Front alignment and ride height

[janz]

Still trying to figure out how to keep the low profile tires (45 series on 17" rims) and get the ride height and corner balance right. Had to recently replace steering rack so I also upgraded to turbo tie rods. When at alignment shop tech told me he ran out of adj for toe in/out without messing up rest of alignment. Took car for a ride and it slightly pulls to right even when stradling the crown of the road. Not to big of a deal. But when on the hiway and hit a bump (like expansion joint on bridges) it moves the steering wheel in my hands even with a firm grip. Looking under the front of the car it clearly looks like the tie rods are are higher on the outside, measuring with angle finder its almost 10 degrees higher to the outside and thats without me in the car. Should I get the bump steer kit and install it. I have ordered a set of racing wheel scales for doing corner balance, should I wait for those to come in first and test and then order the bump steer kit (spacer and long bolts only) and have to wait for that to come in to do it all over again. I like the look of the wheels and low profile tires so I do want to keep them but I don't want the Baha look of a large space between the top of the tire and the fender lip. Here are some pics but hard to tell by them as its hard to get under there while the car is sitting normally on the ground.
This is left side

This is right

This is poor attempt at showing space between top of tire and fender lip

[Joe V]

Janz,

The bump steer spacers should fix that issue. My 84 Carrera would give me a violent tug every time I backed up onto my driveway. Highly annoying. Don't forget that you'll have to get it realigned once you install the bump steer spacers. All the spacers do is raise the rack so that the tie rods are parallel to the ground and not angled, as you have already found.
Have your alignment guy bottom the tie rods out, and make sure the rack is centered. Since you replaced the rack, it might not be "indexed". Turn it lock to lock and count the turns. Then have your tech center the wheel (by dividing lock to lock turns by 2, which I believe is 3/2 or 1.5), secure the steering wheel in place, and align away. You might need to remove the steering wheel to correctly center it.

Good luck!

[janz]

Steering rack is perfectly centered. Bump steer kit ordered and on its way. Any other suggestions. Will have alignment redone after adjustments made. I have new Boge gas shocks in rear and the drivers side rear seems to sag after about a week of use, hoping to make up for that with reindex and adjusment. Is it possible that the torsion bar has lost its twist spring back ability? Not crazy about buying new ones this year.

[mede8er]

Is it possible that the torsion bar has lost its twist spring back ability?

Usually they just break...yours may be on it's way out...

[911st]

Are you sure you are centered?

Looking at the threads at the end of the tie rods it looks like your rack may not be centered.

I would put the bump kit in, set the toe in my self with a tape and with the same number of threads showing on each side and then re- index the steering wheel at the hub or U-joint.

If the bump kit dose not solve your issue check out Elephant Racing or Rebel Racing for a solution.

Good luck.

[janz]

This is what I did when installing the rack. Once rack was installed and hooked up only to steering column I measured carefully the bushings that protrude out of each end of the rack (where the tie rods thread into) I made sure that the ends of the bushings stuck out evenly on each side which came out to exactly 3.25 inches. Then went and removed steering wheel and centered it to the column (easy enough with splined steering wheel). Once done with the wheel I went back under car and measured the bushings again to make sure the distance they stuck out did not change, then install turbo tie rods. This amde perfect sense to me but later read that I should have turned wheel stop to stop and divided in half and lock the steering wheel in that position and recentered it. Did I mess up or is one way as good as the other to center rack. When all was done and I looked at the project it sorta seemed to me that the rack mounting relative to the center of the car is off to one side, then again I'm old and my eyes aren't what they used to be so its tough under a car trying to look up with bifocal glasses on.

[911st]

I am not an expert but assuming no damage I think I would trust the threads on the tie rods better than your ability to measure a perfect 3.5" on each side.

Besides, it is a rack and pinion so centering it is not as big an issue as running out of adjustably for setting up your toe.

What happens when you turn it lock to lock? Is the steering wheel going to the same position on each side?

Also, you look very very low in front. If you have stock springs I hope you have cut the bump stops down and made sure you do not have a USA spacer on top of the struts or you are in for a big supprise when your front bottoms out in a corner.