Home-Made bumpsteer kit???

[rclifton]

Has anyone tried to make a bumpsteer kit from a (threaded chrome moly rod end 5/8 hole-20.00 each, threaded sleeve-$???, and grade 8 bolts and washers as spacers????) I was wonder if anyone has done this, it has to be cheaper than ordering the bumpsteer kit for 140.00 plus shipping!!!

 

[Mustang5L5]

I am sure you could. But you would really need to have confidence in your design as a failure could cost you your car and possibly life

 

[rclifton]

Bumpsteer

oh yeah didn't really consider that, but the main thing is I would be doing it myself....and saving $$$$$$......death is inevitable anyways!!!!

Although I wouldn't want to hurt the car, plain on passing it down to my kids!

 

[jrichker]

One of the things missing is the fact that the steering knuckle has a tapered hole to mate with the taper on the stock tie rod ends. A straight bolt used on place of the tapered shank of the tie rod end is going to be a sloppy fit. How do you spell dangerous?....

 

[rclifton]

guess you could spell dangerous with a 5/8 drill bit!!! Just drill the spindle out to fit a straight bolt... problem solved

 

[t76stang1Day]

***** try it out and post pics. id like to do it if it works

 

[jrichker]

guess you could spell dangerous with a 5/8 drill bit!!! Just drill the spindle out to fit a straight bolt... problem solved

Eight years as an Airframe & Powerplant Aircraft mechanic taught me that there is a right way to do things and a wrong way. You suggested a very wrong way. I would never want to fly in an airplane maintained in such a manner as you suggested. It's the sort of thing that gets people killed or injured.

Evidently you don't have an appreciation of the physics involved. A tapered bolt pulls itself tight and makes total contact with the tapered hole that it fits in. As the bolt is tightened, it pulls itself tighter, making a wobble free fit as long as the nut never loosens. Properly torqued, the tapered bolt will survive being disassembled and reassembled many times without causing wear or damage to itself or the tapered hole it fits in.

A common drill bit makes a hole that is a loose fit at best, creating wear on both the bolt and the hole it fits in. The result is slop in the steering, movement between the bolt and the hole, creating forces that cause the bolt to fatigue crack and fail.

At this point I have either insulted you or enlightened you. I hope that you now have an understanding of the importance in doing things the right way.

Joe R.

 

[1990_GT]

Eight years as an Airframe & Powerplant Aircraft mechanic taught me that there is a right way to do things and a wrong way. You suggested a very wrong way. I would never want to fly in an airplane maintained in such a manner as you suggested. It's the sort of thing that gets people killed or injured.

Evidently you don't have an appreciation of the physics involved. A tapered bolt pulls itself tight and makes total contact with the tapered hole that it fits in. As the bolt is tightened, it pulls itself tighter, making a wobble free fit as long as the nut never loosens. Properly torqued, the tapered bolt will survive being disassembled and reassembled many times without causing wear or damage to itself or the tapered hole it fits in.

A common drill bit makes a hole that is a loose fit at best, creating wear on both the bolt and the hole it fits in. The result is slop in the steering, movement between the bolt and the hole, creating forces that cause the bolt to fatigue crack and fail.

At this point I have either insulted you or enlightened you. I hope that you now have an understanding of the importance in doing things the right way.

Joe R.

So the guys over at maximum motorsports, and steeda dont know what they are doing I guess?

Bumpsteer kit, 1979-93 Mustang, bolt-through style [MMTR-1] : Maximum Motorsports, the Latemodel Mustang Performance Suspension Leader!

 

[1990MustangLX50]

Sure it could be done, its not gonna be a simple as drill and bolt there are angles involved and if you drill the taper out you will have to no play at all in the knuckle. I trust a taper more then a straight through design anyday. You would be messing with the steering system however I would like to think you wouldnt drive the car if you did this and created a sloppy feeling in the steering.

good luck

 

[jrichker]

So the guys over at maximum motorsports, and steeda dont know what they are doing I guess?

