I just replaced my stock steering stabilizer with a rancho rs5000 steering stabilizer using the original mounts. Dummy me forgot to pay attention to which way the original shock was facing before I installed the new one. Right now I have the dust boot on the passenger side mounted to the frame mount and the main tube end mounted to the linkage mount. Does it really matter which way this shock should be facing? I really dont think it really matters which way its mounted, dust boot over the piston mounted frame side or linkage side, its just a shock mounted horizontally right?

The axle shocks I replaced with rancho rs5000 and I know those must be mounted with the dust boot covering the piston mounted to the top shock mount and the gas tube mounted to the lower shock mount.

I figured since the axle shocks have the dust boot/piston mounted to a fixed point (the frame) and the gas tube mounted to a traveling mount (the axles) , that the stabilizer would be the same way in theory.

Looking for piece of mind here, any answers would be great.

 

I think you got it right, but i'll check mine when I go out in the morning and send a reply.

 

The dust boot/piston side mounts to the linkage. I don't think it matters, as the internal valving is probably the same on both side of the center point of the resivoir. The only thing I can think of is that I thought the mounting hole for the stud at the linkage was alot larger diameter than the frame mount...that would chew up the bushings pretty quick if so. I might be thinking of Cherokees tho as I work on probably a 10-1 Cherokee to Ram ratio.

 

I checked mine this morning, and the boot is facing the driver side. Hope that helps.

 

Correct. As your looking at the front of the truck, the shock will extend to the right. The tube will be on the passenger side and the boot will be on the drivers side. Either way i wouldn't imagine it would matter.

 

I didnt think that it would matter in either direction but from what was replied by all it seems I have is **** backwards. The original shock had the same size bolts for both mount holes. When I tried to installed the rancho rs5000 stabilizer, only one of the original bolts would not fit thru one of the new sleeves that fit in the eyelit of the shock. Thee kit gave me 2 new sleeves, both different sizes. The kit came with new hardware/bolts but those are to be used for ram trucks that have the cotterpin nut on the linkage. My 99 truck doesnt have that nut on the linkage. So I ended up using one of the original bolts and a thinner bolt from my bolt stash to fit in the new tighter sleeve. After a couple of washers and lock-washers it snugged up nicely. I will try to find a better/tighter fittign bolt from a hardware store as the final replacement, tho the original holes in the mount are the size of the original bolt so there will still be slop in that mount hole but only prior to me tightening everything up. I may just leave it as it is.

Thanx for the tips guys. This weekend the front shocks will be replaced with rancho rs5000 shocks to match the newly replaced rear rancho rs5000.