Henderson Super Steer Differential Brace Bracket

[DriVer]

In a continuing series of Chassis upgrade articles I would like to share with you this installation of a reinforcement bar that has been applied to the SS-302 Henderson Super Steer track Bar.


Henderson Super Steer Differential Brace Bracket Installed on W22 Chassis
(note the top of the Koni FSD shock toward the rear of the track bar)

The Henderson Super Steer Track Bar has been a great aftermarket device that you have seen me install on my motorhome some 3 years ago. The track bar has been there doing a good job and its been a remarkable addition to my chassis upgrade package.

The track bar provides an increased amount of stability to the rear of the motorhome while traveling down the highway. The force that is mitigated with the track bar can best be defined as yaw, in other words, fishtailing.

The forces that act on the chassis are generated by several sources and these forces are counteracted by the suspension to the degree that it can. An aero push for instance occurs when being passed by a large high speed vehicle or it can also be felt when the wind is striking the vehicle from the side.

The track bar or pan hard bar as its known in racing, tightens up the rear of the chassis and dampens the push that is generated on the side of the coach. There is nothing that we can do to eliminate an aero push on the side of a motorhome however what we can do is counteract the opposite push by the vehicle as it tries to recover from the external force by using a track bar.

As the external force acts in one direction the mass of the motorhome acts in the opposite direction to resist the force. The force is counteracted by the immobility of the track bar as it ties together the chassis rail to the differential housing.

Over time Henderson has seen where the forces that act on the bar have caused the vertical mounting plate's bolts that are attached to the right side of the differential housing to have become loose. The plate may become loose for a number of reasons one which may be improper tightening of the bolts that secure the riser plate to the differential housing. With the constant force counterforce moments acting through the bar a push pull on the bar may cause the fasteners to back off and this continued action on the track bar could stretch the holes in the differential housing.

A solution that fixes this problem is a Differential Brace Bracket that is positioned between the upper bolt of the track bar to an angular position on the top of the differential housing. The relationship between the upper attachment point and the tie in point on the differential form one of the strongest basic shapes that we know of, the triangle. Torquing the new replacement bolts and the checking the existing bolts in the riser plate completes the installation. As suggested use (red) Lock Tight

Prior to installing the brace bracket I just want to assure you that none of my fasteners backed off as they were found to have remained torqued to the setting that was applied when the track bar was installed.

The kit comes complete with the bar, replacement fasteners and instructions. The face of the differential where the bracket is attached to the top of the housing needs to be smoothed by filing or grinding so that the bar will have a smooth face on the rough casting. Torque all fasteners to the recommended values in the installation instructions.

[DriVer]

In a continuing series of Chassis upgrade articles I would like to share with you this installation of a reinforcement bar that has been applied to the SS-302 Henderson Super Steer track Bar.


Henderson Super Steer Differential Brace Bracket Installed on W22 Chassis
(note the top of the Koni FSD shock toward the rear of the track bar)

The Henderson Super Steer Track Bar has been a great aftermarket device that you have seen me install on my motorhome some 3 years ago. The track bar has been there doing a good job and its been a remarkable addition to my chassis upgrade package.

The track bar provides an increased amount of stability to the rear of the motorhome while traveling down the highway. The force that is mitigated with the track bar can best be defined as yaw, in other words, fishtailing.

The forces that act on the chassis are generated by several sources and these forces are counteracted by the suspension to the degree that it can. An aero push for instance occurs when being passed by a large high speed vehicle or it can also be felt when the wind is striking the vehicle from the side.

The track bar or pan hard bar as its known in racing, tightens up the rear of the chassis and dampens the push that is generated on the side of the coach. There is nothing that we can do to eliminate an aero push on the side of a motorhome however what we can do is counteract the opposite push by the vehicle as it tries to recover from the external force by using a track bar.

As the external force acts in one direction the mass of the motorhome acts in the opposite direction to resist the force. The force is counteracted by the immobility of the track bar as it ties together the chassis rail to the differential housing.

Over time Henderson has seen where the forces that act on the bar have caused the vertical mounting plate's bolts that are attached to the right side of the differential housing to have become loose. The plate may become loose for a number of reasons one which may be improper tightening of the bolts that secure the riser plate to the differential housing. With the constant force counterforce moments acting through the bar a push pull on the bar may cause the fasteners to back off and this continued action on the track bar could stretch the holes in the differential housing.

