toddk911

Can bad/worn shocks cause or increase bump steer?

Or is only a bad alignment the cause?

Could a slightly off alingment (toe) cause a floaty feeling when on the straights, but feel solid in the corners?

Can bad shocks feel fine in the corners and "floaty" in the straight, especially if you rock the steering wheel some.

Matt Romanowski

Bump steer is independent of shocks. It's a geometry issue.

Toe can make a car feel unstable and bad shocks can feel ok at a steady state in a corner but bad on entry / exit and on straights.

Matt

Jim @ EuroWerks

How does it feel under braking ? Some drivers swear they can tell if the car has 0 toe in the front and say it feels floaty . When you give them a Tick toe in or out the same guys swear they can feel the difference and they like it . I'm told the car (from the drivers ) feels like it wants to go somewhere but can't make up it's mind where when its going, straight . If the rear toe is bad (out) the car can do strange things to, but will be terrible (unstable) under braking . Shocks shouldn't be the cause unless they are worn out way past resonable . Down force might help , but if its going through fast corners well and putting down power fine then I would say thats ok . Ck the toe , front especially . Jim

Jim @ EuroWerks

Too much rear down force maybe ?

toddk911

Well, this is noticed at normal highway speeds, as low as 40-50mph. So not downforce.

Under braking it feels ok. Did some hard braking a few times and a couple times braked straight and once it pulled to the right some.

Would the toe have to be way off for this to be the issue or just small amounts?

I recenlty had an alignment done and everything was put into the "range" allowed but not all dead on. So I wasn;t sure if this was the problem

Jim @ EuroWerks

Usually thats camber or a braking issue ie sticking caliper . I thought we were talking race car . If the shocks a shot then yes you can get a floating sensation . IE the shocks are not doing anything and it's just floating on the springs , no control from the shocks .

toddk911

Ok, thanks!

yes, street car, but you track guys I know are experts on handling and suspension, etc.