Bump Steer kit

[Stefan Breuer]

What exactly is a bumpsteer kit? Is it needed for a car that is setup fot drag racing? Can it be used with Tubular Kmember and LT's. Sorry for all the questions but I have seen this in a few peoples sig and I have no idea what it is.

Thanks,
Stefan

[Gene Fine]

Bumpsteer is the measurement of the change of camber, toe, and caster as the suspension moves through its range of motion. Because it’s not always predictable (without a lot of math), it can cause dartiness, twitching, and instability. If you've made any changes to the geometry of your car (usually from lowering), then a bumpsteer kit is a good idea, regardless of whether it’s a drag, road race or street car. A bumpsteer kit is a type of tie rod end that uses a spherical bearing instead of a balljoint, which helps makes your steering let susceptible to the effects of bumpsteer by having greater freedom of movement. The downside of a bumpsteer kit is that it does require more maintenance (mainly inspections) than a standard tie rod end does, since it’s not sealed from the elements. If your car is still stock geometry, then a bumpsteer kit is unnecessary, since Ford did a pretty good job of minimizing it from the factory.

[Stefan Breuer]

Thanks Gene. I'm geting the picture now...

[KevinB]

so if it uses a spherical bearing instead of balljoints, is it useless to buy steeda X2 balljoints at the same time?

Kevin

[white_2kgt]

Originally posted by TrueBlue
so if it uses a spherical bearing instead of balljoints, is it useless to buy steeda X2 balljoints at the same time?

Kevin
X2 ball joints are what hold the spindle on the control arm. The balljoint gene is talking about connects to the tie rod and the spindle. Two different pieces. It's not useless but I would install the X2's first, then measure for bumpsteer to see if I needed the tierod bumpsteer kit, personally I am not fond of them for a street car.

--chad

[KevinB]

Originally posted by white_2kgt
X2 ball joints are what hold the spindle on the control arm. The balljoint gene is talking about connects to the tie rod and the spindle. Two different pieces. It's not useless but I would install the X2's first, then measure for bumpsteer to see if I needed the tierod bumpsteer kit, personally I am not fond of them for a street car.

--chad

Ahh, thank you. you are not a fan of the X2's? or bumpsteer kits? thanks!

Kevin

[white_2kgt]

Originally posted by TrueBlue
Ahh, thank you. you are not a fan of the X2's? or bumpsteer kits? thanks!

Kevin
Actually the X2's are the only thing I will probably ever buy from steeda now. Bumpsteer kits are fine when you have a problem, to many people lower their car and read on a message board that they need a bumpsteer kit because their car is lowered, this isn't always the case. A lot of times the kit isn't installed correctly or maintained and you wind up heading down the road and you decide to take that freeway on ramp at speed, then your 2 threads that holding your bumpsteer kit in place give way and your wheel cocks 90* to the left when you want to go right, not a good situation if you ask me. Offset rack bushings can usually get your street car's bumpsteer close enough and much safer than a tie rod kit. Just something to think about.

--chad