Do I need a bracket kit to add a Bilstein steering stabilizer to my F-53?
It depends on one thing: whether a steering stabilizer was fitted at the factory.
Check what is there now
Look at the steering linkage behind the front axle. A factory stabilizer is a horizontal shock-like damper, one end clamped to the tie rod and the other end on a bracket on the axle or frame.
- There is one already. The Bilstein steering stabilizer 24-245975 replaces it on the original mounts. No bracket kit needed.
- There is no stabilizer and no mounting bracket. Order the stabilizer and the Bilstein bracket kit 11-317555. Bilstein's own note on the stabilizer says it: vehicles without the original stabilizer must purchase the Bilstein bracket kit.
Which F-53 years this covers
The stabilizer 24-245975 is listed for every F-53 motorhome chassis from 1988 to 2024 and for the F-59 stripped chassis from 2011 to 2024. The bracket kit 11-317555 is listed for the F-53 in 1988-1997, 1999-2004, 2006-2009 and 2011-2024 and the F-59 2011-2024, for chassis without the factory mounting brackets.
What a stabilizer does and does not fix
A steering stabilizer damps road shock and kickback coming up through the steering, which many owners notice as less darting on rough pavement and in crosswinds. It does not correct worn shocks, loose steering parts or a bad alignment. If the coach wallows or porpoises over dips, the shocks are the place to start; see our answer on which Bilstein shocks fit an F-53.
Not sure what is on your chassis? Send a photo of the front axle to our team and we will tell you which parts you need before you order.
