Tie Rod Knuckle Hole Taper Alignment When Installing Bump Steer Kit
#1
Tie Rod Knuckle Hole Taper Alignment When Installing Bump Steer Kit
I just went to fixture up my spindle on the mill to drill out the tie rod taper for a 5/8" bump steer kit bolt and noticed something unexpected. The axis of the spindle shaft is a couple degrees off of being perpendicular to the tie rod knuckle hole, so if I just open up the taper the bump steer spacers/bolt will be at a slight angle and adjusting bump steer will also change toe. To me that doesn't seem right, instinctively I feel like the tie rod shaft end shaft/taper should be perpendicular to the spindle axis, and this seems like it might be a machining mistake with the original part that maybe I should fix if I'm messing with it anyway?
https://youtube.com/shorts/G5wcNZhP80c
Thoughts? Does anyone know for sure?
https://youtube.com/shorts/G5wcNZhP80c
Thoughts? Does anyone know for sure?
Last edited by 83 Crossfire TA; 08-09-2023 at 12:49 AM.
#2
Re: Tie Rod Knuckle Hole Taper Alignment When Installing Bump Steer Kit
Interestingly, that angle will move the tie rod end away from the wheel, which might be beneficial WRT to fitment. I suppose I need to check with a digital level what angle that much bubble movement on that Starret level equates to, I suspect it might be less than a degree, but I found it was repeatable.
#3
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Re: Tie Rod Knuckle Hole Taper Alignment When Installing Bump Steer Kit
I suppose the side with the taper doesn't matter because it's aligned by the taper. But I would think you'd want the side with the king nut to be flat to the nut?
#4
Re: Tie Rod Knuckle Hole Taper Alignment When Installing Bump Steer Kit
Honestly, the stock assembly puts the ball joint close enough to that knuckle that even if that was a machining mistake it would only make a few thousandths difference, much less than if you space the joint away with bump steer spacers/bolt.
#5
Re: Tie Rod Knuckle Hole Taper Alignment When Installing Bump Steer Kit
Thinking about it a little more, if I cut it so the hole was dead perpendicular to the spindle I probably should mill that surface flat and perpendicular to the hole to make sure that it does not put an additional bending force on the head of the bolt.
And I know that someone will say something like "if it was good enough stock..." well I'm putting better parts on it, making it better than stock, why not take the opportunity to machine it better also. I just need to figure out what is "correct."
And I know that someone will say something like "if it was good enough stock..." well I'm putting better parts on it, making it better than stock, why not take the opportunity to machine it better also. I just need to figure out what is "correct."
#7
Re: Tie Rod Knuckle Hole Taper Alignment When Installing Bump Steer Kit
If anyone is curious about what I ended up doing, I ended up cutting it just like I showed/like in their video, but I only opened it up to 9/16" and then used a boring bar to bore it to just a couple of thousandths over the size of the shoulder on the bolt. I shot video that I'll put up when I get the chance to catch up with that.
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DynoDave43 (03-29-2023)
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