Cool article on the Ram "Built in the Neck" steering stabilizer.

[bkm]

BWard, Dimitris, and Buster Brown all provided me with this cool article in case anyone was wondering how the Ram built in steering stabilzer worked. I would love to try and replicate this, but something tells me this will be one tall task to perform.

218628

[onformula1]

Thank you guys, thanks for posting bkm, I have been looking for info for years.

I love the nostalgic look of the RAM.

[bkm]

I wonder if anyone has taken one of these apart and taken pictures of the internals. I'd love to know what kind of seals the pison used, how the damper adjustment actually worked, etc.

Formula: You're a shock guy, how do you think they set up the dampening adjustment inside the stem? Do you think the stem was replaced with a hollow shaft, or the oem shaft was modified and the damper installed? I know some rear shocks have a dampening adjustment on the bottom of the main shaft, do you think this is similar?

[onformula1]

LOL, I have been studying that picture for hours and I mean hours, last night I gave myself a migraine!

I have parts mocked up all over the place.

This may change later, but it really is nothing like a shock other than they restricted a orifice that the fluid flows though to make the damping softer or firmer.

I think the viscosity of the fluid can be changed to reset the the standard settings. Most stabilizers use 2.5WT to 5WT fluid and I have rebuilt and modified many brands.

If it used 5WT, use could go to 2.5WT for a softer feel or 7-7.5WT for a firmer feel, starting over with the compression adjuster each time.

It is not gas backed on the fluid so a shock type seal would not seal for sure, I think they used a rubber or Viton double lip seal like a fork uses, but smaller in size, one on the top and one on the bottom.

I am guessing but they are probably SAE size do to more options and many American machists change over just like American made shocks.

I think the stabilizer tube is the steering stem, you can see a bottom bolt that threads though the bottom triple clamp, at the top I can't tell if it uses a inverted, hollowed out bolt or if the body is threaded and it uses a nut. My guess is the later.

It is not a shim, check valve or vain type system it uses a worm gear and piston for resistance and a rear shock rebound type system for adjustment.

Key note in the article is you had to give them the triple clamps and your frame. I think to replace the whole stem with a press, but you had to locate the hole that was drilled though the steering head to be out of the way, most likely different for each model and brand of trike then weld a machined round tab on the frame where the bolt would clamp down.

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[onformula1]

I think they must have made a few diameters and lenght of stem housings for different models.

What is interesting is the roller bearings are internal and internally fluid bathed. I like that a lot, no more rust or grime.

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[El Camexican]

$500 in the mid 80's? Ouch! that would be like $2,500 today? Plus shipping the frame? Makes a removable Scotts look like a heck of a bargain. Still, very cool. I wonder how many folks stepped up and bought one?

Seems simple enough. It looks like you turn the bars one way and the piston runs up or down (depending which way you turned) on the worm gear compressing the oil. The adjustable bleeder screw determines how fast or slow the damping effect is. When you turn the bars back, or the other way the piston compresses the opposite side of the. Or am I missing something else? They only show oil on one side of the piston, but I'm assuming both sides are wet.

[big specht]

I can't see where that was a hot seller. Way to complex and permanent for the average joe. But a really neat idea

[bkm]

I'm having a 86-87 neck shipped out to me this weekend and have access to a lathe and mill. Lets get something done lol

[onformula1]

$500 in the mid 80's? Ouch! that would be like $2,500 today? Plus shipping the frame? Makes a removable Scotts look like a heck of a bargain. Still, very cool. I wonder how many folks stepped up and bought one?

Seems simple enough. It looks like you turn the bars one way and the piston runs up or down (depending which way you turned) on the worm gear compressing the oil. The adjustable bleeder screw determines how fast or slow the damping effect is. When you turn the bars back, or the other way the piston compresses the opposite side of the. Or am I missing something else?
You got it, I was just going to type that but tapatalk will only let me type so many words at a time...lol

Sent from my SM-G386T1 using Tapatalk

[El Camexican]

I'm having a 86-87 neck shipped out to me this weekend and have access to a lathe and mill. Lets get something done lol

My suggestion would be to just buy beer and stare at the neck and the article if you really want to enjoy the weekend;)

[El Camexican]

You got it, I was just going to type that but tapatalk will only let me type so many words at a time...lol

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I also edited twice after I posted:lol: I think the oil showing on only one side is confusing.

