Aftermarket Tie Rods
Tie rods are made up of an inner section and an outer section, and they connect the steering system to the spindles to turn the car. Below the complete tie rod assembly is a raw inner rod and spacer. Aftermarket adjustable tie rods open the door to more steering angle which is critical to initiating a drift, getting the tail way out wide and also having the ability to pull it all in when transitioning to the next maneuver.
Aftermarket tie rods are longer than stock, which adds to the amount of movement or angle that the wheels can be turned lock-to-lock. They're also considerably stronger than the stockers, have more adjustability and feature a built-in spacer where the unit threads into the steering rack. There are also more threads on an aftermarket tie rod to accommodate additional spacers to get even more angle. The outer tie rod adds to the adjustability factor, providing fine-tuning of toe angle while also incorporating heim joints, which are significantly stronger than the stock, threaded attachment point. Drift-Office cautions to be wary, as some manufacturers use proprietary threads that do not allow the use of stock outers, only an aftermarket unit.
Adjustable Tension Rods
Like most aftermarket suspension parts, this piece is stronger than stock and in this case features heim joints. The tension rod's mission is to center the wheel and tire in relationship to chassis and also tune the caster of the front suspension. Aggressive caster allows the wheels to return to neutral from full lock quickly. It's a reflex mod.
Camber Plates
Part of the coilover package, camber plates are also critical to the drifting experience as they afford fine control over camber, which translates into maximizing the contact patch. As lateral Gs increase, the suspension contorts and tends to pull the edge of the tire away from the road surface. Less tire on the ground equals less grip, or in drifting terms, less control of the slide. Drifters set the camber to maintain the contact patch at high Gs, not during normal driving situations.
Adjustable Four-Link
For use in solid axle applications like the AE86, this set-up centers the rear end and optimizes the pinion angle inside the pumpkin by reducing the lateral load seen by the diff. Another prime focus of an adjustable four-link is wheel hop. Wheel hop, usually recognized by a chattering of the rear tires, is a devilish condition to experience during mid-drift or when setting up for a drift. It interrupts the constant contact patch and more often than not leads to a spinout... or worse.
The basic foundation for a stout drift suspension includes, a solid LSD, coilover shocks, low-profile tires and adjustable tie rods. Note that coilovers should include adjustable camber plates.
Negative Roll Center Adjusters
Negative Roll Center Adjusters (NCRA) add track width and camber while combating bumpsteer that can result from an aggressively lowered suspension. NCRAs have two mounting locations, each providing a different amount of track width increase. Bumpsteer hurts drifters by taking the predictability that proper suspension travels represents out of the picture, replacing it with an abrupt bottoming of the suspension.
By the time you outgrow the suspension mods outlined here you'll probably need more attention under the hood. The suspension system is the clutch player; it makes the thrill of drifting possible. Paying attention to the details and calling the right player from the bullpen will make learning to initiate, control and transition a drift much easier.
Anatomy Of A Front Suspension
Here is a quick 'what goes where' look at the front suspension. The car in question is an AE86 Corolla that is enthusiast-drifted on a regular basis.