I just got my Steeroids kit yesterday for my '71. I was looking at it and immediately had some concerns about the tie-rod end bearings.

The bearings are exposed, and without grease fittings. It seems to me that with the typical road conditions out there, these things are going to have a short life-span.

Once I install this kit, I own it...no returns. How have these bearings held up so far for you Steeroids owners?

Just looking for a little reassurance...

 

Go to http://www.speedwaymotors.com and look up the seals-it rod end seals (I think they're under rod ends & sleeves), those will seal up your rod ends just fine (5/8th)

 

Seems odd that they didn't include the boots in the kit. I would contact the vendor to see if they were supposed to be included.

Rick B.

 

i asked them about this issue they said they are self cleaning and need no boots...

 

Several thousand miles. No issues. Including some South Texas caliche roads. (If you don't know what caliche is, you don't want to know...)

 

I believe that the take on this is that these heim joints are built to such tight specs that water and dirt are a non issue. Check with Speed-way, but I believe they will tell you that they don't need to to booted.

 

selfcleaning = BS! The more expensive rod ends do have a wiper but that's just to keep the large debris out, expose them to grime & dust and they will wear out, the seals-it seals are excellent protection and can be packed w/ a little grease.

 

You wouldn't want to drive around here in New England with unsealed rod ends. Even though nobody drives their C3s in the winter here, for a couple of months after the snow melts the roads have a large amount of sand mixed with calcium chloride and other debris scattered around. Those rod-end seals look like a great idea, and they are inexpensive.

Rick B.

 

I'm curious about what you will have to go thru to make these Steeroids work for your car. Most posts I have seen involved re-inventing the wheel i.e. the product does not work as it come from the factory. It is the buyer's responsibility to MOD the car, remanufacture the product since S.D. has no quality control. Most if not all people with steeroids have posted the following words on the forum; "MASSAGED, MODIFIED, RE-INVENTED the wheel" and various other expletives I won't mention. I experienced Speed Directs products and refuse to ever deal with them again.

I hope you have none of these issues Brother.

Hey big Vette/ car meet on Sunday at the Simpson's nursery brought on by the East county cruisers @ http://www.eastcountycruisers.com/aug.html and http://www.simpsonsnursery.com/

Hope to see you there.

David

 

still have those shocks?? want to get rid of them??

 

Nope. S.D. sent UPS to pick them up from me and supposedly examine them then call me back to tell me the problem. The article came out in Corvette Fever they got their publicity and never returned my phone calls. They are definetly teh suck!

 

LOL

 

Can you please keep us updated on your progress with this kit? pics, etc etc etc
I am ordering the kit next month for my 73 sb and would appreciate your feedback.
Shane

 

I have had the kit installed for a few years now... well I kind of lost track of time, but I was an early adopter.

It has about 8000 miles on it. Overall I am very happy with the way the car steers now. I feel much safer on the road.

I had the guys at Guldstrand thoroughly inspect the system for safety and function. Their only concern was the hiem joints. They recommened I replace them with some stronger ones. They also like to use washers in case a hiem joint fails, their theory is that it will stay together long enough for you to safely stop the car.

Dick said that there is no bump steer anymore, and said about the kit that someone most have known what they were doing.

About 6 months ago I noticed a crack in one of the brackets on the driver side. Speed Direct quickly sent out a replacement part free of charge, and they didn't charge for shipping.

From what I have seen on the forum no two kits install the same, there are different issues on every car. I'm not sure what changes, the cars or the kit.

I think Speed Direct needs to modify their system to use higher quality parts. The steel the brackets are made of is quite flimsy. I have one with a crack in it to proove it. Another forum member who does a lot of track days says he has cracking problems too.

I personally do not regret installing the kit in my car. In fact now that I got off my wallet and bought some good tires the car drives like a dream! I am now comfortable at 80 mph on a bumpy freeway steering with one finger.

Just keep an eye out for cracks, loose set screws on the u-joints (I now soak them in red lock-tite), and keep the big eye bolt lubrcated.

~Jay

 

the whole bump steer comment sounds like nonsense to me...maybe GS was trying to be kind but here's why I don't believe it, bump steer adjustment is a very fine adjustment and differs from car to car when using the same components, every car has different tolerances and requires a different setup to get 0 bump steer (although 0 bump steer isn't always desired), the chances of installing an aftermarket system and getting absolutely 0 bump steer without you actively checking for it, measureing and adjusting is well... zero. If you are that lucky it may be time to buy a lottery ticket. Just my 0.02$

 

I agree with Twin Turbo. NO possible way the steroid system was engineered to remove bump steer. The only car that comes without bump is the Dodge viper.
The best thing your can do for bump on our cars is raise the inner tie rod as high as possible and lower the outer about 1 inch to start. The tie rod sleeves also need to be about 3 inches longer then stock.
I so like the fact that the steroids with work could be modified after testing of coarse to get rid of alot of the bump.
I settled for .007 after 7 inches of travel because I was too lazy to grind a washer in half.
I needed to drop my outer tie rod this much, increase the sleeve 3 inches and push the inner tie rod almost against the pan,

 

hey....a bolt w/ a heim? I'll use that also then, no need for that stupid reamer.

Now that I look at that pic, looks like you've been chopping & welding at everything, including the pitman arm, you lowered the whole steering shebang????

 

That's not just a bolt. After testing and finding out how much of a spacer I needed I welded a spacer onto the steering arm. Then from the top I taped the hole for a 16 mm bolt. That is in case the welding breaks.
Then from the bottom I also taped the hole. Again for a 16 mm bolt. You remember but some might not. A 5/8th heim/rod end is .625 or 5/8's. Well check a 5/8th bolt and you will find it is about .614-.615 That leaves about .010 clearance or slop in the bolt to rod end. Don't count on squash tightening up this play.
Anyway a 16 mm bolt is about .626 so by taking a 16 mm bolt , polishing the shank a little it becomes a nice press fit into the 5/8th rod end.
So I welded but I also bolt. Twin Turbo I do away with as many tapered ends as I can and just run 5/8th rod ends and drill and tap the hole.
Yes the pitman arm is modified but my inner tie rods almost touch the pan.

 

Well... that's what he told me... But It might have been after he spend so many hours rebuilding the front end. When I took the car to their shop I asked them make the front end as good as they think is possible, and also inspect the steeroids kit, and I specifically asked about bumpsteer. Maybe the 0 bump steer was a result of steeroids plus whatever they did.

BTW, how do you measure bumpsteer?

As for luck... Me and my car have none!

~Jay

 

To measure bump steer the springs need to be removed and aluminum plates bolted in place of the tires with dial indicators meauring toe in or out. It is not complicated but takes time. I spend several weeks working on it. It is about trying different combinations until the bump/toe change is minimal.
Do you really think the place that did yours removed the springs and you need to to check it???

In my case the wheel on the back pushes or pulls the frame so all readings are taken off the front dial indicator. This is the most popular way.