Off set rack bushings
08-17-2010, 07:02 PM
#3
TECH SAVANT
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Saint Augustine, FL
Posts: 10,938
If you are really slammed down into the ground, 2"+++, the offset bushings are the last stand in curing bump steer (BS).
If the car handles well and there's no BS (funny how that worked out) then you don't need the offset bushings...
If the car handles well and there's no BS (funny how that worked out) then you don't need the offset bushings...
08-17-2010, 10:59 PM
#6
08-18-2010, 12:13 PM
#8
TECH SAVANT
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Saint Augustine, FL
Posts: 10,938
08-18-2010, 07:06 PM
#9
08-18-2010, 08:31 PM
#10
TECH SAVANT
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Saint Augustine, FL
Posts: 10,938
The small amount of bumpsteer in the OEM suspension setup is an inescapable artifact of the McPherson strut design.
It will naturally lessen when you lower the car and the range of suspension travel is reduced, however at a point, around 1.2" drop it will increase again as the car is lowered further. The bumpsteer kit will fix this to some extent however the real culprit is once again the McPherson strut design.
The offset bushings can raise the steering rack by 0/25" or 0.40" (Steeda offers two offsets) and are best suited to when the car has been lowered to the point that the bumpsteer kit's correction range has been exceeded.
Also, and as stated on Steeda's site, they are beneficial if the number of spacers used with the bumpsteer kit is excessive. The offset bushings will allow fewer spacers to be used and place less strain on the bumpsteer stud, and therefore result in less deflection of the BS kit's replacement stud.
However I have to say that IMHO all the bumpsteer kits start out as questionable jury-rigged fixes anyway. Here are some samples:
Steeda's
FRPP's
UPR's
You can see that the nice forged steel sealed factory tie-rod end is replaced with a wide-open spherical bearing¹ having a lengthened stud. UPR's is particularly obscene with it's use of off-the-shelf bolts as the "studs"
To do it right get drop spindles and forget the jury-rigs.
--------------------------------------------
¹ - Wide-open as in NO protection from dirt, water, and other nasties; and having nothing to contain any lubricant.
It will naturally lessen when you lower the car and the range of suspension travel is reduced, however at a point, around 1.2" drop it will increase again as the car is lowered further. The bumpsteer kit will fix this to some extent however the real culprit is once again the McPherson strut design.
The offset bushings can raise the steering rack by 0/25" or 0.40" (Steeda offers two offsets) and are best suited to when the car has been lowered to the point that the bumpsteer kit's correction range has been exceeded.
Also, and as stated on Steeda's site, they are beneficial if the number of spacers used with the bumpsteer kit is excessive. The offset bushings will allow fewer spacers to be used and place less strain on the bumpsteer stud, and therefore result in less deflection of the BS kit's replacement stud.
However I have to say that IMHO all the bumpsteer kits start out as questionable jury-rigged fixes anyway. Here are some samples:
Steeda's
FRPP's
UPR's
You can see that the nice forged steel sealed factory tie-rod end is replaced with a wide-open spherical bearing¹ having a lengthened stud. UPR's is particularly obscene with it's use of off-the-shelf bolts as the "studs"
To do it right get drop spindles and forget the jury-rigs.
--------------------------------------------
¹ - Wide-open as in NO protection from dirt, water, and other nasties; and having nothing to contain any lubricant.