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HybridZ

Bump Steer spacer...good to have?


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they don't fix the problem, just move it elsewhere. They do help a little bit though. Question is, are you feeling bumpsteer when driving? When going around a turn on a bumpy road, does your car dart to the opposite side and jerk your steering wheel?

 

It's a cheap 50 dollar investment, but ideally you want to relocate the pivot point of the control arm

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What people feel through the steering wheel is "kickback" which is exacerbated by lowering a 240Z more then an inch or two. Kickback and bumpsteer are really two different things but they are related.

 

Bumpsteer is more a change of direction in a corner that requires a steering correction to maintain the original line. The steering wheel doesn't turn as a result of the bump but you, the driver, have to turn the wheel because the car is not going in the direction you intended. Bumpsteer is more a one wheel thing.

 

Kickback is when both wheels have their direction changed by a bump and thus causing the steering wheel to move. Lowering the 240Z increases toe out and negative camber and both increase kickback. Why? Toe out and negative camber reduce directional stability and thend to increase any steering affect from bumps.

 

So, you can lower a 240Z and then realign the front suspension back to a toe in condition and set the camber back to factory specs and you shouldn't feel an increase in steering kickback... Unless you've lowered the car to the point that the front LCAs are pointing up. Then things are so screwed up the only fix it to get those LCAs back pointing down and that requires relocating the inner pivot and/or bumpsteer spacers.

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The bump steer problem should be fixed on these cars even if you dont drop the ride height at all.

 

What I have prefered to do is relocate the inner control arm pivot point. This requires a bit of fab work but the improvement is worth the work.

 

I usually relocate the pivot point 3/4" higher in the cross member ( have to grind down the arms to clear the cross member)

 

The stability of the car is improved dramatically at high speed, no more darting and weaving with the bumps in the road or crosswind, and the car remains stable during breaking and cornering.

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Those so called bump steer adjusters really only change the roll center, which incidentially may affect bump steer. There are specific/preferable ways to combat bump steer as others have mentioned.

 

Incidentially, steering kickback is also more likely to occur with wider wheels, particularly those with increased positive offset.

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