portablenarc

so i just installed the k tuned spherical outer tie rods on my 98 hatch, they are suppose to be mounted inverted to correct the geometry, or so that what i was told. Im now experiencing some pretty violent bump steer post alignment. any tips on how to correct it? I know theres measurements you can do to correct it but im not sure on how to do all that.

B serious

iTrader: (1)

But...if you didn't measure, then how can you know how tall the tie rod needs to be? Are they adjustable?

Or does K tuned say they will work with a drop of (x) inches?

You sure you read the instructions? (no offense)

Were you getting bump steer with the factory tie rods? If you were...then maybe there's another issue that was magnified by adding a MASSIVE bending moment to the spindle and steering links via your extended tie rods.

BTW, extended joints are all maintenance items. So make sure you check for cracks or signs of failure from time to time.

More info about your setup would also help....why did you buy them?

portablenarc

boxedfox

Measuring bump steer is a bit labor intensive but it is something you can do at home. Here's a step by step guide with pictures, so you know exactly what it takes:

https://www.hotrod.com/articles/measure-bump-steer/

You basically put the car on jack stands, remove the spring-damper assembly (or just the suspension spring if you have a macpherson strut car), put a jack under the lower control arm, and measure how much the toe changes when the wheel moves up and down.

You don't need a fancy bumpsteer gauge like these guys use if you don't have one. If you have a big flat plate that you can stand up vertically, you can use that as your reference point and use measuring tape to measure how the toe changes on that wheel as you move the wheel up and down.

I actually suspect that you might end up moving that tie rod back on top of the mounting point on the steering knuckle. You have to be running a pretty low ride height and have really long extended ball joints to need to mount the tie rod end beneath the stock mounting point.

It's a pain in the *** process but if you have the ability to do so it's worth doing. I went through the same exact thing on my old Sentra when I started doing DE's so I know it's doable. Worst case, you can always switch back to OE replacement tie rod ends. You'll get some bump out but at least it won't be scary on the track.

B serious

iTrader: (1)

Well...does K tuned state a ride height range that these work with? Or is the tie rod height adjustable?

No...they won't help response. There's nothing within them that would help response.

It seems you may have bought the incorrect part for your use.

I would be VERY leary and cautious using aftermarket chassis parts. Especially extended joints like the ones you have. Its not safe....and you really should be inspecting them carefully and often.

Your current situation isn't really advantageous in any sense. You're using failure prone parts that you don't know how to tune, which are making your car handle worse than it was before.

I would just go back to genuine Honda replacements (bought from a Honda dealer). Simple is better. Over-equipping a HPDE car makes it less fun.

Or...learn to measure and tune what you have to make the risk worth it.

portablenarc

Thanks for your input. I will most likely be going back to oe replacements. Car will be down through out the winter anyway.

Another thing i noticed tho is when I hit a newly paved smooth road the car rode great minimal to no bump steer.. obvisouly I know that’s due to the wheels not changing in height as much. It’s all a learning experience anyway just trying to figure it all out.