Weird Steering Problem - Zilvia.net Forums | Nissan 240SX (Silvia) and Z (Fairlady) Car Forum

gearhead290 · 09-07-2006, 08:04 AM

Alright, so with 16X8 -10 wheels and 225/50/16 Kumho MXs the stock S14 tie rods bend. After bending two of them I decided to upgrade to some Tein tie rods. Well, after aligning the car I have a strange problem with the steering. The steering wheel is straight and drives fine, but if I hit a bump in a corner the steering wheel will cock to the left a little bit and the car will then pull to the left and the toe gets really messed up (will squeel the front tires in a slight corner). However, if I then go over a bump while going straight the steering wheel will straighten out. I put the car on the rack again, reset the the alignment and it's still doing it (I have tried this with the tie rod spacers installed and uninstalled, same thing either way). I also checked to see how easily the wheels turn with the front of the car in the air, and when I have all the steering hooked up I can feel a light click when I turn the wheels by hand. However, when I unhook the tie rods from the rack I don't get a catch on either side of the car, and the rack doesn't feel like it catches. Suspension setup is the Tein tie rods, SPL tension rods, Eibach prokit, KYB GR2s, and ST sway bars; so it's nothing special. Any ideas?

koukimonster139 · 09-07-2006, 08:28 AM

how old are your gr2s?

When you refer to "aligning" the car and "resetting the alignment", did you take it to a shop, or did you do a home alignment?

Ahh good ole bump steer.
Bump steer is the introduction of steering input caused by a bump in the road surface. When a wheel travels up and down over a bump, it actually swings in an arc. If the steering tie-rod does not swing in the same arc as the suspension, the wheel will have an increase or decrease in toe and will result in a slight steering effect. Virtually all suspension geometries on street cars have some degree of bump steer, through it will be very slight. However, modifying a car's suspension by using lowering springs can increase the amount of bump steer. Bump steer causes tire scrub, and loss of traction if experienced during cornering. If you're altering you car's suspension, measures should be taken to minimize or eliminate bump steer.

overb0ost · 09-07-2006, 08:44 AM

this is why u need SPL endlinks that eliminate bumpsteer since you got the tein tie rods

spl endlinks = outter tie rod

gearhead290 · 09-07-2006, 12:01 PM

this isn't bumpsteer, this is a steering problem somewhere (something is cracked, broken, bent etc.). The steering wheel stays straight while going in a straight line and the toe is all jacked up. I don't konw how old the gr2s are, they were on the car when I bought it (along with the eibachs). This is me aligning it on a Hunter alignment rack.

Overboost-I wanted to stay away from SPL endlinks because they're a heim joint. Heim joint endlinks have a tendency to break (even though SPL says that they make the spindle the weak link). Personally I would rather break tie rods than spindles.

DaPCWiz · 09-07-2006, 01:04 PM

mmm? I'm not 100% sure what's going on in ur case, but my friend had a similar problem on his S13 I think when he broke his balljoints...

Whenever he'd brake hard, both the front wheels would toe in, causing tires to squeal. Then if he pulled over and then cut all the way left, all the way right, it would "reset" the wheels back to where they should be and u could drive properly again. His was a pretty extreme case I guess, but maybe yours is something similar?

09-07-2006, 08:04 AM	#1
gearhead290 Zilvia Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Sioux Falls, SD Posts: 163 Trader Rating: (6) Feedback Score: 6 reviews	Weird Steering Problem Alright, so with 16X8 -10 wheels and 225/50/16 Kumho MXs the stock S14 tie rods bend. After bending two of them I decided to upgrade to some Tein tie rods. Well, after aligning the car I have a strange problem with the steering. The steering wheel is straight and drives fine, but if I hit a bump in a corner the steering wheel will cock to the left a little bit and the car will then pull to the left and the toe gets really messed up (will squeel the front tires in a slight corner). However, if I then go over a bump while going straight the steering wheel will straighten out. I put the car on the rack again, reset the the alignment and it's still doing it (I have tried this with the tie rod spacers installed and uninstalled, same thing either way). I also checked to see how easily the wheels turn with the front of the car in the air, and when I have all the steering hooked up I can feel a light click when I turn the wheels by hand. However, when I unhook the tie rods from the rack I don't get a catch on either side of the car, and the rack doesn't feel like it catches. Suspension setup is the Tein tie rods, SPL tension rods, Eibach prokit, KYB GR2s, and ST sway bars; so it's nothing special. Any ideas?

09-07-2006, 08:28 AM	#2
koukimonster139 Zilvia FREAK! Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Birmingham, AL Age: 38 Posts: 1,379 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	how old are your gr2s? When you refer to "aligning" the car and "resetting the alignment", did you take it to a shop, or did you do a home alignment? Ahh good ole bump steer. Bump steer is the introduction of steering input caused by a bump in the road surface. When a wheel travels up and down over a bump, it actually swings in an arc. If the steering tie-rod does not swing in the same arc as the suspension, the wheel will have an increase or decrease in toe and will result in a slight steering effect. Virtually all suspension geometries on street cars have some degree of bump steer, through it will be very slight. However, modifying a car's suspension by using lowering springs can increase the amount of bump steer. Bump steer causes tire scrub, and loss of traction if experienced during cornering. If you're altering you car's suspension, measures should be taken to minimize or eliminate bump steer. __________________ ho ha ho chi chi

09-07-2006, 01:04 PM	#5
DaPCWiz Zilvia Addict Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Northern NJ Age: 41 Posts: 991 Trader Rating: (3) Feedback Score: 3 reviews	mmm? I'm not 100% sure what's going on in ur case, but my friend had a similar problem on his S13 I think when he broke his balljoints... Whenever he'd brake hard, both the front wheels would toe in, causing tires to squeal. Then if he pulled over and then cut all the way left, all the way right, it would "reset" the wheels back to where they should be and u could drive properly again. His was a pretty extreme case I guess, but maybe yours is something similar? __________________ http://blog.dapcwiz.com

09-07-2006, 08:44 AM	#3
overb0ost Zilvia Junkie Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: OH Posts: 393 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	this is why u need SPL endlinks that eliminate bumpsteer since you got the tein tie rods spl endlinks = outter tie rod

09-07-2006, 12:01 PM	#4
gearhead290 Zilvia Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Sioux Falls, SD Posts: 163 Trader Rating: (6) Feedback Score: 6 reviews	this isn't bumpsteer, this is a steering problem somewhere (something is cracked, broken, bent etc.). The steering wheel stays straight while going in a straight line and the toe is all jacked up. I don't konw how old the gr2s are, they were on the car when I bought it (along with the eibachs). This is me aligning it on a Hunter alignment rack. Overboost-I wanted to stay away from SPL endlinks because they're a heim joint. Heim joint endlinks have a tendency to break (even though SPL says that they make the spindle the weak link). Personally I would rather break tie rods than spindles.