[onformula1]

I had to change from nut to bolt or how would you get it though the neck, brain fart

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[bkm]

My suggestion would be to just buy beer and stare at the neck and the article if you really want to enjoy the weekend;)

I showed this to my Machinest buddy and he said basically the same thing.

[El Camexican]

I would guess that there are holes in the adjuster tube that line up with holes in a larger tube it fits in (threaded at one or more points) If so you would raise or lower it to align or close off the holes to set the damping speed. I don't know, that beer is sounding pretty good right now though.

[onformula1]

I'm having a 86-87 neck shipped out to me this weekend and have access to a lathe and mill. Lets get something done lol
I truly don't think they ever used the stock steering stem.

Way to small, but the neck is much larger on the ID, plus the fact it bolts from the top and bottom.

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[El Camexican]

I showed this to my Machinest buddy and he said basically the same thing.

Smart guy. If he tells you to just get a Scotts when the beer runs out he may be a genius!

[El Camexican]

I had to change from nut to bolt or how would you get it though the neck, brain fart

Sent from my SM-G386T1 using Tapatalk

Could they have just bored out the stock neck to suit the piston? Seems like a stretch as they are thin and often bashed to hell from putting the serial #'s on. I vote with you that they changed the entire neck.

[bkm]

Smart guy. If he tells you to just get a Scotts when the beer runs out he may be a genius!

I prefer the path of least resistance, but the Jackie Meadows clone I'm building used this stabilizer. I've already conceded that this part of the build will probably have to just be skipped, but I at least want to give it a college try.

[El Camexican]

I prefer the path of least resistance, but the Jackie Meadows clone I'm building used this stabilizer. I've already conceded that this part of the build will probably have to just be skipped, but I at least want to give it a college try.

Put the knob on top of the stem with JB Weld, weld a bolt to the neck and tell everyone it has one inside, but it is perfectly adjusted, so don't touch it!:naughty:

[bkm]

Could they have just bored out the stock neck to suit the piston? Seems like a stretch as they are thin and often bashed to hell from putting the serial #'s on. I vote with you that they changed the entire neck.I don't see them cutting the VIN numbers off of customers bikes, but stranger things may have happened???

[onformula1]

The stock stem has what about a 14mm hole? Or close.

The od of the roller bearings is much larger and the are contained inside the unit.... can't happen.

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[bkm]

Put the knob on top of the stem with JB Weld, weld a bolt to the neck and tell everyone it has one inside, but it is perfectly adjusted, so don't touch it!:naughty:

Great minds think alike

[onformula1]

It really is a simple design, the toughest part would be maching the worm drive in the shaft and piston and threading the body and top and bottom end caps, you're not doing that with a tap and die and turning threads on a lathe is a ton of fun!

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[bkm]

http://www.3wheelerworld.com/showthread.php/166012-Team-White-1986-Tecate-WOW!?highlight=team+white+tecate

The first pic in this thread is one on a Tecate. This one has two external bolt stops, I wonder if there is some sort of dual piston design? Looks like a stock neck to me though.

[bkm]

It really is a simple design, the toughest part would be maching the worm drive in the shaft and piston and threading the body and top and bottom end caps, you're not doing that with a tap and die and turning threads on a lathe is a ton of fun!

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You can buy hollow worm gears to slide onto the stem and machine out the center of the piston to accept a helical gear insert. There would be much trial and error with a project like this and only a drawing without specs to go off of.

[onformula1]

I hear ya, I just know the tolerances must be tight or the fluid will blow by the gears too much making the damping from the piston ineffective and removing the bleed effect from the adjuster.

I think the shaft is one piece with the worm machined into it, but it doesn't have to be that way if the gear is pressed on and tigged on both ends it would be fine.

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[onformula1]

If you could find the other side of the worm gear it could be easily machined and pressed into the piston and welded too.

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[onformula1]

http://www.3wheelerworld.com/showthread.php/166012-Team-White-1986-Tecate-WOW!?highlight=team+white+tecate

The first pic in this thread is one on a Tecate. This one has two external bolt stops, I wonder if there is some sort of dual piston design? Looks like a stock neck to me though.
I absolutely think it is a stock neck, I don't think it uses the stock stem, I also think everything is contained in a unit that goes inside the stock neck.

