Is an alignment needed after Steeda tension links w bearings?

[valentinoamoro]

Hey guys
I just purchased these.
https://www.steeda.com/Steeda-S550-...nsion-Links-w-Bearings-2015-2019_p_14091.html

Its a simple swap of the existing tension link. Looks like a super easy swap. All it does is replace the existing bushing w a bearing pre installed in the tension arm. Length etc is same.

Directions recommend an alignment. Can someone confirm if its needed? Not sure how the alignment gets thrown off. I have the Steeda camber plates.

I get if I went with the bump steer kit and lateral arms with ball joints an alignment is def needed.

Want to avoid a shop visit.

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[Brian V]

I would have to think that Steeda is suggesting an alignment for a reason . Toe and or camber could change just by unbolting .

 

[TigerFire13]

I can confirm my Toe did not change when I removed only the steeda bearing'd tension links and went back to stock bushing'd links. Tape measurements were indistinguishable.

Lateral arms with extended ball joints will most definitely throw things out of wack.

 

[valentinoamoro]

I can confirm my Toe did not change when I removed only the steeda bearing'd tension links and went back to stock bushing'd links. Tape measurements were indistinguishable.

Lateral arms with extended ball joints will most definitely throw things out of wack.

Thanks. Why did you go back to stock?

 

[TigerFire13]

Prior to any suspension changes on my PP ecoboost, I had made an effort to reduce NVH by installing vibration dampening mat all throughout my car. I like my quiet lol. I then proceeded with the bright idea of replacing almost all of my suspension at once, so I wouldn't have to keep tearing it apart to notice every little change. Bad idea lol. I installed Air Lift Performance's 3P kit, Bearings everywhere, poly integral links, front tension and lateral arms, bumpsteer kit, 4 point subframe brace, BMR CB005, Steeda alignment bushings for CB005, adjustable camber arms, adjustable toe arms, etc. This resulted in a fair bit of NVH increase, but most annoying was the fact that the front suspension was constantly bouncing, never settling. Once I switched the front arms back out to their original counterparts, NVH went down, and that constant bounce almost disappeared.

I wish I could have left them in, I thoroughly enjoyed the heavier steering feel the bearings provided. It is possible I didn't spend enough time tweaking things to get them to work. I just needed to take a step back and see what was going on.

Having said all of this, I've got a friend who installed all of the same bearings I did and he didn't have near the annoyance I did with the front end bouncing. It was just something in my setup I still need to figure out.

 

[Dr. Norts]

Prior to any suspension changes on my PP ecoboost, I had made an effort to reduce NVH by installing vibration dampening mat all throughout my car. I like my quiet lol. I then proceeded with the bright idea of replacing almost all of my suspension at once, so I wouldn't have to keep tearing it apart to notice every little change. Bad idea lol. I installed Air Lift Performance's 3P kit, Bearings everywhere, poly integral links, front tension and lateral arms, bumpsteer kit, 4 point subframe brace, BMR CB005, Steeda alignment bushings for CB005, adjustable camber arms, adjustable toe arms, etc. This resulted in a fair bit of NVH increase, but most annoying was the fact that the front suspension was constantly bouncing, never settling. Once I switched the front arms back out to their original counterparts, NVH went down, and that constant bounce almost disappeared.

I wish I could have left them in, I thoroughly enjoyed the heavier steering feel the bearings provided. It is possible I didn't spend enough time tweaking things to get them to work. I just needed to take a step back and see what was going on.

Having said all of this, I've got a friend who installed all of the same bearings I did and he didn't have near the annoyance I did with the front end bouncing. It was just something in my setup I still need to figure out.

Did you install the tension and lateral links both with bearings?

Or, the Tension link with the bushing and lateral Link with the bearing?

What manufacturer?

I'd guess the links aren't playing nice with the air suspension. The Tension/lateral links shouldn't cause the front end to bounce.

 

[TigerFire13]

Both of them with bearings. One of them already had bearings from the factory, but I wanted the extended ball joint from lowering the car. Both were sourced from Steeda.

