

    Hello all,

    I have recently acquired an old steering stabilizer. It was removed from a first gen 200X but I believe the shock body is the same for most of the ATCs. Only the brackets were unique (I don't believe these brackets are correct for the 200X but they still work).

    Click image for larger version. 

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    Anway, does anyone have any experience rebuilding these shocks or have any pointers?

    Thanks!

    PS, I could have easily purchased a new shock and built my own brackets for a fraction of the price, but I enjoy messing with the period correct parts and think it's a worthwhile endeavor to restore the one I have. Too many things get thrown out these days.
    1985 Honda 200X

  2. #2
    jasong_10's Avatar
    jasong_10 is offline At The Back Of The Pack Arm chair racerAt the back of the pack
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    Steering stabilizer on an ATC . . .? Was this a factory Honda option, I've never heard of it, lol.
    Jason

    85 ATC 250R - restored stock other than 18" rears, nerf bars, Honda key switch, 14T front sprocket, and white tank and plastics (except rad shrouds)

    87 ATC 200X - restored stock other than 18" rears and nerf bars

    84 TRX 200 - rough but complete budget restore for wife and eventually daughters to bum around on

    Eton Viper 50cc - oldest daughter's current ride

  3. #3
    Join Date
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    Not a factory option that I am aware of. From what I have gathered here on the site is most of them are branded RAM Stabilizer and were literally a VW Beetle steering stabilizer. One bracket is mounted to the lower triple tree (fender bolts) and the other is bolted to the upper engine mount and head.

    Meant to help keep the front end true over whoops and I am interested in how effective it would be with roots in the trails where I ride. Mid-turn, they can unsettle the steering enough to send you right into a tree (ask me how I know lol).

    Here's a picture of one that is installed:
    Click image for larger version. 

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    Click image for larger version. 

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    1985 Honda 200X

  4. #4
    jasong_10's Avatar
    jasong_10 is offline At The Back Of The Pack Arm chair racerAt the back of the pack
    Join Date
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    Cool, I learned something today, lol.
    Jason

    85 ATC 250R - restored stock other than 18" rears, nerf bars, Honda key switch, 14T front sprocket, and white tank and plastics (except rad shrouds)

    87 ATC 200X - restored stock other than 18" rears and nerf bars

    84 TRX 200 - rough but complete budget restore for wife and eventually daughters to bum around on

    Eton Viper 50cc - oldest daughter's current ride

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2002
    Location
    Northeast
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    17,438
    Quote Originally Posted by jasong_10 View Post
    Steering stabilizer on an ATC . . .? Was this a factory Honda option, I've never heard of it, lol.
    These were HUGE back in the day. They were mounted on most of the popular models.

    You may want to reach out to Brian Ward, I haven't spoke to him in ages but he got the brackets made and sent me all the cylinders to thread the ends of them. I believe Rob at Wicked Metals was the guy who reproduced the brackets.

    If you search around you'll find pictures of what they had back in the day and you can modify it to work for whatever you have.

    Guys would keep their steering rake at an angle where it turned amazing, but they sacrificed straight line stability. By adding a steering damper they regained some of that stability and could still corner like they were on rails...
    All our government does is distract us while they steal from us, misspend our tax $ and ruin our country

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Oct 2002
    Location
    Northeast
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    17,438
    Quote Originally Posted by Jack G View Post
    Not a factory option that I am aware of. From what I have gathered here on the site is most of them are branded RAM Stabilizer and were literally a VW Beetle steering stabilizer. One bracket is mounted to the lower triple tree (fender bolts) and the other is bolted to the upper engine mount and head.

    Meant to help keep the front end true over whoops and I am interested in how effective it would be with roots in the trails where I ride. Mid-turn, they can unsettle the steering enough to send you right into a tree (ask me how I know lol).

    Here's a picture of one that is installed:
    Click image for larger version. 

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Size:	76.8 KB 
ID:	268586
    Click image for larger version. 

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ID:	268587
    That 2nd picture - That was a full on race trike!! Look at the size of the headpipe and the carburetor with radiator hose rather than the OEM flange mount.

    Those guys knew how to make a very fast 1st gen 200X...

    Yes, it was the Volkswagon cylinder but the ends had to be threaded 8mm x 1.25"s. I believe Brian sourced every one he could find at the time, that was about 4 years ago.
    All our government does is distract us while they steal from us, misspend our tax $ and ruin our country

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2018
    Location
    Metro Detroit, Michigan USA
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    78
    Thanks for all the info Dirtcrasher! It does seem that many of the brackets I've seen were of a homemade variety. Or at the very least, very low production.

    Here's the source for the second image with the yellow stabilizer. There are more pics of the stabilizer itself as well as the machine as a whole. It gets quite the restoration:

    http://www.shed-headz.com/Area51Page/Steves200x.htm

    Sent from my ONEPLUS A6003 using Tapatalk
    1985 Honda 200X

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