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[bkm]

All good stuff fellas. I know I'm making this sound way easier than it actually is. Why couldn't Team Kawasaki of just used the cylinder type and made my life easier. Lol

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[bkm]

I absolutely think it is a stock neck, I don't think it uses the stock stem, I also think everything is contained in a unit that goes inside the stock neck.

Sent from my SM-G386T1 using Tapatalk
Like a sleeved insert?

[onformula1]

Yes, a self contained hydraulic unit that slides in after you remove the old bearing races, then the bottom triple clamp goes on and is bolted from the bottom like the picture, then the top triple clamp goes on and was the nut at the top, drill a hole though the stock neck, weld on a tab and bolt it down.

I don't think the stock neck is even shown in that picture.

It would be difficult to use the stock neck as the outer canister, they are not square, not machined and don't have the ability to seal a piston band or seals, plus the stock welds are not great and some frames have hole in them going into the upper top tube or lower down tube.


Just my 3 scents...lol

I want one!

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[bkm]

I wish NWrider would chime in and tell us how his was on that tecate. I'm sure he had his apart when the frame was getting powder coated.

[nstyle73]

Patience grasshopper. Dmitri has NWriders bike now, but maybe he took some pics before assembly.

[bkm]

I know there are a few out there and if anyone has had one apart it would of been NWrider. Terry Hillen has Mendenhall's old bike, but he's never had it apart. Hopefully NWrider took some pics while his was apart. I sent him a pm asking about it.

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[barnett468]

http://www.3wheelerworld.com/showthread.php/166012-Team-White-1986-Tecate-WOW!?highlight=team+white+tecate

The first pic in this thread is one on a Tecate. This one has two external bolt stops, I wonder if there is some sort of dual piston design? Looks like a stock neck to me though.

This bike has a stock frame and the steering head is stock as you thought . . Also, there was no such thing as a "works" Tecate frame as the owner claims.

It is not a dual piston design.

[bkm]

What do you think the top "stop" screw was for? The article only shows one.

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[onformula1]

What do you think the top "stop" screw was for? The article only shows one.

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Thanks, another wrench in this mystery. :lol:

I don't think its for a second piston due to room available and not being needed.

The bolt looks shorter in length.

I don't think it's a range of motion adjustment.

So I guess-
Fluid fill/bleed or fluid replacement port or they had a issue and changed to double mounting points.

[bkm]

Big thanks to NWrider for getting back with me so quickly. He provided pics of his but said this was as far down as he had it. http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/07/18/30aa3c1aae22172c1a519c03f55d82e2.jpghttp://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/07/18/213d5133be22d6d3e2b777992e1b0e73.jpghttp://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/07/18/cde8bbe863a38f8ec113861711e5eab5.jpghttp://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/07/18/1c64f4e1867e25e2979ac6b11e178812.jpghttp://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/07/18/ec2203f1f4cd849063835fb27c3a9e3a.jpghttp://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/07/18/2d2c37c1b8cebd8ab588ed1429116623.jpghttp://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/07/18/a7e739de6141bc033de9b671aeeb1742.jpg

[bkm]

http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/07/18/f35436261b1d1e5121d85edac7a805bd.jpghttp://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/07/18/d69b96e19b08153edfb7b4bd06fd877f.jpghttp://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/07/18/e490cf476250f37db609f37dd53ef58c.jpg

[bkm]

I doesn't look like the Kawasaki stabilizer was an oil bath bearing setup. I'm guessing a steel sleeve held the piston and was sealed on top and bottom. Then a steel shim went on top and a snap ring under the bearing races held it in place. He said the top bolt was a fill hole for the fluid.

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[onformula1]

Wow there are many things differently then the magazine article.

I think the article is the newer set up. They may have just improved it and made it easier for a company like White Bros. to install.

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[bkm]

Well where's the protoype? It's been almost 5 hours. lol

I'l have to look at my stock stem when I get home, but it looks like they just cut the worm gears into the stock stem. What I don't understand is where the fluid holes are. They look to both be above the piston and I'm curious as to how the dampening works and how it is secured inside the stem?

[barnett468]

Well where's the protoype? It's been almost 5 hours. lol

I'l have to look at my stock stem when I get home, but it looks like they just cut the worm gears into the stock stem. What I don't understand is where the fluid holes are. They look to both be above the piston and I'm curious as to how the dampening works and how it is secured inside the stem?

I just took a quick look now that I am on a regular computer and can see things better, and it likely works as described below, or at least the following will work.

