Hey guys, Stephanie with AmericanMuscle.com, and this is my review of this SR Performance
Bumpsteer Kit for the 2005 to 2014 S197 Mustang.
This bump steer kit is going to be a good option for anyone that has a lowered S197
or is thinking about lowering.
A bump steer kit is really for lowered cars because any time you lower your Mustang, you're
essentially changing the geometry of your suspension.
When you start playing around with geometry, you have to keep in mind that it could possibly
create a bump steer problem, or basically an undesirable change in tow angle.
This kit is designed to stop that bump steer and keep everything in line.
So your stock components do not have any adjustability to them, and bump steer isn't necessarily
an issue that can be foreseen 100% of the time with a lowered car.
So I'd say it's unpredictable, which in turn makes handling and cornering unpredictable.
But if we take a look at this kit that's designed to eliminate that problem, I see a few things
that are worth mentioning here.
The first thing I see here are spherical rod ends that also have tapered shafts.
These are designed this way so you don't have to drill the spindle for the install.
Another thing I'm noticing is a handful of bushing spacers that are going to help correct
the angle that the tie rods meets the hub assembly which is going to change per car
depending on the suspension set up.
There are about 12 here, which happens to be the norm if we compare this kit to other
options that are out there.
So it's nice to see that even though SR is more of a budget friendly brand, they still
give you a comparable product at the end of the day.
Like most suspension mods, this kit does work best with other suspension mods like lowering
springs and sway bars and caster camber plates.
These are kinda like the final component to lock in the steering and handling, but even
if you don't have a ton of suspension mods, and just have a set of springs, I'd still
strongly suggest a bump steer kit, because the moment you put lowering springs on a car,
you've created a need for this kit.
And this happens because, like I touched upon earlier, when you lower a car, an angle is
created where the tie rod meets the hub assembly.
You don't want this angle, and the shims in an adjustable bump steer kit like this one
here help to eliminate that angle.
Now when we start to check out the cost, this kit costs in the price range of $100 to $200,
being closer to that $100 mark.
And like I just said, it is less expensive than other options that are currently on the
site.
When it comes to the install, guys, I don't say this too often, but I do recommend taking
this to a shop unless you have prior experience in this area.
You're going to have to get the car aligned after the install anyway, so you can just
drop it off to get everything done in one shot.
This is a three out of three wrenches on the scale, and if you do decide to do this at
home, it's probably going to be a half day's worth of work.
And I'm only saying that this is a difficult install because you do need some expertise
to get this done.
If the install and setup are done incorrectly, then you're just going to be making the bump
steer worse.
So if you're doing this yourself, you are going to need a handful of tools.
A ratchet and an 18 mm, socket, a small and large adjustable.
Some WD40 might help.
A hammer or mallet and a tie rod end separator could be helpful too.
You do want to make sure that you have a torque wrench to keep everything in spec, though,
and you've gotta get to the wheel hub, so you'll need a jack and stands to get everything
up so you can disassemble the outer tie rod from the wheel hub, and this is where you'll
need your 18 millimeter.
You can expect to see a nylon locking ring that you'll have to back off too, and you
can use the mallet to knock the top of the bolt to separate the tie rod from the hub
assembly.
Then it's just a matter of removing the heavy nut keeping the outer tie rod end of the wheel
hub assembly and unscrewing the outer tie rod from the inner one.
Then you're going to want to compare the old tie rod to the new one, and make sure that
the new assembly matches the length of the old assembly.
And just tighten the jam nut on the steel end against the collar to lock everything
into place.
The spacers that are provided are to be used between the inner tie rod and the hub assembly,
and the amount of spacers that go on the top versus the bottom depend on how much you've
lowered your vehicle.
After all of this is done, it's just a matter of reassembly and torquing down the two nuts
towards each other.
And don't forget, if you do this at home, while you can get your tow close to where
it needs to be, you should still go for an alignment after the install.
So if you're lowering your Mustang or you already have, this is a kit that you should
really consider to keep your S197 suspension in check and functioning to the best of its
abilities.
This is a solid kit that offers a lot of adjustability, and as far as price, it's less expensive than
the other options on the site.
You can check this kit out more online and see what other customers are saying about
it.
I'm Stephanie, and for all things Mustang, keep it right here at AmericanMuscle.com