A solution that fixes this problem is a Differential Brace Bracket that is positioned between the upper bolt of the track bar to an angular position on the top of the differential housing. The relationship between the upper attachment point and the tie in point on the differential form one of the strongest basic shapes that we know of, the triangle. Torquing the new replacement bolts and the checking the existing bolts in the riser plate completes the installation. As suggested use (red) Lock Tight

Prior to installing the brace bracket I just want to assure you that none of my fasteners backed off as they were found to have remained torqued to the setting that was applied when the track bar was installed.

The kit comes complete with the bar, replacement fasteners and instructions. The face of the differential where the bracket is attached to the top of the housing needs to be smoothed by filing or grinding so that the bar will have a smooth face on the rough casting. Torque all fasteners to the recommended values in the installation instructions.

[YosemiteBobR]

So, the price and availablity of the addition? Do we get this right from Henderson or are there other places that handle this?

[olley]

I would class the original design as bad engineering practice, unless fitted bolts where used, which they clearly where not.

Bolts are best used in torsion, they are much less effective in countering side forces.

One of the competitor designs, bolts onto the rear spring which seems a better idea.

Olley

[abarkl]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by YosemiteBobR:
So, the price and availablity of the addition? Do we get this right from Henderson or are there other places that handle this? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I called their number 800-245-8309. I have the SS302 trac bar installed on the Workhorse W22, and they sent the additional bracket free of charge!
Jeff at Henderson's said they are having problems with the trac bar on some coaches, with tail wag causing the differntial side bolts to work loose.
It took me a total of 30 minutes to install.

[DriVer]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by olley:
I would class the original design as bad engineering practice, unless fitted bolts where used, which they clearly where not. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>olley, You can't claim that for certain unless you've installed the device on your coach. When the coach's weight is allowed to settle on the tires the bar is relatively horizontal to the pavement within reason. The provided hardware with the original bar is adequate to the task however I would probably have to agree with you about the clamping force. The bolts no doubt were never designed to absorb side loads. The reinforcement bar levels the playing field and should help the situation. I believe the Henderson SS-302 is a good design or so we have heard from numerous technical writers.

One of our sponsors that routinely posts here previously worked for Henderson's Lineup and I'm sure he can tell you more about the design mechanics.

The bar should be as horizontal as possible in order to render the greatest degree of control. In the picture I provided this is clearly not the case since the motorhome is up on its jacks. Tying in a track bar to a leaf spring is what I have on the front axle using the Davis Tru-Trak. Doing the same thing on the rear axle does not seem practical.

["007"]

Thanks DriVer as always your photo's and explainations of items sure make things more clear, I heared about the bar but wasn't sure I would need one, will call Joe and ask for one before I install my bar in the spring. "007"

[Paulin]

I e-mailed Hendersons a couple of months ago asking if I need this kit. The answer was yes and they sent the kit free of charge. Installed it when I had the shocks changed.

Paul

[olley]

Hi Driver my original point was that as designed, the attachment plate was liable to frett sideways, which appears to have been the case or they would not have brought out the mod.

I accept that sometimes it isn't possible to design in any other way. Engineering like life is full of compromises.

Olley

[Full-Timers]

Sure is nice that a company like Henderson can benefit from the shortcomings of a coach manufacturer.
I am glad Rexhall took care of the tail wag problem correctly so I don't have to resort to such devices. Rexhall built my 36-foot coach on a 242"� chassis and left the air conditioners on the top of the coach where they belong.

Henderson is doing a great job at engineering solutions for such shortcomings and stepping up to the plate when they find flaws in their own design.

[Outbumn]

Since we are talking about the SS-302, Before trading the Sightseer in, I took the SS-302 off. My question is will it fit on my new W24 chassis? The only problem I can see is with the exhaust pipe. On the W20 the exhaust exited in front of the rear wheels. ON this W24, the exhaust pipe goes over the differential and exits behind the drivers rear wheel.

Does anyone have this installed on their W24?

[DriVer]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Outbumn:
My question is will it fit on my new W24 chassis? .... ON this W24, the exhaust pipe goes over the differential and exits behind the drivers rear wheel. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Henderson makes 2 variants of the SS-302, the straight one that you and I have and then there's the 2 into 1 variant that's angled. The angled variant was designed to address the exhaust pipe going over the top of the differential housing.

Call Henderson and see if you can just buy the bar. You may also want to buy a new hardware (bolt kit) to re-mount the bar on the 24.

[Outbumn]

DriVer,

Thanks, I need to look at my bar again, I don't think I have the straight one. I put the original bolts back in when I took the unit off, so maybe all I have to get is the new brace.

Will keep the forum informed.

[DriVer]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Outbumn:
... so maybe all I have to get is the new brace. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Don't forget to ask for a new bolt kit. Rarely do you want to reuse bolts, s'better to buy new ones.