Umi bumpsteer kit

Geezy

Active Member
Joined
Mar 21, 2016
Any idea if this works?

What the car has.
Im trying to solve this on my GN, I have lower tall ball joints already, complete front end rebuild, blazer spindles, tubular S10 lower control arms, stock upper controls and the steering shaft upgrade from Kirbans. Its not that bad but I want to completely eliminate the issue.
Not sure if I should get the howe adjustable centerlink or the UMI kit or both?

Thank you in advance for your knowledge and experience.




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Any idea if this works?

What the car has.
Im trying to solve this on my GN, I have lower tall ball joints already, complete front end rebuild, blazer spindles, tubular S10 lower control arms, stock upper controls and the steering shaft upgrade from Kirbans. Its not that bad but I want to completely eliminate the issue.
Not sure if I should get the howe adjustable centerlink or the UMI kit or both?

Thank you in advance for your knowledge and experience.




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Do you need it?

Yes. The taller lower ball joints have changed the geometry enough that you will benefit from bumpsteer correction.

Will that kit work?

Yes.

Can you piece it together yourself from a circle track catalog for about half that price?

Yes, but you trade time for money. And in my case, the el cheapo aluminum tie rod adjusting sleeves I bought got hogged out after a season and couldn't be tightened anymore. So I ended up buying the UMI steel sleeves after all, which negated the savings on my home-grown kit.
 
Do you need it?

Yes. The taller lower ball joints have changed the geometry enough that you will benefit from bumpsteer correction.

Will that kit work?

Yes.

Can you piece it together yourself from a circle track catalog for about half that price?

Yes, but you trade time for money. And in my case, the el cheapo aluminum tie rod adjusting sleeves I bought got hogged out after a season and couldn't be tightened anymore. So I ended up buying the UMI steel sleeves after all, which negated the savings on my home-grown kit.

Thank you for the info, I rather just buy this and be done with it. Thats why I wanted to know if it actually worked. I spent weeks putting together my c6 brake set up, I just wAnt to be done.
Thanks again!


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Is this kit designed to correct the factory bump steer or is it to correct the geometry after adding the taller lower ball joints?
 
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As 1qwiksix says, you'll still need to check bump with a gauge to set up those end links. I used the spohn end link kit and a drop centerlink to get mine all but eliminated.
 
As 1qwiksix says, you'll still need to check bump with a gauge to set up those end links. I used the spohn end link kit and a drop centerlink to get mine all but eliminated.

The adjustable centerlink was also needed? I am actually having it installed when my rear z06 caliper conversion gets done.


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The adjustable centerlink was also needed? I am actually having it installed when my rear z06 caliper conversion gets done.


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The vast majority of the time, you only need the adjustable centerlink if you run out of adjustment at the tie rod ends. But if that happens, something else is likely wrong with your chassis.

The thing about the center link, and I'm WAY oversimplifying, but it needs to be about the same length as the width between the LCA pivot points.

The idler arm and the pitman arm also need to be about as far apart as the LCA pivots. But the placement of the LCA pivots isn't precise on these cars. If you relocate the LCA pivots (I know people that have measured and actually done this to make the car symmetrical), then you'll also need the adjustable center link AND you might have to shim the idler arm and the steering box.

It gets complicated very quickly.
 
The adjustable centerlink was also needed? I am actually having it installed when my rear z06

I still had just a little steer with the rod end kit alone. With the center link dropped I was able to dial the rest out.
 
The vast majority of the time, you only need the adjustable centerlink if you run out of adjustment at the tie rod ends. But if that happens, something else is likely wrong with your chassis.

The thing about the center link, and I'm WAY oversimplifying, but it needs to be about the same length as the width between the LCA pivot points.

The idler arm and the pitman arm also need to be about as far apart as the LCA pivots. But the placement of the LCA pivots isn't precise on these cars. If you relocate the LCA pivots (I know people that have measured and actually done this to make the car symmetrical), then you'll also need the adjustable center link AND you might have to shim the idler arm and the steering box.

It gets complicated very quickly.

Yes it does! I thought with the tall ball joints, and blazer spindles, steering shaft, new bushings, pitman arm etc it would be enough, but it still has a little bumpsteer, and well my OCD wants it gone. So here we are. Just trying to figure out what to buy, and have it resolved.


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I still had just a little steer with the rod end kit alone. With the center link dropped I was able to dial the rest out.

Thank you! I will buy the rod end kit first an go from there I assume, or maybe both, it doesnt hurt to have both. Although I just replaced it.


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Thank you very much for the knowledge and insights. I will update this thread, so that may help other like myself in the future. Very much appreciated


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Any idea if this works?

What the car has.
Im trying to solve this on my GN, I have lower tall ball joints already, complete front end rebuild, blazer spindles, tubular S10 lower control arms, stock upper controls and the steering shaft upgrade from Kirbans. Its not that bad but I want to completely eliminate the issue.
Not sure if I should get the howe adjustable centerlink or the UMI kit or both?

Thank you in advance for your knowledge and experience.




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The taller lower ball joints get rid of a great majority of bump steer. The only thing you need,to get rid of the rest of it,is a tie rod bump steer correction kit. I like the Spohn kit because it has infinite adjust ability because of it's fully threaded shaft that allows you to put the tie rod pivot points at exactly the right height with 2 locking nuts to get it there and keep it there. If you use a kit like the UMI,you are stuck at an adjustment determined buy the shim thicknesses.

https://www.spohn.net/shop/1978-198...ering/Bump-Steer-Kit-1978-1987-GM-G-Body.html
 
The taller lower ball joints get rid of a great majority of bump steer. The only thing you need,to get rid of the rest of it,is a tie rod bump steer correction kit. I like the Spohn kit because it has infinite adjust ability because of it's fully threaded shaft that allows you to put the tie rod pivot points at exactly the right height with 2 locking nuts to get it there and keep it there. If you use a kit like the UMI,you are stuck at an adjustment determined buy the shim thicknesses.

https://www.spohn.net/shop/1978-198...ering/Bump-Steer-Kit-1978-1987-GM-G-Body.html

Thank you for the information! I had no idea about the difference between the two.
I will order the spohn kit...

I also noticed that Bear makes what is called a tracker kit, any idea if it is the same? Although it says for use with b body spindles also mentions S10 spindles, just curious


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I also noticed that Bear makes what is called a tracker kit, any idea if it is the same?
It is a bump steer correction kit. As mentioned earlier,you won't know where you are if you don't have a gauge.
 
It is a bump steer correction kit. As mentioned earlier,you won't know where you are if you don't have a gauge.

Thank you, Ill order the kit and have the shop figure out the adjustments. Atleast I know now know the Spohn kit , has better adjustments. Thanks again.


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Baer tracker and the UMI kits use spacers to place the rod end height. The Spohn kit uses two lock nuts...one on top/one underneath the rod end to locate the height. The same principle, just two different ways to obtain it.
 
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