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Wizard Fabrication welcomes your comments and will be happy to answer any questions you have regarding
Steer Clear. The questions we're asked most often are listed below, along with our answers to them. If you have
any questions that we haven't answered here, you can email them to us by clicking the link below. Or simply fill
in the "Contact Us" box at the bottom of the page. We will make every attempt to answer to your question
within a day or two.

Click to email us with your questions or comments

wizardfab@msn.co

Q.    What's Inside Steer Clear? How Is It Made?

A.      Steer Clear is made using 3/4" 36 splined input & output shafts. Each shaft is machine welded to a
21- tooth laser cut steel sprocket. Each shaft has two radial ball bearings on it which are held with metal
retaining rings. We use R12-2RS bearings - single row radial conrad-type steel bearings w/double seals.
These bearings are pre-lubricated and never require additional lubrication.

Next we use a #35 ANSI approved single strand, continuous (no master link), preloaded, riveted steel roller
chain. Preloading aligns the various chain components which helps to eliminate initial elongation and increase
the usable service life of the chain. The chain we use has an average tensile strength of 2,134 lbf.

There are four preset chain tensioning guides cut from a sheet of 1" thick Ultra High Molecular Weight
(UHMW) Polyethylene. UHMW is a linear high density polyethylene averaging 3.1 - 6 million molecular weight
which has high abrasion resistance as well as high impact strength. UHMW is also chemical resistant and has a
low coefficient of friction which makes it highly effective in a variety of applications, including it's use in Steer
Clear. UHMW is 6 times more abrasion resistant than steel and virtually unbreakable.

UHMW Characteristics:
•        The highest abrasion resistance of any thermoplastic polymer
•        Easily machined / fabricated and requires no maintenance
•        An excellent sliding material due to low coefficient of friction
•        Self-lubricating (non-caking and sticking)
•        Outstanding impact strength even at very low temperatures
•        No cold embrittlement, works from -155ºF to + 200ºF.
•        Absorbs no water and is impervious to most chemicals
•        Doesn't chip, peel, crack or rot.
•        Non conductive, nonmagnetic, and non-fibrous.
•        FDA and USDA approved

For Steer Clear's housing we had a custom die made which was then used to make our extruded tube. The
housing is 6060 T5 mill finish aluminum that is cut, formed, welded, and machined to our specifications. The
two bearing caps are C & C machined from 6061 T6 aluminum.

Q.    What About Backlash In The Chain? How Much Is There?

A.       We only allow a maximum of 1 1/2 degrees backlash which is not very much at all. We set the tensioning
guides during assembly which allows us to carefully control the amount of backlash, and every unit is checked
before being shipped.

Q.    Do I Ever Need To Adjust The Tension?

A.        No. There are no external adjustments. A lot of engineering went into the design of Steer Clear to make it
maintenance free with a lifetime warranty.

Q.    Has It Been Tested?

A.      Steer Clear was designed to work in addition to your existing steering system. Realizing the importance of
that system, we have carefully tested, and continue to randomly test our product. Before assembly, the chain is
measured and the four tensioning guides are measured and weighed. Once fully assembled, we check the
degree of backlash, then mount Steer Clear to a test stand and run it on a machine that spins it forwards and
backwards (switching directions randomly) at 1,500 rpm's for about 100 hours. (This translates into roughly 9
million revolutions, or a whole lot of steering). After running it for 100 hours, we measure the degree of
backlash again, inspect and measure the chain, then weigh and measure the tensioning guides. What we
consistently find is 1) the degree of backlash has not changed & is exactly the same as it was originally, 2) there
is no visible wear on any of these parts, and 3) there is no measurable difference in size or weight on any of
these parts.

Q.   What Length Do I Need?

A.      Because there are so many variables involved, it is almost impossible for us to tell you which length will
work best in your car. On any vehicle, the first thing you should determine is where you want the steering
column comfortably located, then where your shaft needs to be to clear the engine, headers, motor mounts, etc.
The difference is these two things will tell you the offset. What we suggest is using a wooden 2x4 for the mach
up as it's about the same size as the Steer Clear case.

1) Start off sitting inside the car and determine where the steering wheel feels most comfortable to you. From
there determine where you want the steering column located and make a mark at the point where you want it
to go through the firewall. Keep in mind the goal isn’t necessarily to get the steering column as horizontal as
possible but to get it off of the floor and away from your feet.

2) Now in the engine compartment, determine the best position for the steering shaft so you can clear your
headers, motor mounts, etc., and mark this point on the firewall. Steer Clear should be mounted in a position
that allows the best lower shaft alignment to the steering box using the least amount of u-joints.

The difference between the two marks you've made is the offset (or length) that you'll need.

And if you order the wrong size just let us know and we'll be happy to exchange it for you at no charge.