El Camexican had it pretty much figuered out in his first post.

the piston likely has a seal on the outside and the inside which is on the top of the piston . . the outer seals against the stem or sleeve . . the inner seals against the smooth part of the shaft.

the upper hole in the steering stem is above where the piston would stop at its upper most position.

the lower hole is below where the seal on the top of the piston would stop at its lowest position.

the oil fill hole is above the upper hole in the steering stem.

the adjustment rod has to be threaded just below the knob and is likely coarse threads . . there would be an 0 ring probably at least 3/6" below the threads which seals against the inside of the stem.

the rod extends just below the upper hole in the stem.

just below the upper hole, the stem either narrows so there can be a seat machined into it like a tapered hole for the end of the rod to go into . . the hole might also remain the same size and a brass seat cold be pressed in stopping at the correct elevation.

either way, the hole in the stem continues down to the lower hole where it stops . . the lower hole could also be located below the worm gear splines on the stem.

the rod could have a tapered end with a fairly steep taper so it would have a fairly wide range of adjustment over a narrow rotation of the adjustment knob.

the single biggest problem i see with the setup i described, is that there should be no air in the system, otherwise there would be some degree of rotation on the bars where there would be no damping.

[barnett468]

.

Like a sleeved insert?

it could have a sleeve or "sealed unit assy", however, one problem with a sealed unit assy, is that the steering neck has two holes in it. . . One for the bolt that locates the piston and one to fill the unit with . . Both of these would need to go thru the sleeve or body of the sealed unit, and unless the steering head was machined and the sealed unit was a press fit, it could leak/weep between the sealed unit body and steering stem . . I’m not saying it isn’t a sealed unit, just that it would have this issue that would need to be addressed.

[El Camexican]

So looking at this thing torn down it would seem that maybe the threaded female section is held in place only by one of the bolts in the steering tube? You would have to install the female section onto the lower triple tree before you push it into the steering head and then secure it from turning with the horizontal bolt that passes through the frame but still allow it to move up and down inside the steering head with the bars as they turn? I guessing that's how it works because it would be impossible to spin the lower tree into the inner tube as it would hit the frame.

Good news is you seem to have found someone willing to share photos. It might also help if you have some compromising photos of that machinist buddy of yours;)

[bkm]

The more I look at it the more I'm confused and convinced it's a pipe dream. I think if you removed the lock bolt on the side you could just push the lower tree up into the piston letting it spin until the lower tree was seated, then install the lock bolt?

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[barnett468]

So looking at this thing torn down it would seem that maybe the threaded female section is held in place only by one of the bolts in the steering tube? You would have to install the female section onto the lower triple tree before you push it into the steering head and then secure it from turning with the horizontal bolt that passes through the frame but still allow it to move up and down inside the steering head with the bars as they turn? I guessing that's how it works because it would be impossible to spin the lower tree into the inner tube as it would hit the frame.

Good news is you seem to have found someone willing to share photos. It might also help if you have some compromising photos of that machinist buddy of yours;)

I didn't have a chance to look at it too long but because the stem is on his lower tripple tree before it was polished, it appears as though he just took the top stuff off then undid the piston locating bolt then pulled down on the stem . . the piston should easily unthread/unscrew itself . . this is why it was still in the steering head after he removed the lower tripple tree.

the reverse process could be used to reinstall it . . just push up on the tripple tree and rotate it a little back and forth to get it to engage the splines on the piston then just push up and the piston will self thread back on . . this is not much different than installing a distributor in a car.

the seal on the top of the piston should easily rotate in the tube also so it shouldn't prevent the piston from rotating.

i think there are only two open splines in the ends of the piston so you have a 50/50 chance of installing it so the vertical locating, or anti rotation slot in the side of the piston will be on the correct side of the forks.

once the lower tree is installed, you could rotate the piston in one direction by turning the lower tree in the appropriate direction if the piston is at the bottom of the stem, or you can rotate it the other direction by pushing down on it with a screwdriver from the top if it is near the top of the stem.

...or simply email xrider again and ask him how the heck he installed it.

[barnett468]

.

The more I look at it the more I'm confused and convinced it's a pipe dream. I think if you removed the lock bolt on the side you could just push the lower tree up into the piston letting it spin until the lower tree was seated, then install the lock bolt?

sorry, i didn't see your post because i was typing in the box while you made it, but my post above is my initial guess which is the same as yours.

