Rack bushing people!! I have ???s

[Jinx]

I see that MM has them, but there instructions involve the cutting of the factory bushing sleeve (they don't provide one with new bushings). Now Ford Racing has this set for $38

and it includes the sleeves (probably resized) so that no cutting is involved?? They also have an indexing feature to prevent rotation. Anyone have the FR bushings??

My son-in-law suggest getting the offset rack bushings (non-metalic) to help with aligning my car after new springs/shocks/camber plates. He says it's a bit more feasable fix to bump steer than the $200 kits.

 

[Jinx]

Never Mind

I was reading the install sheet for the C/C plates and came across this:

"There is a myth that the tie rod should be kept parallel to the ground to avoid bumpsteer. NOT TRUE. What is required is that the tie rod be kept parallel to the lower control arm. As you lower your car, the tie rod end and lower control arm move together, staying parallel. If you install offset rack bushings on a stock geometry K-member, you are making the tie rod end and the lower control arm NOT parallel. You will actually CREATE bumpsteer by installing offset rack bushings on a stock K-member."

I read this and am having second thoughts about the bushings.

 

[Bugman.dave]

I have the solid MM rack bushings, that coupled with a Flamming River steering shaft makes for some very tight steering.

It also moves your rack back a bit.

 

[Jinx]

I have the solid MM rack bushings, that coupled with a Flamming River steering shaft makes for some very tight steering.
It also moves your rack back a bit.

Those are nice. They appear to be non-offset aluminum. Do you get the hamonic vibration noise with yours? I may still get a set, just non-offset. Did you have to cut the K-member bolt sleeve for yours?

 

[Bugman.dave]

No, no vibration and yes you have to cut the sleeves, but really it's no big deal,... very easy I found. Actually what I did was buy new ones just in case I screwwed up. Besides they are cheap and why not make it a totally new install. What I did find was I had to grind off a very poor weld on the K member behind the rack using a dremel tool. You want the back of the rack to fit flush against the K member. The bushings I purchased were non-offset.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

I just made a thread in 4.6 talk the other day about my install of the MM urethane bushings. My car is not lowered.

 

[DTNODYA]

My car is lowered and I went with the urethene ones like ^^. That way I didn't have to cut anything and they were cheaper.