I'm looking to get a new rack for the car and want to upgrade it abit. Anyone have a good source Or good part numbers? Napa had four diff ones listed and couldn't really tell me the difference, or anything specific I should be asking for?
I just installed a Remaned unit specd for a 88 Mustang GT. Get the 15.1 ratio. It feels really good to me.
The last 3 racks I've gotten have been from Rockauto. A friend of mine toured the Cardone site and said their equipment is real good. I've had good luck with their reman racks.
Only problem with Rockauto is dealing with the core charge and sending your rack back in. I find it just easier to buy them locally.
I agree on the core... Also I checked there and they had numerous ones listed..
True, but 2 of the ones came as closeouts with no core. I got the Daytona rack for 40.00. with no core. Their stock is always changing.
If you get one for a late TC it should be a quick ratio.
I just went to advance auto and got a 15:1 rack for a T-bird sport or Turbocoupe. Everyone says to make sure a get a matching PS pump (which I did because mine was leaking anyway).
It drives so much nicer with the upgraded rack. It really wasn't that expensive either and so far I've not had any problems with the Advance Auto pieces.
Rent their PS pulley installer/remover tool. Unless you have one already, then disregard.
My rack started to leak so I ended up replacing it with a 15:1 rack. However I did the naughty thing and re-used my stock pump as it is in perfect shape. I know it's a no-no but it's been working fine so far. Would I do it again? No.
Why should you not use the existing pump?? I didn't think about that?
I never replaced my pump with the 15.1 rack(going on 8yrs) its probably the same one, but I could be wrong
Supposedly, one pump is spec'd for the 15:1 rack and the current one you have is spec'd for the slower ratio rack. I have no idea what the actual mechanical differences are. There have been several guys on here use their stock pump with the 15:1 rack and they seem to get by fine.
My pump leaked anyway, so I changed everything all at once. Therefore I cannot confirm this myself...I just know the 15:1 upgrade is a good one!
Well hopefully this will happen this week.. I'm replacing :
Rack and pinion
Outer tie rods
Both power steering lines (leaks like a siv)
Swapping the TC sway bar in while it's all apart
Sway bar links
Front struts ( needs em in a bad way and since it's all
Apart and I'm gonna need an alignment why not)
Oil pan gasket ('also leaks)
I think that's all for now.
Well finally got all the parts listed above minus the oil pan gasket advance didn't have any. Hoping to get it all changed by Thursday. Getting the windshield replaced tomorrow as well.
Oil pan gasket....get the one piece rubber one. Glad to see some progress being made.
That's the one I wanna get.. Had to get my windshield replaced yesterday so no progress this week. If it wasn't my DD I could start tearing it down but no go.. Next Tuesday hopefully.
Mine's a daily driver as well. I feel your pain.
Are you pulling the engine? If so, rear seal, front seal, change out the old gaskets and be done with it. Now's the time to do it. Worth the extra effort as well.
I am not pulling the engine.. That's not gonna happen until a 5.0 goes in..
Can't find the gasket anywhere. Advance auto doesn't have it napa can't get it. No one has the rubber ones listed either just the cork??
Try http://www.supersixmotorsports.com. They should be able to get the rubber one for you.
Autozone and Oriellys can get them.
I talked to the guy at autozone he said he can get it. Just need to find time to get there and get it. Still no work has been done yet. Parts are still just sitting in the back seat.
It'll get done. Grab all the parts that you need for now. It's nice to have everything you need to do as much as possible at one time.
That's why I'm changing the struts both inner and outer tierods now. This is all because of a leaking power steering hose. Why not change it all.
I was having tie rod issues and decided to just swap the whole rack. I did the rack, springs,outer tie rods,lower control arms, ball joints, everything at once. Made a huge difference in the car. Now I need to swap the rag joint. I wish I could afford a Flaming River steering shaft. Not happening anytime soon.
have you tried just going to autozone's website and ordering it to ship to your house. I can't even count on body parts how many times autozone's website said a part was in stores and online but at the store the clerks either had no clue what I was talking about(their english speaking skills had a lot to do with that ebonics should be outlawed), or insisted they could only get the higher priced item. I started going to o'reilly's exclusively lately after having to replace a starter that car quest said was good as well as return a faulty solenoid they sold me(wouldn't stop cranking after the key was removed until the battery was disconnected). O'reilly's was also the only place in town that had the breather cap I needed for my Bird's driver side valve cover. I should look into replacing my rack and pump soon...steering has a dead spot in the middle, pump whines a tiny bit, fluid looks like it's from the factory lol, and I just don't like the whining when turning at low speeds.
That's one plus of having a power steering leak. My power steering fluid is cleaner than any car on the road. It doesn't stay in long enough to get dirty.
Got the pan gasket done. Going to put the rack in and am having an issue. There are two of these with the rack
(http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z14/cougar1car/2943c5c7.jpg)
Nothing else and they do not fit over these on the car
(http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z14/cougar1car/c34c43d5.jpg)
Where the rack goes??? Am I missing something?
Those bushings are for a different setup. Do you still have the old rack bushings? They are two pieces per side.
If not, they should be available at parts stores...
http://www.autozone.com/autozone/parts/1988-Ford-Thunderbird/Rack-Pinion-Bushing/_/N-ihyglZ8oy4i
I was expecting something more like these
(http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z14/cougar1car/6728a5a4.jpg)
That's what I was thinking I do have the old ones but they are no good. I'll have to grab a set anyone's better than the other??
You can go with 3 stages on those bushings... original rubber type, polyurethane (like the Energy Suspension ones you show above), or solid bushings (typlically aluminum). For track use, the solid bushings would be good, but for a cruiser, the original rubber ones are fine. And the poly ones are the best of both worlds.
So it depends on your goals for the car...
When my '87 LSC become a donor car for my '89 Mustang GT convertible, one thing I also swapped in was the rack and pinion. One part I had to add in was the steering rack shims under the boots.
To those who order a 15:1 Mustang rack:
AND since everyone here complains about the turning radius, the shims should be removed when it gets installed into a Mark VII, Thunderbird, or Cougar.
Ok well she's on all four again. Pan gasket done.. Rack and pinion done.. New outer tie rods in.. New pressure line on.. New to me TC sway bar with new end links in.. Started her up and she's not leaking anymore well not from where it was last time anyway.. The leaks now are minor I didn't replace the return line to the PS so that's easy and also seems to be an oil drip from the oil filter?? Hopefully I didn't tighten the filter enough... Only thing left to do now is change the struts out, I figured change the strut mounts while I was at it and they had to be ordered. Change the tranny crossmember to the double hump so I can get the exhaust done finally. One snag I did hit though is I can't seem to get the bolt back in where the steering shaft meets up to the rack ¿ Cant figure out why.. So all in all not too bad with just a small few things left to do.
Woo-hoo!
Getting closer. Glad to see you getting her knocked out. I'm not sure what's up with your steering bolt.:confused:
Finally got it all done... Feels great.. Glad I changed everything while I was under there..