Rack and Pinion Conversion
- Thread starter TURBO D
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finishline
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Rack & pinion
Turbo D,
I'm in the middle of gathering my parts right now. I've had it with all the (extra) parts from the original design. I'm useing a powered mustang rack because it fitts very close to our tie rod to tie rod width and keeps our 2 turns lock to lock steering. Then I'm useing Heim joints and drilling the spindles. I'll have to fab a union that the rack ends and the heim joints will screw into and provide adjustment from 1018 round stock steel. The mount brackets will locate off the forward lower control arm bolt after you remove it and reinstall it backwards. That's where I am and have had no time to work on it for months. Hope the ideas and advice helps. If your not in a hurry you can just wait till I finish mine and I'll send you pics. I've been designing this for about 7 months.
Randy
Turbo D,
I'm in the middle of gathering my parts right now. I've had it with all the (extra) parts from the original design. I'm useing a powered mustang rack because it fitts very close to our tie rod to tie rod width and keeps our 2 turns lock to lock steering. Then I'm useing Heim joints and drilling the spindles. I'll have to fab a union that the rack ends and the heim joints will screw into and provide adjustment from 1018 round stock steel. The mount brackets will locate off the forward lower control arm bolt after you remove it and reinstall it backwards. That's where I am and have had no time to work on it for months. Hope the ideas and advice helps. If your not in a hurry you can just wait till I finish mine and I'll send you pics. I've been designing this for about 7 months.
Randy
Scott Atk
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Randy, Are you planning on running the steering shaft through the front crossmember? When I got under there and checked it out that looked like the best option. Also which rack did you choose, mustang II or 79-93 mustang?
THanks,
THanks,
finishline
New Member
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Scott
Yes the steering shaft will have to go through the cross member. My Rack is off a 1990 Mustang. If I remember it's 45 3/4 inches end to end without the tie rod ends screwed on. Our distance between our factory set up tie rod to tie rod is 48 inches. That means we can use a heim joint to make up the other 2 inches between the mustang rack and our factory measurement. We will just have to fabricate a union between the rack and the heim joint. I used a solid bar of 1018 steel and tapped threads for each one to make my union.
The problem comes in with mounting the rack to the front of the crossmenber.
I've already figured that out also but, it is too complicated to try to explain here. Like they say a picture is worth a thousand words. I'm sure I won't have time to work on that again until this spring.
Today I'm pulling all my exhaust plumbing out of the car and welding up header cracks. Changing plugs, fabricating new plug wires and then the oil pan gasket gets changed. It seems like every weekend I'm under someone elses car and have no time for my own. My car has gotten so bad I had to put my foot down and fix my own stuff this weekend. If you plan on going ahead with the rack transplant please keep me informed of your progress. Like they say two heads are better than one.
Randy
Yes the steering shaft will have to go through the cross member. My Rack is off a 1990 Mustang. If I remember it's 45 3/4 inches end to end without the tie rod ends screwed on. Our distance between our factory set up tie rod to tie rod is 48 inches. That means we can use a heim joint to make up the other 2 inches between the mustang rack and our factory measurement. We will just have to fabricate a union between the rack and the heim joint. I used a solid bar of 1018 steel and tapped threads for each one to make my union.
The problem comes in with mounting the rack to the front of the crossmenber.
I've already figured that out also but, it is too complicated to try to explain here. Like they say a picture is worth a thousand words. I'm sure I won't have time to work on that again until this spring.
Today I'm pulling all my exhaust plumbing out of the car and welding up header cracks. Changing plugs, fabricating new plug wires and then the oil pan gasket gets changed. It seems like every weekend I'm under someone elses car and have no time for my own. My car has gotten so bad I had to put my foot down and fix my own stuff this weekend. If you plan on going ahead with the rack transplant please keep me informed of your progress. Like they say two heads are better than one.
Randy
Scott Atk
Senior Member
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- May 25, 2001
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- 2,653
Will do Randy. Although I'm not adventureous enough to try something like that. I prefer to let pioneers like yourself figure it out first. 
Do you know if the 79-93 rack is available in manual?? I already have a s-10 manual box and hate it. The ratio is just terrible. I would like to do a manual rack with about 16 to 1 ratio. versus 23 to 1 on my current box.
Please keep us posted.
Do you know if the 79-93 rack is available in manual?? I already have a s-10 manual box and hate it. The ratio is just terrible. I would like to do a manual rack with about 16 to 1 ratio. versus 23 to 1 on my current box.
Please keep us posted.
Scott Atk said:Will do Randy. Although I'm not adventureous enough to try something like that. I prefer to let pioneers like yourself figure it out first.
Do you know if the 79-93 rack is available in manual?? I already have a s-10 manual box and hate it. The ratio is just terrible. I would like to do a manual rack with about 16 to 1 ratio. versus 23 to 1 on my current box.
Please keep us posted.
I don't think the factory mustang rack is available in manual. When we built our Cobra kit car back in the early 90's we would have KILLED for a fast ratio (faster than 4 turn Pinto) manual ford rack.
At a Kit Car Illustrated run and gun autocross, we we finished in the top 20 out of 140 cars and my arms were flying. Top 10 would have been easy if I only had the damn fast ratio rack my '89 mustang had, but Power Steering wasn't "stock" on a '66 Cobra, and we had to look "stock".
There may be an aftermarket one available by now, however.
Scott Atk
Senior Member
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Wilwood makes manual racks in any ratio want. They're pricey at around $400.oo though. You can check em out @ www.stockcarproducts.com
Randy, thanks for the idea about using the LCA bolt to anchor the a mount. I'm planing on using a narrowed Pinto rack from Quater Max. Its manual with a 18-1 ratio. I'm also going to use hiem joints but with tubes and threaded ends. How were you planning to connect it to the streeing colunm? Or from the "DD" shaft or were you can unbolt it near the fire wall? Thanks Dean
finishline
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Turbo D
I was more concerned about mounting the rack properly than anything else. The steering shaft should not be a problem. It seems like everyone makes different couplers. Personally I was just going to weld togeather the mustang shaft and a later model Camaro shaft. I have a full shop at my disposal. I just don't always have as much time to work on my own stuff as you guys.
Please realize I barely revealed how I intend using the LCA bolts to mount the rack. If you are going to forge ahead with this I hope you have an understanding of metal stresses and proper loading on structures. If you don't know what I'm talking about you need to stop right here and let someone else that does help you with your install.
SAFETY IS ALWAYS #1!!!!!
Randy
I was more concerned about mounting the rack properly than anything else. The steering shaft should not be a problem. It seems like everyone makes different couplers. Personally I was just going to weld togeather the mustang shaft and a later model Camaro shaft. I have a full shop at my disposal. I just don't always have as much time to work on my own stuff as you guys.
Please realize I barely revealed how I intend using the LCA bolts to mount the rack. If you are going to forge ahead with this I hope you have an understanding of metal stresses and proper loading on structures. If you don't know what I'm talking about you need to stop right here and let someone else that does help you with your install.
SAFETY IS ALWAYS #1!!!!!
Randy
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