Off set rack bushings
08-19-2010, 07:44 AM
#12
TECH SAVANT
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Saint Augustine, FL
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They are a "sort of kludge", Steeda also recommends that you use the bumpsteer kit with them (and you already know my opinion of that)--so by the time you get the X2 joints and the bumpsteer kit you are within less than $200 of buying drop spindles and doing it correctly...
08-19-2010, 10:25 AM
#13
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Upstate NY
Posts: 621
I was at corner carvers forum and it seemed the jury was still out on these drop spindles. I will go back and ask about them. If they turn out to be good quality and properly engineered, then yes they would be the best way to drop the front end.
08-19-2010, 10:37 AM
#15
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Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Saint Augustine, FL
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The big advantage to the drop spindles is that they let you retain the stock range of motion in the front end--this counts for a whole lot in road-racing.
By the time you drop our cars 2" or more via springs (or coil-overs) you've pretty much killed off "spirited" cornering on any rough road because the suspension travel (compliance) needed to keep the tires in contact with the road just isn't there.
By the time you drop our cars 2" or more via springs (or coil-overs) you've pretty much killed off "spirited" cornering on any rough road because the suspension travel (compliance) needed to keep the tires in contact with the road just isn't there.
08-19-2010, 10:38 AM
#16
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: MN
Posts: 4,412
If you do buy offset rack bushings, I would only get the aluminum ones and then I would make sure you pin them so they don't rotate around on you... which would obviously only exaggerate your previous issue.
08-19-2010, 11:05 AM
#17
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Join Date: Dec 2006
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One thing I didn't touch upon, an issue that bugs me as an engineer, is that Steeda's offset bushings are made of aluminum. It is 110%+ poor engineering to make a bushing of the same material as the thing being "bushed"--the steering rack in this instance.
Bushings and that being bushed should always be made from dissimilar materials to avoid galling and fretting corrosion. Because in this application the aluminum "bushings" become spacers once the pinch bolt is torqued this is not a huge issue (use plenty of Never-Seize), as there is no intended motion between the components.
Bugs me when I see it nonetheless...
There are a number of vendors offering polyurethane offset bushings. The thin wall on the narrow side of the offset bore bothers me--polyurethane doesn't do well with unequal cross sections and loads. Also, when properly machined from high-performance roughs polyurethane can work as intended, however made from low-grade castings it sucks big time.
Bushings and that being bushed should always be made from dissimilar materials to avoid galling and fretting corrosion. Because in this application the aluminum "bushings" become spacers once the pinch bolt is torqued this is not a huge issue (use plenty of Never-Seize), as there is no intended motion between the components.
Bugs me when I see it nonetheless...
There are a number of vendors offering polyurethane offset bushings. The thin wall on the narrow side of the offset bore bothers me--polyurethane doesn't do well with unequal cross sections and loads. Also, when properly machined from high-performance roughs polyurethane can work as intended, however made from low-grade castings it sucks big time.
08-19-2010, 11:19 AM
#18
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: MN
Posts: 4,412
One thing I didn't touch upon, an issue that bugs me as an engineer, is that Steeda's offset bushings are made of aluminum. It is 110%+ poor engineering to make a bushing of the same material as the thing being "bushed"--the steering rack in this instance.
Bushings and that being bushed should always be made from dissimilar materials to avoid galling and fretting corrosion. Because in this application the aluminum "bushings" become spacers once the pinch bolt is torqued this is not a huge issue (use plenty of Never-Seize), as there is no intended motion between the components.
Bugs me when I see it nonetheless...
There are a number of vendors offering polyurethane offset bushings. The thin wall on the narrow side of the offset bore bothers me--polyurethane doesn't do well with unequal cross sections and loads. Also, when properly machined from high-performance roughs polyurethane can work as intended, however made from low-grade castings it sucks big time.
Bushings and that being bushed should always be made from dissimilar materials to avoid galling and fretting corrosion. Because in this application the aluminum "bushings" become spacers once the pinch bolt is torqued this is not a huge issue (use plenty of Never-Seize), as there is no intended motion between the components.
Bugs me when I see it nonetheless...
There are a number of vendors offering polyurethane offset bushings. The thin wall on the narrow side of the offset bore bothers me--polyurethane doesn't do well with unequal cross sections and loads. Also, when properly machined from high-performance roughs polyurethane can work as intended, however made from low-grade castings it sucks big time.
So it really sounds like nothing is worth using at this point in the offset rack bushing department. Because behind the material issues, I've heard from multiple sources that the poly bushings just rotate around and it sounds like the aluminum bushings are a bad choices as well.
Moral of the story... no offset rack bushings for you.
08-19-2010, 11:52 AM
#19
TECH SAVANT
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Saint Augustine, FL
Posts: 10,938
Man you always poop in my cheerios....
So it really sounds like nothing is worth using at this point in the offset rack bushing department. Because behind the material issues, I've heard from multiple sources that the poly bushings just rotate around and it sounds like the aluminum bushings are a bad choices as well.
Moral of the story... no offset rack bushings for you.
So it really sounds like nothing is worth using at this point in the offset rack bushing department. Because behind the material issues, I've heard from multiple sources that the poly bushings just rotate around and it sounds like the aluminum bushings are a bad choices as well.
Moral of the story... no offset rack bushings for you.
They do become just locators/spacers when torqued in. Pinning them would hurt, however they shouldn't go anywhere with the bolts torqued to spec...
08-19-2010, 11:54 AM
#20
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: MN
Posts: 4,412
I didn't say that exactly--if I were going to use offset bushings I would go with the aluminum ones and just make sure they were installed with a good dose of Never-Seize and that the pinch bolts were torqued up to spec (56lbft).
They do become just locators/spacers when torqued in. Pinning them would hurt, however they shouldn't go anywhere with the bolts torqued to spec...
They do become just locators/spacers when torqued in. Pinning them would hurt, however they shouldn't go anywhere with the bolts torqued to spec...
