Factory Ride Height

[kqw]

Thanks folks,

Emailed my wrench and it goes in for a re-alignment with specific attention to height and addressing the bump steer isue. (no charge) He reminder me that when he completed the alignment 2 weeks ago, that if there was any issues, return.

I have a strut tower brace and with limited time on my hands I didn't want to upset anything yet just eliminate the Bump Steer.

I will say that at it's current setup the high speed stability is very good (120mph down hwy 87S in New York) with only a factory front spoiler.

I have a sneaking suspicion that he's going to recommend a bump steer kit. How do I know this? Because you folks have been there and done that.

Oh well. IF I opt for kit, what is the best on on the market?

Thanks in advance

[Wil Ferch]

A bump steer "kit" is simply a pair of thick ( 13mm or ~1/2") washers with new bolts that are longer to acommodate the thickness increase. Pelican has these for cheap ( didn't look lately but I recall $12-$20). Can do the same thing with stacked washers ( ! ).

Repeat.... these will work if the rack gets displaced by 13 mm and the tie-rods can get parallel ( see previous posting). However, the "right" way to get all these angles correct IF you need to go MORE....would then be NOT to use the rack spacers...and get the ERP bump steer kit. It attaches at the very end of the tie rod and provides a "step" change in height to the lever arm mounted on the shok body. This is really the shizzle to be able to fine tune but it IS spendy....about $320 or so. If you go this way, also get the little rubber booties to protect the exposed ball/socket joints from road grit....because these are originally made for racing applications.

Wil

[911pcars]

IMHO, the cheap and the expensive solutions merely give you a closer but not exact solution to solving any bump steer equations. Given that, it's probably fine for all but the most serious of racer-types.

The best way to calculate toe changes during suspension travel is to measure it using a setup described in Fred Puhn's book, "How to Make Your Car Handle". If you do it as he suggests, you're serious.

Sherwood

[kqw]

Thanks folks,

My wrench totally understands what I want to accomplish. If it involves a suspension modification then so be it. However, I will opt. for a higher ride height versus living with a little bump steer. I will post results....

Off subject: Found Lobsters in Boston for $4.95lb and I plan on making the another run back to Boston in two weeks to pick up about 35 Lobsters @ 1.5 lbs ea. for a cook out we're planning. The Wife will not make this trip therefore, I plan on some pretty aggressive driving.

[notmytarga]

I would not suspect ride height to be the main cause of the steering feel problem. You brought it in for an alignment, not a ride height change - right? Why did you want the alignment? What was the preexisting problem - or were you after a ride height change?

Something is likely amiss with the recent alignment - what will/did the recheck show and result in?

Tire Pressure - As far as tire pressure I find higher pressures than 29/34 to my and my cars liking. If the sidewalls are taking road friction then more pressure is needed. I saw a chalk test somewhere in my library that recommended a stripe of chalk at the tread/sidewall area - if the chalk was worn off the sidewall, pressure is too low, if chalk remains on the tread then they are too highly inflated. The next level is measuring tread temps - with a laser guided infrared guage - across the width of the tire looking for uniformity.

[kqw]

The car was aligned as part of service I had done when I had new tires installed.

I will say that over the past 5 or 6 years I've had 3 alignments (different shops)and I find that different shops may adjust height as part of the alignment. When that happened I returned and asked that the height be set back to factory spec's and bump steer was eliminated.

Thanks

[kqw]

UpDate:

Had all 4 wheels re-balanced and a full alignment. My Tow was way off.

No more bump Steer...no more shimmy at 70mph.

I thank the streets of Phila. for another episode in car repair.