I have a 73 1.7 that I believe the PO had the front end lowered. IN the last few months, I have begun to notice a lot more feedback in the steering wheel. Maybe I am getting more anal, but it seemed to get worse after I had an alignment done.

It is my understanding that there is a right way and a wrong way to drop the front end. How do I tell the difference? If anyone has pics to show me, that would be helpful as well.

Aslo, is there any adjustment to the steering rack? Older Mazda's had an adjustment to on the rack. Does the 914 have something like this?

Thanks in advance for all of your help with this.

- Joe

You could buy a bump steer kit, like 100 bucks. Or you could have your spindles raised. Basically it moves the T bars more flat, and less of an angle (which gives you the feedback)

I think

(am I right anyone?)

I know for sure those are the fixes for bump steer.

Andrew

Joe,

you will have to see if the PO installed the rack spacers. This brings the steering rack up closer to "level" with the steering arms. The rack spacer (in my opinion) SUCK. To properly adjust bump you need a variable system not a constant like the solid spacers that everyone sells. The solid spacer will only correct bump (correctly) for one given front end ride height. To properly adjust it you would need to spend time on the alignment rack "experimenting" with different spacers under the rack. Most people are lazy and just install the rack spacers widely sold by your favorite parts pusher to get it close.


B

it's just a matter of extent. the wrong way is to lower the car down to the bumpstops and change nothing else. the right way is: don't do that :-) ...

if you have less suspension travel, you should increase the spring rate to compensate; few people with street cars do this, however...

it's easy enough to add a 'bump steer kit' that's basically some thick washers and longer bolts. these space the steering rack back up - they're about 12mm thick which is about all the room you have before the rack hits the tub. raising the rack also changes the steering shaft angularity a bit, which can usually be adequately compensated by just loosening the u-joints on the splined center shaft and collapsing it a bit on the splines. a kit like this is about $15, and is nothing you couldn't duplicate with good quality flat washers and appropriate longer bolts from the hardware store, but most of us spring for the kits As Long As we're shopping for other stuff...

you can get as fancy as you like with bump steer kits, raising the attachment points on the steering arm in precise increments. these kits are more, and might be useful for track cars with much more precise requirements. i'd suggest trying the $15 kit and seeing if that's enough for you. you WILL need to reset the toe after raising the rack...

there is no adjustment to the steering rack other than raising its location.

Joe,

I'm running the $15 spacer/longer bolt kit with no problems. Why don't you get some measurements of what you have for comparision and maybe a few of us can tell you if your in range with what works with the el cheapo kit. Something like tire diameter and distance from front jack point/donut would be a easy way to go.

I'm sure Brads method is superior but your probably wanted to do this at home for little $$$$$$.

John

I was with Joe yesterday and we took it for a nice circuit of about 20 miles on the highway where he notices the problem. I wouldn't say it was "bad" but it does seem like there is a lot more feedback and I experience with my car which isn't lowered.

I was going to suggest raising the car back to stock height as that might be an easier thing to do than anything else to see if the car still exhibits the problem.

Any thoughts?

Maybe I'm crazy

But; I've lowered both of my cars by turning the adjusting bolts until the car was as low as it could go.

Then on flat ground, I raise the low side until it is the same height as the other. I do nothing else.
I always run 50 series tires. The ride is obviously stiffer than the stock height/tires. Who cares, it handle's great.

Smooth and wonderful...always.

trekkor

Raising or lowering the car changes the toe and camber. Dont lower or raise your car without making corrective changes to toe and camber. As you go lower the tires will "toe in". If Joes car is raised from its current settings it will "toe out". Not good.

Toe can be reset fairly easy. Camber requires string and some patience.


B

You do need to do some measuring to determine if the PO has "lowered" the front end of your car. It may have sagged due to old age/worn out torsion bars, worn out rubber bushings, etc....

I would start there and figure out what you have before doing much else, but if the front end is in good shape and aligned properly, you should be able to determine how much deviation from stock the ride hight has been changed/altered.

Once you determine how much the car has been lowered, you have determined the exact ammount that you should raise the steering rack to compensate. The steering arms maintain a constant distance from the ground (unless you raise the spindles on the struts). The steering rack mounts to the front axle which raises and lowers with the unit body. If you lower the car, the steering rack must be raised to compensate (if you desire the tie-rods to maintain the same geometry with the steering arms that the car originally had).

As has been stated here previously, after altering the ride height and or the steering rack, the alignment of the car needs to be checked as it will be altered. However, by raising or lowering the steering rack ONLY, you are only altering the effective length of the tie-rods and only the toe setting will be effected.

If you change ride height, on the other hand, you are changing toe, caster and camber. It is a little more involved to raise or lower a car properly than merely turning a screw until it "looks good".

Just my $.02

I'll be installing my new Bilstein shocks this week and will be setting them for a lower ride. If necessary I will lower the front to aquire a level stance or meet the height of the rear. Is this what is meant by "ride height"? And, by doing this do I only need to have the front aligned or will the rear be necessary too?

..........b

Yes, that's ride height.

Yes, you'll need to have the alignment checked at both ends.

--DD

Guys, set me straight, please.

It can't go any lower.

I love the way my car looks and drives. No problems. NADA! The tires don't rub or squeal. They don't wear funny. It doesn't pull to the left or right.

I'm happy.
Do I need to change something here?

trekkor

well - you're having an 'ignorance is bliss' moment; you can stay there forever, lots of people do.

or you can get your car up off the bump stops, get it aligned, and learn how well a properly done 914 -should- handle. in your part of the world, you should have no problem finding someone with a properly done car to let you test-drive it a few miles to see how much better it can be.

the only thing that really needs to change is how you feel about driving cars with solid suspension, but if you really like it that way - it's your car, do what you want.

(it don't handle nearly as well as a car with some travel, i'll tell you that for nothing ...)

Fair enough.

What would improve If I made some changes?

When I'm driving out on the back roads...oh yes.

It out-handles any car I've ever been in.
My passengers get scared. When they drive it, I get scared.

Does it get... better?

trekkor

If it really is riding on the bump-stops, yes. If you simply mean that you've lowered it as far as the front adjusters go, then that could be all fine. Note that it is possible to pull the whole adjuster arm off of the torsion bar and put it back on with a different orientation ("re-index" it) to get more adjustment once you run out of thread.

--DD

Yes , down only as far as the adjusters will go.
I am not on the bump stops.

I have shock travel and overall it is a very smooth ride.
I notice the differance; but, my riders don't say
" It feels like we're riding on an upside down garbage can lid, get me outta he're".

If I am doing something bad or dangerous, someone tell me to stop it.

trekkor