ACME ADAPTERS EXTREME HI-STEER
ACME ADAPTERS EXTREME HI-STEER STEERING
OTT or Over The Top Steering also known as Knuckle Over Steering ( and probably some other names for it too ) is a safe way of eliminating BumpSteer after lifting a truck ( contrary to the dreaded Z-link - explained HERE - that in my opinion can even cause BumpSteer on it's own due to the flex in the steeringarm ).
After reading all the stories on BumpSteer ( and it is explained HERE very accurate and clear ) on all the 4X4 Fora - mainly of course the Samurai Fora - I decide not to wait and experience what BumpSteer feels like and ordered a Extreme Hi-Steer set-up from ACME ADAPTERS in the States. I mailed Jeff Kerr a couple of times with my questions and always received a clear and friendly answer ! Of course there are several suppliers offering OTT set-ups, but I really liked the simplicity of the ACME Hi-Steer plus the fact that the tie-rods are stock Suzuki parts, so if they need replacement I don't have to wait for stuff to arrive from the States but just walk into a Suzuki dealership !
This set-up moves the entire steering above the frontaxle and out of the way of treestumps and rocks.
I received the Extreme HiSteer set-up within 2 weeks and was pleasantly surprised about the quality of it. It came with the 4 necessary bolts with lockrings and a small package of threadlock ! Nothing else because that is really all you need !!!
The Extreme HiSteer mounts to the 2 bolts on each side where the brakecallipers sit. Just take out the 2 original bolts and slide the set-up inbetween the original steering arms. I didn't even take the wheels off and Jeff adviced me to leave the original steering on the car so I did not have to go through the trouble of adjusting toe-in etc. Just bolt it on and adjust the draglink and steeringarm untill they are like the original steering and only then remove the original stuff !
Pics below is the original steering set-up, in front of the axle and connected to the KingPins
Pic below shows the ACME Adapter Extreme HiSteer bolted to the calliper with the original steeringsystem still attached :
See how much higher it is compared to the original set-up? No need to take off the original stuff yet, it's not even close to being in the way !!
Pics below show the installed set-up, as Jeff said: "Leave the original stuff on untill everything is tightened, and only than take it off" which I did, took it to the garage to have toe in/out checked and that proved to be a waisted trip: it was like original ! You can see it's way up over the axle and springs !
I have had it on the road and off-road to test it and it's awesome, I did try a couple of rides in a Samurai just as high but without the bodyliftkit and had to countersteer hard under braking, no need for that in mine ;-) His also "bumped" on irregularities in the road and with mine I can just keep my foot on the throttle and one hand at the wheel !
It did not hurt the articulation of my Sammie:
Because mine is extremely high I changed the original pitman arm for a 3"dropped one I bought before I actually had this Sammi. ( done , feels even better ! )
So a big THANK YOU to Jeff @ www.acmeadapters.com