[Billy Golightly]

I've got to really study this thing, because I always thought it was just a disc acting like a piston that rode on the helical cut splines of the stem, that had oil on either side, and it just moved up and down those splines as the bars were turned and compressed the oil either direction.


Clearly I was underthinking it :lol:

[El Camexican]

I’m going to take one more shot at this. No offence to anyone who had it figured out already, I have attention span issues, so when someone like Barnett posts a novel of facts I have trouble holding it all in my head from start to finish even though all the answers might be in it, so I need to type this out to get it clear in my mind.

Steering Head: Stock head tube is machined to accept roller bearing races higher from the bottom than normal and lower than normal at the top. Above and below both it are oil seals installed in the stem which fit into something that looks like what would have held the stock bearing races. The adjuster and jamb nut seem to be located below the oil seal at the top, so adjustment would be a little messier than normal if it is ever required.

Steering Stem: Worm gear on the exterior and hollow to at least the top of the threads with internal fine thread for the adjustment rod that is exposed on the top of the assembly. There are two (or perhaps four if they are drilled through) holes in the steering stem that act as bleeders when opened or restricted by the adjustable damper rod which threads into the piston.

Piston: Lower section threaded to suit steering stem. It has a seal at the top that fits over the stem and a void beneath the seal as well as a ring, or seal at the top. The upper bleed hole is above the seal and the lower bleed hole is inside a void in the piston located below the seal which the lower of the two bleeder holes is exposed. I would not be surprised if the piston was bolted together from two separate parts.

Inside the original steering stem there is a machined sleeve with a threaded locating hole in it that acts as a cylinder for the piston to move on. It is roughly located by the c-clip in the stock stem that you can see in one of the photos and although it is likely a little loose inside the steering head at first, the piston locating bolt holds it in position. Even if it does flex a little all that matters is that the piston is still sealing inside it. If the bolt breaks the c clip keeps the cylinder it in place so your steering doesn't lock up.

To assemble and install you would put the oil seal on the bottom of the stem, then the roller bearing and then thread the piston assembly onto the stem and set it as close to between the bleeder holes as possible, likely with a predetermined reference measurement and then slide the sleeve over the piston. Then align the slot for the locating bolt and push it up into the steering head which already has the relocated bearing race in it. The c clip at the top acts as a stop for this as it needs to be drilled while assembled when it is being manufactured. It is unlikely one unit would just bolt into another frame with the same mod.

Put the locating bolt in with a copper washer and install the upper roller bearing, adjust then install the oil seal and upper tree clamp.

Lube and install the o-rings on the damper rod and thread it into the piston. Lay the frame on its side with the oil filler oil facing up and fill with light weight oil. Turn frame upright, set damper rod to the position of least resistance and work the assembly back and forth until all the air has gone to the top chamber.

Turn the frame back on its side and top up the oil. Repeat until all air is removed. Should further damping be desired change oil to a heavier weight.

That’s my best (and final) guess. For the record I still think you’re a nut that not even a rabid squirrel would touch if you try to build one of these.


PS. I occurred to me that if it was ever patented the office might have a concept drawing with some basic information of its workings if you can get a patent # off one of the assemblies to look it up.

[barnett468]

.

I have attention span issues...

Me too, that's why my posts are so short.




...when someone like Barnett posts a novel of facts...

Hey your post is longer than mine . . my post is only 10 lines . . there's more than that on the warning label for viiagra [or so I heard] . . You should be happy this isn't an oil thread....oh, wait, it does use oil...I'll be back in a minute.


. . OMG!

http://www.picgifs.com/graphics/l/laughing/graphics-laughing-867787.gif

[El Camexican]

.


Me too, that's why my posts are so short.





Hey your post is longer than mine . . my post is only 10 lines . . there's more than that on the warning label for viiagra [or so I heard] . . You should be happy this isn't an oil thread....oh, wait, it does use oil...I'll be back in a minute.


. . OMG!

http://www.picgifs.com/graphics/l/laughing/graphics-laughing-867787.gif

I agree, mine is longer than yours... and so was my post. :lol: Seriously, if I don't type out what's in my head so I can go back and look at it I forget what I was thinking at the onset of an epiphany and then by the time I figure out how to solve it I don't remember what the problem was. School is not a happy memory of my childhood, aside from the long rides on the short bus.

