Hello Everyone,
I am curious about the reliability issue with this kit. As I have posted
before, I know of a Tiger with this kit installed. Never had any problem.
In fact it ran for nearly five years in SCCA Solo II, local competition,
without ill effect.
Also, the car took an exit on the freeway (with no exit ramp)at high speed
when the right front lower ball joint broke. This resulted in only minor
damage to the car (fixed) and had no damage to the kit components.
But just the same, this is only one car. Have other cars had trouble with
this kit?
Regards,
Ray B.
At 12:13 PM 2/8/98 -0500, Will Seay wrote:
>OK guys (&gals?) I've finally gotten back to you on the Ackerman angle
>steering thing. For those of you who know the whole story of the Lou
>Anderson Ackerman "kit", you need read no further. I, for one, don't
>know the whole story and would like to be filled in. The following is
>what I know of the development of this thing.
>
>It all started in August of ‘73 (a bit earlier than the ‘80's as I first
>estimated). Lou Anderson wrote a Shopnote for the August edition of
>CAT's Tiger Tales. In the article, Lou explained that the Tiger had a
>steering tracking problem which was the result of the forward-placement
>of the steering rack. With this placement the wheels do not toe out
>with increasing steering lock as they should. The Shopnote included
>drawings illustrating the turning radius represented by each wheel and
>demonstrated that the radii did not converge unless the wheels toe out.
>Lou's solution was to add a pivot arm to the steering linkage. Sorry I
>can't illustrate it here. The pivot arm attached to the lower A-frame
>and resulted in adding a "kink", as Lou described it, to the linkage.
>The result of the "kink" was to make the amount that the linkage
>extended increase as steering lock was added. This resulted in the
>tires' towing out with increasing steering lock. Lou had implemented
>this modification in his Tiger and was checking to see if there were
>other Tiger owners interested in making the same mod. Lou was
>understandably concerned because of the safety issues associated with a
>steering modification. He also warned that once the mod was started
>there was no turning back.
>
>That was the beginning. It's my opinion that Lou's approach should
>work, if properly implemented. It's also my opinion that this is a
>complex modification and that opportunities for screwing up the
>implementation abound. In rummaging through my tiger Tales I found what
>appeared to be a sequel the original Shopnote. Read on...
>
>In the February ‘77 Tiger Tales (Geez, this was nearly four years
>later!) CAT was drumming up interest in producing the Lou Anderson
>Ackerman "kit". Lou had been successfully campaigning his Tiger in
>local autocrosses since ‘73, so CAT assumed that the safety of the
>modification had been demonstrated. The "kit" would be a bolt-on,
>requiring no welding, but requiring cutting, drilling, and threading
>were required.
>
>That's about all I know about the Lou Anderson Ackerman "kit".
>Apparently CAT did create and sell the "kit", and it is the "kit" about
>which there are such strong feelings. If anyone can complete the story
>and/or give testimonials (pro or con) for the "kit", I would like to
>hear from him.
>
>
>--
>B382001570 - Will Seay - wseay@sprynet.com
>
>
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