What do Rear traction rods adjust?! (It says they can eliminate bump steer)???

[OM3GA]

I understand a lot about suspension geometry however i do not see what these adjust, I would like to eliminate bump steer but how is this achieved? My car is pretty low in the rear and i just want to correct all the suspension geometry having it stay the height it is. Im looking for some kind of explanation that actually makes sense for what these traction rods do.

[MastaYu]

ADJUSTABLE REAR TRACTION ROD

Rear Bumpsteer Adjustment

When the suspension is lowered, an adjustable rear upper arm is usually installed to reduce the amount of negative camber at the ride height. However, when the rear upper arm is elongated to compensate for the negative camber, this alters the geometry of the rear multiple link and can cause bump-steer. Adjustment of the rear traction rod together with the rear tie rods (Hicas models) or rear toe arm (non-Hicas models), the geometry of the two two arms can be restored to eliminate bump-steer. Typically you want to make the traction rod longer than the OEM unit to reduce bumpsteer. Too much adjustment can cause an unstable change in toe when the suspension bumps. For this reason I suggest that the arm be adjusted minimally.

[OM3GA]

Ok amazing info thank you, But how do you know how much to adjust the arm? Do you adjust it until you start seeing a change in the rear toe??

[RCA]

Ok amazing info thank you, But how do you know how much to adjust the arm? Do you adjust it until you start seeing a change in the rear toe??

This thread is one of the few threads on 240 Gen that is actually useful...

Thank you Om3ga and Master Yu.

[Vladaa]

Take it to an alignment shop and let them do it!

[OM3GA]

This thread is one of the few threads on 240 Gen that is actually useful...

Thank you Om3ga and Master Yu.

Isnt it? its like everyone wonders wtf they are used for and knows they say they eliminate bump steer but how the hell do you know how to adjust them when its on the alignment rack?

Take it to an alignment shop and let them do it!

Thats funny, If i dont know what they do with the amount of research i have done, the alignment shop will look at them, scratch their head, call me and tell me they found the problem and then charge me a lot of money to make sure they are tightened or order new stock parts.. UNLESS its a race alignment shop but it cant be THAT complicated.

[DrJuice164]

I have been wondering the same. I currently have toe and camber arms, and that does the trick as far as getting the angles back, but the geometry is still whack with stock LCA's.

I hope someone can chime in and drop some knowledge.

Note: I will hit up SPL tomorrow and see what they have to say.

[Vladaa]

My bad, shouldve specified which type of alignment shop to take it to.

[OM3GA]

I have been wondering the same. I currently have toe and camber arms, and that does the trick as far as getting the angles back, but the geometry is still whack with stock LCA's.

I hope someone can chime in and drop some knowledge.

Note: I will hit up SPL tomorrow and see what they have to say.

Yeah exactly on the LCAs but as long as your camber is fairly negative to keep the LCA and strut 90 degrees if possible depending on the angle of the LCA. Either way the roll center gets affected but it can be less messed up if the ball joint can travel in its full range of motion ie. the same amount in every direction rather it travels to that point or not.

Good luck hitting up spl i hope they can give you some advice their customer service has been terrible IMO they never reply on aim EVER lol great parts though although their tension rods are TOO beefy for slammed cars at least hehe

[DrJuice164]

SPLParts: when the suspension travels upSPLParts: the traction rod and the upper arm moves on different arcsSPLParts: the difference between the arcs changes toedrjuice164: so the goal is to have both rods to travel in the same arcSPLParts: it would not be completely possibleSPLParts: but you can fine tune it for a small region of travel to get as close as possibledrjuice164: so how would you go about setting it up properally.SPLParts: Basically you measure rear toe at different heights, and plot it for different traction rod lengthsdrjuice164: so then the goal would be to have as little toe change through the suspension stroke?SPLParts: ideally

[mynamesmark]

Wow, that made my head hurt. lol.

[OM3GA]

SPLParts: when the suspension travels upSPLParts: the traction rod and the upper arm moves on different arcsSPLParts: the difference between the arcs changes toedrjuice164: so the goal is to have both rods to travel in the same arcSPLParts: it would not be completely possibleSPLParts: but you can fine tune it for a small region of travel to get as close as possibledrjuice164: so how would you go about setting it up properally.SPLParts: Basically you measure rear toe at different heights, and plot it for different traction rod lengthsdrjuice164: so then the goal would be to have as little toe change through the suspension stroke?SPLParts: ideally

That is EXACTLY what i figured you had to do... UGH looks like im going to be spending ALOT of time at the alignment shop lol

[MastaYu]

SPL FTW!

[tunerinms]

Im having sort of the same problem. When i lowered my car an inch and a half my camber could not be adjusted properly without a camber kit. I didnt know it but the camber adjustment throws off the toe. So now i have to get new LCA's. Since im an advocate of ebay i would suggest going on there and finding one of the many kits that are really cheap and come with UCAs LCAs and Traction rods. All for $200 and they are made well.

[DrJuice164]

Im having sort of the same problem. When i lowered my car an inch and a half my camber could not be adjusted properly without a camber kit. I didnt know it but the camber adjustment throws off the toe. So now i have to get new LCA's. Since im an advocate of ebay i would suggest going on there and finding one of the many kits that are really cheap and come with UCAs LCAs and Traction rods. All for $200 and they are made well.

$200 RUCAs LCAs and traction rods.....

Just off SPL's list, rear LCA's are aprox 700-800, been while since I have checked. Even the BV ones are in the 400 range.

What you need my friend are camber arms and toe arms, rear is done. For the front you need camber plates to adjust camber, and your tie rods adjust toe. LCA's do not even have any adjustment for toe.
Modified by DrJuice164 at 12:41 PM 4/28/2009

[tunerinms]

Its all the same stuff dude. If people didnt buy the cheap s*** back in the day HKS and Greddy and all these other companies would never have made it. I have faith in products of lesser cost. Not one ebay product that i have had has ever not fit or not functioned properly. Gotta have faith.

[DrJuice164]

They really arn't all the same... but to each there own.

Good luck
Modified by DrJuice164 at 7:06 PM 4/28/2009

[OM3GA]

Basically i will pay 4 times as much for the name! quality or not you get STICKERS! and they have COOL NAMES like KAZAMA and TEIN!!! omaigawsh omaigawsh

[ashibah83]

Basically i will pay 4 times as much for the name! quality or not you get STICKERS! and they have COOL NAMES like KAZAMA and TEIN!!! omaigawsh omaigawsh

, ill cheap out on things that dont affect the way my car performs, or put my, or my wifes life, in jeopardy

[OM3GA]

, ill cheap out on things that dont affect the way my car performs, or put my, or my wifes life, in jeopardy

Yeah exactly! Like i just bought Circuit sports tie rods rear toe rods and traction rods because i cant get pbm toe rods yet or traction links and im using CS tie rods just to try them out, but im only going to be pushing it on the track so ill just be careful! I hate aluminum tie rod ends!