EMPI Billet Aluminum Steering Damper Mount, 2" Clamp-On | VW Beetle, Ghia, Dune Buggy & Sand Rail Beam (16-2044-0)

Mount a steering damper on any 2-inch beam tube, with no welding. The EMPI 16-2044-0 Billet Aluminum Steering Damper Mount clamps around the front axle beam tube and gives you a solid anchor for the beam end of a steering damper (steering stabilizer). It's the fix for custom and aluminum beams that were built without a damper tab, and a clean replacement when the original stamped-steel tab on a Beetle beam has rusted, cracked or been cut off.

EMPI designed it to go with its polished aluminum link pin beams for sand buggies, so you can run a stock-style steering damper on a beam that has no welded tab. It works just as well on steel beams, and as a general clamp-on mount for accessories on 2-inch tubing, frames and roll cages.

Vehicle Fitment

• Dune buggies and sand rails with a 2-inch-tube link pin, king pin or ball joint front beam
• EMPI aluminum link pin beams (with or without shock towers), which have no damper tab from the factory
• VW Type 1 Beetle with a beam front end (1949–1977, excluding Super Beetle MacPherson strut cars)
• VW Karmann Ghia 1956–1974
• VW Type 181 Thing 1973–1974
• Baja Bugs, Manx-style buggies and custom beams with 2-inch tubes

Check before you order: the clamp bore is 2.00 in. Measure the tube you plan to mount on. On a stock Beetle beam that still has its original damper tab, you'll need to position the damper to suit the new mount, and some fitting may be needed. This mount does not fit Super Beetle 1971–1979 strut suspension, which has no beam.

Features & Benefits

• Clamp-on installation. No welding, cutting or drilling on the beam.
• Billet aluminum, machined and polished. Won't rust like the original stamped-steel tab and looks right on a show buggy.
• Split-clamp design with socket head cap screws for an even, secure grip on the tube.
• Takes a standard steering damper, so you can use a stock replacement damper instead of a special buggy unit.
• Moveable. Slide it along the tube to line the damper up with the tie rod clamp and get the damper stroke centered.
• Multi-use. Also works as a mount for lights, brackets and accessories on 2-inch tubing.

Technical Specifications

Installation Tips

1. With the wheels pointed straight ahead, hold the damper against the tie rod clamp and find where the beam end needs to sit so the damper is at roughly mid-stroke.
2. Open the clamp and fit it around the beam tube at that spot.
3. Bolt the damper to the mount, then snug the clamp screws evenly.
4. Turn the steering lock to lock and check that the damper doesn't bottom out or hit anything. Adjust the mount position if it does.
5. Tighten the clamp screws fully and re-check them after the first drive.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a steering damper mount do?
It gives the beam end of the steering damper somewhere solid to bolt to. The other end attaches to the tie rod, and the damper soaks up shimmy and kickback between the two.

What size tube does it fit?
It has a 2.00-inch clamp bore, which suits standard VW-style beam tubes and 2-inch buggy and sand rail tubing.

Do I have to weld anything?
No. It clamps around the tube with socket head cap screws.

Will it work on EMPI's aluminum link pin beam?
Yes. EMPI recommends this mount when you want to run a stock steering damper on its polished aluminum link pin beam, which doesn't have a damper tab.

Can I use it on a stock Beetle beam?
Yes, on 1977-and-earlier beam front ends. It's a common repair when the original damper tab has rusted or broken off. Some fitting may be needed to line the damper up.

Does it fit a Super Beetle?
No. 1971–1979 Super Beetles use MacPherson strut front suspension and don't have a beam for this to clamp onto.

Is the steering damper included?
No, this is the mount only. It takes a standard steering damper, sold separately.

How many come in the package?
One mount.

WARNING: This product can expose you to chemicals which are known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov.