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Drag-link recommendations?

1K views 19 replies 11 participants last post by  Cap'n Ron 
supazuk94 said:
here is a future parts replacer lol ...
post in 2 month:
Hurts to hold wheel any recormendations???
I have this death wobble and tons of bumps steer could my z link have any thing to do with this.?
A z-link does NOT address bump steer...it just bends the drag link around the springs so they don't hit each other. Okay, if you drew a straight line from the pitman arm to the steering knuckle on the hub, it would have some angle...let's say 30 degrees. If you make a "Z" link, an "S" link, a "W" link...doesn't matter, the relationship between the knuckle and the pitman is STILL 30 degrees from parallel (to the axle or ground). All the drag link bending in the world won't change this.

Why is this important? As the suspension dives, and that 30 degrees becomes 0 degrees, the drag link effectively became longer. That's just simple geometry. If it gets longer under compression and shorter under extension, the front end WILL steer on it's own. THAT'S bump steer.

The ONLY way to address bump steer is to make the drag link parallel to the axle...you can do that with a drop pitman, an OTT (knuckle over) setup or both...depending on how much lift you have.

You want to feel something really squirrely? Add a coil suspension with a panhard that's not only NOT parallel with the ground...it's also NOT parallel with the drag link :eek: That thing was all over the road! I spent a lot of effort getting them both parallel to each other...and as close to parrallel to the axle. They are now both at exactly 4.3 degrees from being perfectly horizontal and the steering is solid and predictable...with no bump steer :D

As to your death wobble...if it's a true "death wobble" as in the action of a shopping cart's front wheels, I imagine your caster is out of whack.
 
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