[barnett468]

.

School is not a happy memory of my childhood, aside from the long rides on the short bus.

Hey…at least you have a memory . . If I remember correctly, I can’t remember what I did an hour ago.



I agree, mine is longer than yours...

That’s not what your goat told me.


. Holy crap!

http://www.picgifs.com/graphics/l/laughing/graphics-laughing-867787.gif

[barnett468]

.
Hydraulics are fairly simple to understand once one knows the basics, and they’re not that hard to learn . . I certainly don’t know everything about hydraulics but I was changing fork damping on my, and some other peoples race bikes back in 1975, and have worked a bit with hydraulics since then.

The difficulty is, the more things you try to get them to do, like operate an automatic transmission, the more complicated it becomes . . The new concepts engineer at Kawi was working on the design for a new 4 wheel drive vehicle which I was helping him with in my spare time, and it still wasn’t finished by the time I left Kawi 3 months later.

The bulk modulus/density of a liquid, determines its compressibility . . Water is basically not compressible . . Oil is slightly compressiible because it is around 10% less dense/lighter than water, which is why it floats on water even though it is “thicker” but that’s another story . . Although oil is compressible, the amount is miniscule . . Without firing up my calculator to give specific numbers, I can at least tell you that the amount of force required to turn the bars to the stop if there were no ports in the piston and steering stem/rod, would likely be in the area of several tons.

This can actually be calculated fairly easily simply by using all the criteria/specs like, the pitch of the splines, and degree of rotation of the bars, and the length of the bars divided by 2 to get the leverage ratio, and the bulk modulus of the oil, and the diameter of the piston, and length of the cylinder on the side of the piston that it will be moved to compress the fluid.

Also, if one were to compress the oil in this system, instead of using ports to control the flow and alleviate the pressure, the amount of force required to turn the handlebars would increase the further they were rotated . . In other words, the system would act like a spring, and since there is oil on both sides of the piston, the system would act like a self centering unit which would attempt to keep the wheel straight. Most automotive systems are designed to have a small amount of self centering, however the amount of force applied by the self centering is easy to overcome due to the leverage provided by the steering box.

To eliminate this self centering and high turning effort problem [which is really hydraulic lock], one can simply drill holes in the steering stem with one below and one above the seal on the piston that are connect them using the center of the stem . . The other option would be to drill holes in the piston, however, without the holes in the rod, there would be no way to adjust the damping amount externally.

The holes in the rod and/or piston cause the unit to be velocity sensitive just like a front fork damper rod or rear shock valve are . . The faster you turn the forks, the greater resistance the unit will provide, and the resistance is adjustable thru the rod in the center of the stem.

A few ways to imagine this type of adjustment/flow regulation system, is to picture a carburetor float needle which has a tapered tip and seat or a carburetor jet needle and needle jet . . The more the needles are raised, the more flow they allow which in turn reduces resistance . . This is also the same principle as the idle fuel mix screws on an automotive carburetor.


The sites below have a lot of helpful info on different materials, chemicals and thermodynamics etc.

http://www.simetric.co.uk/si_liquids.htm

http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/


As a side note, silicone, and silicone brake fluids, are more compressible than standard glycol based fluids and therefore causes a "spongy" pedal feel . . It also expands more than glycol based fluids the hotter it gets, which increases the spongy pedal or lever feel and therefore is rarely used in high perf brake systems.
.

[2YELLOWZs4me]

I have one of these on my 85 250r and I've been trying to figure out how to fill it. Any guess?

[2YELLOWZs4me]

Sorry didn't read the whole post.

[bkm]

I have one of these on my 85 250r and I've been trying to figure out how to fill it. Any guess?
Pictures please. Is there anyway to fill it through the top?

[El Camexican]

As cool as an in the neck damper is, there's a reason they don't make them like this anymore and that others are trying to copy Scotts.

[Madman Racing]

Very cool article. My original 84 R I had as a teenager had a external Ram steering stabilizer much like the modern ones but without the adjustable dampening. (Found out later in life it was a painted up VW stabilizer with a fancy decal on it. Lol)but it worked very well. Had no idea they made a internal model. Good reading.

[Dirtcrasher]

For you 200X, 350X and 250R guys; I'm working with Brian Ward for bolt on and adjustable speed/stroke steering stabilizers.

One complete kit at a good cost and if you rode a trike with one, you'd love these things!!