GB: Tie Rod "Flip Kit" Bushings

[ftjandra]

How do you machine an inner taper that tight? Must be hard on the tooling.

I used a carbide-inserted boring bar. My starting ID was 15/32" (.469) and the minimum hole the bar fits in was .455, so yeah, it was tight.

--Ferdi

[DuRWooD]

Skills. Thanks for the info. I'm a very beginner level machinest.

[FE3-323]

Ferdi can do anything!

[KAinjection]

Well I got the bushings yesterday from Ferdi, and started to install them in my Kia knuckles just to see what installation will be like.

They are very easy to install and fit like a glove. I installed them with a dead blow hammer and the slight step on the end of them really helps get them started evenly.

The drilling was the hardest part of the whole thing. This can be done with a cheap Titanium coated Unibit, and as I found out using a low speed with more pressure works better then light pressure and/or a higher speed. I also found it cut much better when NOT using oil on the bit. Dont know why on that one.

Tomorrow I plan to install the tapered set on my car, give it an alignment and test drive. I will post pictures tomorrow hopefully

[FE3-323]

please post pictures & as soon as you can give feedback on them.

[Mazda_Powered]

awesome! glad to hear things are going smoothly so far!

[KAinjection]

I have good news and bad news.

Good news:





The bad news:
I really dont think these can be used without moving the control arm or fine tuning tie rod placement. I have my toe set at zero before and after installing these. The car feels like it is twitchy/nervious in front. The steering response feels amplified is the best way to describe it. It feels good at the same time it feels bad. Around a 180 curve the steering felt like as if the wheels were turned more then I was actually turning the wheel, but make any sharp steering input back and forth and it feels like your going to over correct and lose it. Its really weird.

[ftjandra]

Why is there a burr inside the small end?

Oh well, at least you can just flip the bushings to the other side and be pretty much stock again. Also nice to see that the cotter pin still works, or did you re-drill the tie rod?

Did you double-check that to toe was zero? The negative effects also sound like toe-out.

--Ferdi

[KAinjection]

I think that is the grease I used to make them slide in easier. Its a grey color. In hindsight I didnt really need it.

I took the grinder to the top and bottom of the tie rod mount to remove the countersunk groove on top and the rust/scale/dirt on both sides to make a nice surface for that washer and the flange on the bushing, and as a result it made it thin enough to get away with using the old hole.

[FE3-323]

i would have your alignment checked again. you would be surprised what kind of change this could make.
never the less. looks good

[Mazda_Powered]

I'm excited and nervous at the same time! (insert awkward sex story)

Install looks like it went great though!

[KAinjection]

I checked the toe 2 different times and both times I had it zero. I will try 1/16 toe-in today.

If I am visualizing this correctly, the control arm and tie rod were pointing up before relatively on the same plane, but the tie rod following a shorter arc meant it should toe out as the wheel compresses. Now I feel with the tie rod moved to a level/slightly down position, the tie rod should be on a slightly longer arc then before causing the wheel to toe-in.

[crazycanadian]

Sounds like you need to try and correct the control arm angle now to help get thing back inline again

[KAinjection]

Well I ended up trying 1/32 toe-in and it helped it out a bunch.......but something still didnt feel right and I found out what it was when I got back after driving. The threads in the outer tie rod stripped out luckily it didnt come apart till I was sitting in the driveway. Turned the wheel all the way to the left to check everything out and then turned it all the way back to the right, and only the driver side followed the steering wheel....passenger side is still pointing left

[CODY004WD]

Yikes!