DIY Bump Steer Kit Options

[Mr. M]

I did a search, but I didn't come up with the information that I was looking for, has anyone put together their own bump steer kit? Hoping to find out where people were able to source the parts from or a parts list that they used to make the kit.

[914Sixer]

Bump steer kits usually consists of two thick spacers that go under the steering rack and longer bolts.

[mepstein]

The $300-400 kits are for when you raise the control arm on the strut.

[914forme]

You can do it, by chance you own a metal lathe?

Lots of details in that kit, and I do not like them as a single sheer point. Properly done with another arm welded at the bottom of the strut, to make it a double sheer situation. Oh the leverage going on with that setup.

Making the proper bump-steer kit like shown by Mark is easier. I never did it, but thought about it long and hard, is to measure it, setup tests with washers, get the right height with Zero bump steer, and then machine a spacers the proper height.

One item of note, I have removed the center rubber steering spacer to get the geometry back in proper place. My last setup, I did that and removed the shaft under the dash, and sectioned it, then welded the tube, ground it down, and added a sleeve. That allowed the U-joints nit to bind under the dash. With out this I got an effort sine Waze going as I turned the car.

Last version I was going with the kit much like you see there, but in double sheer. I left the rubber isolator out of the steering.

[Mark Henry]

The bigest hurtle is a metric thread ball joint and a couple of machined spacers. You might be able to retap or timesert a SAE balljoint.
I have a 996 here with a kit, it has actual turnbuckles, unfortunately 914 has a much smaller OD and shorter rod.
There is a wacky looking kit from elephant, but it's not cheap.

How low do you want to go? You can get pretty low without issues with spacers, from there most cut and weld the struts to raise the spindles.

[SirAndy]

Bump steer kits usually consists of two thick spacers that go under the steering rack and longer bolts.

Please don't use those. It's the worst way possible to go about correcting the steering geometry.
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[stownsen914]

I'll offer a counter point to the concerns about using spacers and a (semi) long bolt to attach a tie rod to the strut. There isn't THAT much force on a tie rod end, compared to other suspension joints. For a tie rod I'd rather have a single shear bolt as a weak link if a wheel takes a significant hit, and have the bolt bend, rather than having a double shear setup and transmit the entire force to the steering rack.

I've had a single shear setup on my racecar for many years and haven't had a problem yet. I do have a large washer on the outboard end of the rod end joint so it won't pop up in case of damage.

[SirAndy]

I'll offer a counter point to the concerns about using spacers and a (semi) long bolt to attach a tie rod to the strut. There isn't THAT much force on a tie rod end, compared to other suspension joints. For a tie rod I'd rather have a single shear bolt as a weak link if a wheel takes a significant hit, and have the bolt bend, rather than having a double shear setup and transmit the entire force to the steering rack.

I've had a single shear setup on my racecar for many years and haven't had a problem yet. I do have a large washer on the outboard end of the rod end joint so it won't pop up in case of damage.

Those spacers i was talking about (the ones posted by 914Sixer above) don't go on the tie-rods, they are used to drop the whole steering rack itself.
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[roblav1]

I believe those spacers raise the steering rack.
Tie rods don't see much force, unless you hit something hard.

[worn]

You can do it, by chance you own a metal lathe?

They ought to be included with every 914 purchased.

[914forme]

You can do it, by chance you own a metal lathe?

They ought to be included with every 914 purchased.

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[Tdskip]

Bump steer kits usually consists of two thick spacers that go under the steering rack and longer bolts.

Please don't use those. It's the worst way possible to go about correcting the steering geometry.
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Why. Not arguing, just want to learn.

[914forme]

Not sure unless you do not fix all the issues it causes.

Things bind on the steering U-joints if you do not move them around a bit. Or if radical, need to change things like cut and welding the shaft. If you can get it perfect then moving the rack up a bit solves the issue.

Much easier solution to change tie rod ends.

I am not going to get into the physics off moving the rod location and what that does to the loads applied. I will stick with the extra arm at the bottom and not worry about flex induced into the steering system or the loads it produces.

The elephant kit has that lovely extra surround that is there for some reason, my guess is that they found they needed it. Why goto that extra engineering if you don't need to.

Heres the kit I use, and like. They also make a basic kit, for a bit less adjustment that is a single sheer setup.

[Mark Henry]

There's a huge thread on bump steer in the classics forum, sticky, 2nd from the top, required reading before I'd plop down any cash.