Roush Suspension!

[Nemisus]

So its been a few weeks now and I've completely gone through everything and re-torqed all the nuts and bolts..... but I have this really annoying "loose" feeling in the front end some where!

It really odd though... at road speeds its not there! This "loose" feeling is only noticable during very slow "driveway" speeds! Really small bumps and un-even pavement seem to bring it out!

The misses said it felt strong in the floor board area... I can feel it everywhere up front!

Anyone experience this after a Roush Suspension install? For those who do not already mnow... its a Stage 3 system on an 04!

Thanks in advance

Cheers

Nem

[Mustanger]

Hey Nem, I'm no expert but it might be the Roush settings of the alignment...set for fast steering response & best road coarse handling, not straight ahead steering or even best tire wear...coupled with bigger tires in front? I'm not sure just throwing ideas out for the experts to comment on.

The rag joint in your steering rack? Good luck!

[Nemisus]

hmm... the alignment wasn't ever set to Roush specifics... but the fast steering response is a definate! But than again this only occurs at very low speeds... such as idle speeds!

if the tires were part of the problem you'd think it would be at all speeds? But than again I'm not an expert either...

Curious... what is a Rag joint in the steering rack?

All these give me something to work with... so thanks very much for the insight! I'll have it back in the alignment shop tomorrow just to get the aligment re-checked... i'm sure its off!

Thanks Mustanger... mucho appreciated!

Cheers

Nemi

[D ROUSH]

I do believe the term is bump steer bud.. not totally sure. Wait till ya hit some really crappy roads with worn tires... omg its a nitemare. Dont understand the driveway feel to it statement .. but I think its acting very much like a 04 st2 I have driven for 50K

ps.. what size are you running up front? 10's?

[Nemisus]

Roushstage2 claimed the wheels up front were 9.5's... but I'm really not sure?

Would Bump Steer really make the car feel loose up front? Keeping in mind that this feeling is only @ 5mph or less...(Dirt Driveway) as slow as the car can go to keep dust down!

If this is as simple as that I'll get on S3 and order up a steeda kit right now!

Thanks D Roush... appreciate the feed back! I'm sure with time I'll just learn to drown it out!

I'm sure like many here.. I just want my car to be perfect! A loose feeling in the front just doesn't classify!

Cheers

Nemi

[toolttime]

Mine does it because of the wide tires. My wifes trailblazer with the wide tires does it also.

[Nemisus]

Thanks tool time! Guess this is another "mod" i'll have to get used to! The car actually handles awesome when driving at normal speeds!

Appreciate the info

Cheers

Nem

[Sabre]

It might be worth having both front tires checked out, to see if one has a belt that has separated.....just a thought.

[88ROUSHGT]

Are you using the offset rack bushings from Roush? They will help reduce bump steer.

[Nemisus]

I plan on getting Steeda's BS kit along with Offset Rack bushings! Thanks for the posts!

Cheers

Nem

[JimGnitecki]

Bump steer is an entirely differnet thing than what you are describing.

Bump steer occurs when a car's suspension travel upon hitting a bump in the road causes the direction of the front wheels to change purely as a result of the suspension travel.

This is a somewhat common issue on classic cars and hot rods that have been modified in a way that defeats the design measures that the original manufacturer put in to prevent or at least minimize bump steer.

The most common example of bump steer that is encountered is when a hot rodder "separates" the wishbone that controls the front axle suspension movement on Ford Model Ts and As. As designed, the wishbone minimized bump steer despite its simplistic design, by having both suspensino arms meet at one point on the chassis, and using a ball joint at that point. The hot rodders typically "separate" the wishbone, so that each half of it now goes virtually straight back along its side of the chassis. Now, when one front wheel is delfected upward, the front beam axle is twisted a bit, as the two wishbone halves remain the same length when one of them now needs to be shorter in order to span the distance from the front axle to the chassis mount point (because the bump has deflected the axle on one side upward so that the distance from the axle to the chassis mount point is now almost horizontal versus fairly angled).

THAT is an example of bump steer.

What you have occurring is entirely different. I have no idea what it is, but it's not bump steer!

Jim G

[Mustanger]

Originally Posted by JimGnitecki

Bump steer is an entirely differnet thing than what you are describing.

Bump steer occurs when a car's suspension travel upon hitting a bump in the road causes the direction of the front wheels to change purely as a result of the suspension travel.

This is a somewhat common issue on classic cars and hot rods that have been modified in a way that defeats the design measures that the original manufacturer put in to prevent or at least minimize bump steer.

The most common example of bump steer that is encountered is when a hot rodder "separates" the wishbone that controls the front axle suspension movement on Ford Model Ts and As. As designed, the wishbone minimized bump steer despite its simplistic design, by having both suspensino arms meet at one point on the chassis, and using a ball joint at that point. The hot rodders typically "separate" the wishbone, so that each half of it now goes virtually straight back along its side of the chassis. Now, when one front wheel is delfected upward, the front beam axle is twisted a bit, as the two wishbone halves remain the same length when one of them now needs to be shorter in order to span the distance from the front axle to the chassis mount point (because the bump has deflected the axle on one side upward so that the distance from the axle to the chassis mount point is now almost horizontal versus fairly angled).

THAT is an example of bump steer.

What you have occurring is entirely different. I have no idea what it is, but it's not bump steer!

Jim G

Been doing a little catching up on your reading?

[rheacerdave]

LOL
While we're back on the subject.
Bump steer is pretty simple.
When you lower a car (or raise it), the steering rack end links have to move a longer distance. level and straight ahead, everything is fine. Bump and the wheel/hub/spindle move up in an arc- the steering rods are the same length even though arc is now bigger (starts higher), so they tend to pull the ackerman arms (steering arms) together. Same thing happens when you try to put on too tight a pair of pants. Pull one leg to the right, the other leg goes that way too- not where you pointed it originally. This makes the tires toe out (steer in a different direction). Disconcerting in a straight line-wander- Puckering in a corner, as the car tries to go in a different direction other than where you just steered.
Answer is to to raise the steering rack an equal or near equal amount with offset bushings where the rack attaches to the frame.
The "rag" joint is on the steering shaft about 1/2 between the firewall and steering rack. Was originally a bunch of fabric reinforced rubber to damp vibrations through the steering wheel.
If it helps, racing I feel any slop in steering at rest, but once up to speed, you really don't notice any play. Curious, but you really don't notice, even though it is still there. We're talking about 1/4-1/2 inch of moving steering wheel, before you, well, move the tire/wheel.
If you can feel in it floorboard, I'd check trailing arms for play. Not likely in a "new" car, unless you've had work done on them.
Now I'll go back and read the other couple of years of answers.