Mustang II rack w/thunderbird inner tie rod P/S Questions

[rooster]

Its my understanding that Ford made a tie rod (inner) for a t-bird that is longer that the standard M II of 13 1/2 ".
Can anyone tell me what year t-bird?
and its lenth?
Is the OUTER tie rod different in size also? Im swaping my power rack for a manual rack, I have a old schol MII cross member widened! I have steering problems!

[enjenjo]

79 and up  Mustang/Tbird rie rod end is what you're looking for. Everything is the same, except 2" longer.

[rooster]

Thanks for quick reply. My post took over a hour to appear!

I might be barking up the wrong tree, but to try a fix the steering to a more better drive "guessing for a fix" is what im doing. The steering seems to over steer slightly when recovering from a cruve, its just not comfortable , sorta like being a red alert all the time at 60 mph, the faster you go the more noticable it is, but dosent get any worse.

I have changed the pressure valve in the MII power steering box, that made a difference slightly only.

I was thinking that maybe the extender is the problem and that a t-bird tie rod (inner) 14" might be a fix if I could elimante the extender. The 14" tie rod wont be long enough with the extender removed! Ideas welcome!

[Fat Cat]

Thanks for quick reply. My post took over a hour to appear!

Read this

[rooster]

79 and up  Mustang/Tbird rie rod end is what you're looking for. Everything is the same, except 2" longer.

New development ! A friend stoped by the house with a new 1989 T-bird OUTER tie rod end ,they also are longer! With the length of the INNER tie rod longer by 2 inchs and the Outer tie rod end by a few inches I should be able to elimanate the extender! I like this idea better even if it dont fix the problem!

by the way what ever happen to Larry-T ?

[SKR8PN]

Rooster,just out of curiosity,how much toe in/out are you running with the power rack? What is the caster set at?
Even if just swapping the power rack, to a manual doesn't fix your driveability issues,I would still be thrilled, just to get rid of those rack extenders.........

[enjenjo]

I don't know that the Tbird inner will fit the early rack. But you could use the Tbird rack complete, with the Tbird outer tie rod ends to gain 4" or so. There is 1/2" difference in the mounts for the Tbird rack, you might be able to cheat a 1/4" out of each side without changing mounts.

If you are running radial tires, set your toe in at no more than 1/16" in to about the same toe out. Caster should be 6 to 8 degrees. These are not Mustang II specs, but they are what works.

Larry T's situation has changed, and he has moved on to other things for the time being.

[rooster]

Rooster,just out of curiosity,how much toe in/out are you running with the power rack? What is the caster set at?
Even if just swapping the power rack, to a manual doesn't fix your driveability issues,I would still be thrilled, just to get rid of those rack extenders.........

I had the front end allined about this time last year just before the nationals. I dont remember the settings, I do remember 1.5 degrees on the caster, I wanted at least 5 degrees as sugested in the posts of RRT , the guy doing the work told me that he couldent get it, the adjustment was at max (see pic)! I dont know what caused this, or what I can do about it. Ideas welcome.

After a day of checking around on the net for information it seems that removing the rack extender and replacing with longer tie rod end, and longer inner tie rod on the pass side will cause bumpsteer. (per Hieghts)

At this point I think what im going to do is replace the power steering rack with the manual rack using the homemade rack extender and stock 11 1/2 " outer tie rod . while the rack is out I want to upgrade my link from the MII sterring box shaft to the GM colume, right now I have 3 joints and a  center support, there might be a small amount of play there. With this all done see what came be done about getting the front end to where it can be adjusted to get 5-8 degrees as sugested ( if possable) . The work that was done on this frame was done some 12 years ago but then sat until I came along 4 years ago, At that time it was probly great thing!

[rooster]

I don't know that the Tbird inner will fit the early rack. But you could use the Tbird rack complete, with the Tbird outer tie rod ends to gain 4" or so. There is 1/2" difference in the mounts for the Tbird rack, you might be able to cheat a 1/4" out of each side without changing mounts.

If you are running radial tires, set your toe in at no more than 1/16" in to about the same toe out. Caster should be 6 to 8 degrees. These are not Mustang II specs, but they are what works.

Larry T's situation has changed, and he has moved on to other things for the time being.

The 89 t-bird outer tie rod end has a different thred size than a size of the MII inner tie rod. A stock inner tierod is 1 1/4 short of working, but it sounds like it cause bumpsteer.
Thanks!

[enjenjo]

Bump steer can be a problem, actually it is not bump steer, but toe change, bump steer is easier to say. Is your crossmember wider than stock?

To get more caster, you can cut the slots longer, out to the front side, and in to the rear. Looks like the crossmember should have been tipped back more before it was installed.

You might take a look at a Lincoln continental rack, it may be longer than a T bird. Rear drive, front steer of course.

[rooster]

Bump steer can be a problem, actually it is not bump steer, but toe change, bump steer is easier to say. Is your crossmember wider than stock?

To get more caster, you can cut the slots longer, out to the front side, and in to the rear. Looks like the crossmember should have been tipped back more before it was installed.

You might take a look at a Lincoln continental rack, it may be longer than a T bird. Rear drive, front steer of course.

Yes!, the rack appears to be widened , looks like 4 1/2 " on center.

The slot to the rear still has a 1/2 " left, OK?
The slot up front is bottomed out! increase 1/2" enough?

Question! by changing form MII rotor to granada 11" rotor it widen my front end slightly, could this affect the caster also?

u-wrench it has several lincons Ill check on rack size.

I noticed that some front end kits Heits or fat guy require the use of rack extender, to keep the math right.

[enjenjo]

Slot the one with no room left, the other should be ok. Changing the rotors won't affect the caster.

If it's been widened 4", you may not find a rack the right length. There is an outfit that will build a rack to your specs, they are on the net, but the name escapes me.

[rooster]

I longated the slots and increased the caster to 4 3/4, an 5 degrees, got it aligned
yesterday. That fixed it! No more wonder when recovering from a turn or continuos suttel
steering when going straight down the road.

I kept the power steering, it seems to be over kill (powerful) and would like to downgrade
that if possible, I have all ready got a pressure valve with a stronger spring. Any ideas,
may a different pulley or different GM pump?

[enjenjo]

Get a pump from anolder Horizon. These were a Saginaw pump set up for lower pressure. You can just change the valve and return spring into your present pump to convert yours.