Spring-loaded reach rod (tie rod) only on driver's side?

[Batwing-8]

MY '36 Studebaker, (and apparently others from the same general period) features a spring-loaded reach rod (tie rod) on the driver's side. The shop manual states this is "to absorb road shock."

The passsenger side linkage has a solid tie rod with no spring action and is connected directly to the pitman arm so "road shock" is transfered to the steering gear from that side.

 

 

Does anyone have an answer as to why the driver's linkage was designed to "absorb road shock" while the passenger linkage has none? Seems unbalanced to me.

Bill.

 

 

[JFranklin]

Would not the shock from either side activate the spring?

[(S)]

They probably figured one was enough.  I have a NOS  199210 if you need one. The parts book says one per car, 5A, J5  Dictator and Coupe Express.

[studerex]

 An early attempt to solve death wobble.  It can occur with any straight axle car.  Many early SAE papers written on the problem.  Hitting a bump on one wheel can send the shock to the other wheel, then get passed back and forth.  If you ever have it happen you will never forget. 

[alsancle]

16 minutes ago, studerex said:

 An early attempt to solve death wobble.  It can occur with any straight axle car.  Many early SAE papers written on the problem.  Hitting a bump on one wheel can send the shock to the other wheel, then get passed back and forth.  If you ever have it happen you will never forget. 

 

This.  My Reo Royale has a dampener on the spring only on the back of the driver's side front leaf.