 

[Dr. Norts]

Both of them with bearings. One of them already had bearings from the factory, but I wanted the extended ball joint from lowering the car. Both were sourced from Steeda.

with bearings on both links, you've taken out any of the slop the stock links had in the bushings. Your front end should feel tight as hell with all that stuff. Mine feels amazing, and I only have a bearing on the lateral link.

How did you set up your bumpsteer kit? Can you explain the front end not settling issues a bit better?

 

[TigerFire13]

It felt great from the steering wheel, no doubt.

Bumpsteer kit is supposed to be checked for toe consistency through the range of suspension travel, and shims added or removed as necessary to reduce the amount of variation.

Even while going over what I assumed to be smooth roads, the nose of the car was almost constantly moving up and down. I took the car to an autocross. The front end was free of slop, no doubt. There was no smoothness to be said about it however, as it was thrown up and down with every little bump I crossed. There was no setting with the dampeners that would cure the problem.

It got a tiny bit better when I took out the 4 point brace, and better still when I put the bushing'd arms back in place. Could I have figured out how to make them work? Perhaps. I still may try to. But as this is also my daily driver, I couldn't take the constant undulating movements, and had to make them stop. The back end doesn't suffer nearly as much, making me wonder if it isn't related to my lighter front end. After I made the return to bushings in this one location, it handles much smoother again. Trying to do everything at once, and figure out damper settings, bag pressure settings, ride height, etc. proved to be too many variables to decipher at once.

 

[valentinoamoro]

It felt great from the steering wheel, no doubt.

Bumpsteer kit is supposed to be checked for toe consistency through the range of suspension travel, and shims added or removed as necessary to reduce the amount of variation.

Even while going over what I assumed to be smooth roads, the nose of the car was almost constantly moving up and down. I took the car to an autocross. The front end was free of slop, no doubt. There was no smoothness to be said about it however, as it was thrown up and down with every little bump I crossed. There was no setting with the dampeners that would cure the problem.

It got a tiny bit better when I took out the 4 point brace, and better still when I put the bushing'd arms back in place. Could I have figured out how to make them work? Perhaps. I still may try to. But as this is also my daily driver, I couldn't take the constant undulating movements, and had to make them stop. The back end doesn't suffer nearly as much, making me wonder if it isn't related to my lighter front end. After I made the return to bushings in this one location, it handles much smoother again. Trying to do everything at once, and figure out damper settings, bag pressure settings, ride height, etc. proved to be too many variables to decipher at once.

Thanks. How did you lighten the front end? The biggest things I've done is lighter wheels and I'm kicking around the idea of eventually doing giro-discs (bloody expensive for rotors though). I cant think of anything else. A lightweight battery is an option but seems like a PITA as most dont sell a mount etc that just bolts on.

 

[TigerFire13]

Sorry, I was referring to my 4 cylinder being lighter than the v8 of my friends' GT.

 

[valentinoamoro]

Sorry, I was referring to my 4 cylinder being lighter than the v8 of my friends' GT.

Gotcha. I'm looking forward to a difference in steering feel and precision with these bearings. Keeping my fingers crossed.

 

[Roadway 5.0]

Gotcha. I'm looking forward to a difference in steering feel and precision with these bearings. Keeping my fingers crossed.

I look forward to your findings. I may follow suit.

 

[Racerx009]

Hey guys
I just purchased these.
https://www.steeda.com/Steeda-S550-...nsion-Links-w-Bearings-2015-2019_p_14091.html

Its a simple swap of the existing tension link. Looks like a super easy swap. All it does is replace the existing bushing w a bearing pre installed in the tension arm. Length etc is same.

Directions recommend an alignment. Can someone confirm if its needed? Not sure how the alignment gets thrown off. I have the Steeda camber plates.

I get if I went with the bump steer kit and lateral arms with ball joints an alignment is def needed.

Want to avoid a shop visit.

You need to get alignment

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