Bumpsteer kit, 1979-93 Mustang, bolt-through style [MMTR-1] : Maximum Motorsports, the Latemodel Mustang Performance Suspension Leader!

Look before you post...

The aftermarket kits I have seen have a tapered bolt.

Steeda uses a tapered bolt

If you read Steeda's installations notes, they are very negative about using a straight grade 8 bolt.


MM uses a tapered bolt.

The MM kits with a straight bolt use a tapered steel sleeve along with the straight bolt to fit the tapered steering knuckle socket.

Notice the two funny looking cylinder shaped objects in the upper right corner of the photo - tapered sleeves!

 

[rclifton]

Sorry fellas didn't mean to stirr up so much *****!!! Is there any place we can buy these tappered bolts or kit that containes them. I just think the bumpsteer kits are way over priced...I like the intrigue of fixing thing or at least understanding what it would take. So the rod end and steel sleeve(screwed and welded on 1 end welded)would work just need a tappered bolt???

Someone has to sell tapped bolts..... right!!!

thanks for all your imput

 

[jrichker]

Controversy is often helpful in finding out what's good and what's bad, so have no regrets about stirring up a little. That's how we all learn to go look for the truth.

With all that is at stake, I think that I would bite the bullet and buy a MM or Steeda kit. It's expensive, but it is quality and you don't have to worry about it breaking and leaving you without steering control.

 

[Mustang5L5]

You aren't just buying the hardware, you are buying the engineering that goes with product - the testing and quality assurance that stands behind a product.

I'm an engineer...I strongly suggest purchasing the mm or steed kit vs fabricating something up without proper testing

 

[t76stang1Day]

Bumpsteer kit, 1979-93 Mustang, tapered-stud style [MMTR-7] : Maximum Motorsports, the Latemodel Mustang Performance Suspension Leader!

DEAL OF THE DAY AT MM.....$115 for a bumpsteer kit just!

btw MM sells both a tapered and bolt through style kit. it says on there site that the straight through style has much more adjustment, stronger, and much more rigid than the tapered style. so is there any reason the tapered kits are better?

 

[Rick 91GT]

from another engineer....buy the kit.
Im all for making stuff yourself and on my end mill I am sure I could mill the spindle out to properly to fit a bolt shoulder....and I wouldnt even consider doing it.

 

[MFE92]

Bumpsteer kit, 1979-93 Mustang, tapered-stud style [MMTR-7] : Maximum Motorsports, the Latemodel Mustang Performance Suspension Leader!

DEAL OF THE DAY AT MM.....$115 for a bumpsteer kit just!

btw MM sells both a tapered and bolt through style kit. it says on there site that the straight through style has much more adjustment, stronger, and much more rigid than the tapered style. so is there any reason the tapered kits are better?

They're plug & play. No spindle reaming required. But they don't have the same range of adjustment as the bolt-throughs.

 

[Shaolin Crane]

Look before you post...

The aftermarket kits I have seen have a tapered bolt.

Steeda uses a tapered bolt

If you read Steeda's installations notes, they are very negative about using a straight grade 8 bolt.


MM uses a tapered bolt.

The MM kits with a straight bolt use a tapered steel sleeve along with the straight bolt to fit the tapered steering knuckle socket.

Notice the two funny looking cylinder shaped objects in the upper right corner of the photo - tapered sleeves!

The tapered spacers in that kit are ment to focus all the clamping force against the tie rod. MM also requires that you use a mill to drill out the hole. I grabbed the wrong bit the first time i milled mine and made a hole FAR too big, second time around with the proper bit i had a hold that required me to tap the bolt with a screw driver to get it to go through.

I recommend buying the kit as well and only using the straight bolt kit is if its required like in my setup.

 

[Shaolin Crane]

found a picture back from when i did mine, now i have a 5 axis mill, do NOT use a drill, drill press etc to do this, it will NOT form a tight fit and will be loose.