Rack & Pinion

parklane · December 27, 2005, 07:30:55 PM

Finally starting to work on my 56 Ford wagon. I want to go with a R&P on this unit, and see that kits are available for this set-up. By the time you get them across the border, customs, exchange, etc, and the fact that I'm a dutchman (cheap) it starts getting costly. Has anyone tackled something like this, or should I just bite the bullet??

Thanks
John

enjenjo · December 27, 2005, 10:20:33 PM

Well, I think you will want to start with a Caviler rack, build a mount for it, and go from there with tie rods.

btrc · December 28, 2005, 06:46:20 AM

That's basically what I'm doing on my Comet. I started with a GM R&P and am making a new center link that will bolt to the R&P to replace the factory center link. I modelled the whole front suspension on CAD to determine the best location for the ends of the center link (to minimize bump steer) but if you set it up for the same location as stock you would be pretty close. I don't know for sure what the '57 Ford system is like but it probably about the same only stronger.

BFS57 · December 29, 2005, 08:21:18 AM

Hello;
If you are like me, you have read enough about these "new steering" systems to want to vomit! It gets so confusing (to me anyway) that I am taking a wait and see attitude. There are more of these for Chevy right now than Ford but I'm sure the makers of such systems are "working on it".
One thing seems to be the same about all of the "systems" I have looked at! They all seem to have left the connection of the steering wheel to the rack (or power box) to the customer's imagination! As I don't have welding and fabrication and machine shop equipment handy, they are useless to me!
I used to have a '67 Ford Galaxie with factory power steering that really worked just fine, why don't you explore that avenue of modification to your steering system!
Bruce

32 Chevy · December 29, 2005, 11:27:48 PM

I have a power Cavalier rack in my 56 Ranchwagon and really like it. I guess that if I had any caveat about the Cavalier swap is that it does not have a lot of travel so the turning raduis is kinda wide. The road feel is very nice and it tracks well with light effort and sure beats the original non-power mechanism in a parking lot.

I used the Fatman kit which bolted easily to the frame and installed easily. So easily, in fact, that if I had seen another car with the same swap i would have made the brackets and saved some money. The expensive part is the Borgeson u joiunts for which there is no shortcut; you will need three joints and the stabilizing bearing. You might also have to shorten your steering column a bit, too, to reduce the angle of the first u joint.

Fatman also included an adaptor which connects the original drag link to the r/p and that was kinda mickey mounse; didnt fit well but that may be because I had changed the tie rod ends when I put the disc brakes on. I modified the Fatman connector and all is O.K.... and that connector to the drag link is close to the stock pressure lines on the Cavilier rack...so close that it will hit the line and after a while can wear a hole in it. Man, you can pump a bunch of hydraulic fluid through a small hole directly onto the exhast manifold real fast....during the first check out drive....exciting, huh?

Dave R.

parklane · December 30, 2005, 08:49:36 PM

Nice wagon Dave!! You haven't got any pics of the conversion have ya??That way it will give me an idea of angles, dimensions etc.

Thanks
John

32 Chevy · December 30, 2005, 09:24:43 PM

I'll try to take some pictures this weekend. I don't have a lift so hang in there, I'll get the best pictures and measurements I can with the car on the ground.

Dave:

ONE37TUDOR · December 31, 2005, 10:20:50 PM

I would also enjoy seeing photos of your conversion. I am trying to fab one for my 61 galaxy and while the frames are different it may give me enough ideas to get started.
The GM type racks that I have seen used for this conversion do not use a drag link? Or at least not a conventional looking one? Am I missing something here?
Also I would be curious to know what you think of the feel of the steering. A friend of mine installed a Cavalier rack on a 50 Chevy and his complaint is that he has to rest his arm on something to drive it at highway speeds because just the slightest movement makes steering corrections.

Scott...

32 Chevy · January 01, 2006, 02:52:12 AM

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O.K. here ya are. The pictures should be self explanatory but ask away if something does not make sense. Note in the first photo how close the drag lonk is to the crossmember; so close that the zerk fittings would hit the crossmember at full lock. I have to remove the fittings with block off plugs to get clearance.

The driving feel on the freeway and around town is great. I do not have any hint of twitchiness at speed..the steering centers well and I can take my hands off the wheel for quite a while without wandering. Your buddy might have a pump with too much pressure so one of those pressure reducers could help.

Cheers,

Dave

btrc · January 01, 2006, 08:10:43 AM

That is basically what I am doing with my Comet but I never thought of just welding on the factory drag link. I was going to fabricate one instead. What are the two muffler clamps for?

Bob

GPster · January 01, 2006, 09:14:31 AM

Thanks for the photos. All along I was thinking you would need to leave the idler arm and put one on the drivers side to compensate for the removal of the steering box and pittman arm arc. How come all these good ideas settle into my brain so late? I spend so much time trying to re-position the stock parts because I have them. Now I have an idea what to do with my truck project if I can't aim those little VW tires with the big '53 car steering wheel. Oh Well, GPster

parklane · January 01, 2006, 09:38:07 PM

Dave.................Thanks very much for the pics. That's just what I was looking for!! I think we can figure it out from here. In the mean time, if you need someone to keep your 56 clean, full of gas, and the carbon out of it, let me know. I might even come down to pick it up :ha) :ha) :ha)

John

32 Chevy · January 02, 2006, 10:35:27 PM

Bob asked what the muffler clamps were for that I have mounted on the Cavalier rack...... For some reason, G.M. in it's wisdom decided to make the rack with only one side (the driver's side) anchored to the frame. The passenger side bracket that holds the rack tube to the frame is free to slide along the rack. Well, the Cavalier must be lighter or not driven as hard as my 56 because when I first assembled the car and drove it the steering did not feel as crisp as you would expect from a R/P system. I put the car on a lift and watched the mechanism as my helper moved the wheel back and forth. I saw that the rack would move a side to side a little bit in reaction to steering input. So, I made a bracket that bolted to the frame on the passenger side and clamped it to the tube to give the system some extra suport. That did the trick.

Y'know, I over the years have received so much help from fellow RRT'ers that I felt is was a one way street. I'm sure glad to be able to return a favor!

Dave

ONE37TUDOR · January 02, 2006, 11:08:58 PM

Thanks a lot for the photos and the information. While the frame and suspension on my 61 is slightly different this gives me the information I needed to get started.
Do you happen to know the year models for the rack?

Scott...

btrc · January 03, 2006, 06:49:39 AM

Dave,
One more question, well maybe two. What PS pump did you use? I was thinking I would need a GM pump. Does anyone know what year pump and model pump would work good with my '92 Grand Am R&P but use a V-belt instead of a surpentine belt?

Thanks
Bob