Fox T-Bird/Cougar Forums

Technical => Suspension/Steering => Topic started by: shame302 on February 06, 2006, 05:27:55 PM

Title: please help...tie rods
Post by: shame302 on February 06, 2006, 05:27:55 PM
well, ive had all my front stuff sitting for awhile. i still need brake lines, rack bushings and tie rods.
 
im going with 96 up spindles, 3075D control arms with the sn95 ball joints.
 
as far as tie rods, what am i going too need? ive heared all kinds of things but im hoping i can just get some moog (or whatever) sn95 outer tie rods. im still using the fox rack that my car came with from the factory.
 
the car will be lower than stock but not slammed. can i get away with just using offset rack bushings or should i buck up and get a bump steer kit? thanks again...john
Title: please help...tie rods
Post by: Chuck W on February 06, 2006, 08:42:15 PM
Well, first off you can't use the SN-95 outers on Fox inners....so you'll need those as well "if" you need them. 

I really can't say of you will or not.  I've had it both ways.  The 83 TBird could really use them, but I haven't installed them yet.  The 80 Z-7 on the other hand did not need them.  Both have the same control arms/spindles(94-95)/rack...so I don't know.

I wouldn't mess with any rack bushings or bump-steer kit until you see what the car needs.  It may not need anything as the bumpsteer may not be that bad, if at all.
Title: please help...tie rods
Post by: shame302 on February 06, 2006, 09:50:18 PM
basically if they are streight across its correct right? so the sn95 moog inner and outer tie rods/ends. what be else? if i can get the front suspension wrapped up i can yank thar darn 5.0....
 
i was supposed too convert it over too HO first and work the bugs out of that but i think im just gonna wing it and hope for the best...lol im a mess...frickin all over the place with what im gonna do first.... :rolleyes:
Title: please help...tie rods
Post by: Ether947 on February 06, 2006, 09:57:12 PM
hey john, i'm about to use stock motorsport replacement tie-rods on my 5-lug swap. i'll let you know how it goes. but i did use factory replacements on my 85 with no issues... although they were threaded out kinda far.

hey chuck, what about non-offset solid rack bushings? any adverse effects? i ordered a set because i wish i had on my 85 instead of the polys.
Title: please help...tie rods
Post by: shame302 on February 06, 2006, 09:59:00 PM
Quote
i ordered a set because i wish i had on my 85 instead of the polys.

why instead of the polys...i was going too buy polys this week with the tie rods....lol
Title: please help...tie rods
Post by: Ether947 on February 07, 2006, 12:07:22 PM
well i read that the polys distort over time and the polys really didn't seem that harsh either. the solids (non-offset) also supposed to have the same effect as milling the rack for increased ackerman (http://"http://www.racer.nl/reference/carphys.htm#ackerman"). either way it's just a personal preference.
Title: please help...tie rods
Post by: Chuck W on February 07, 2006, 12:42:35 PM
On the steering rack you probably won't notice a difference between the two in road feel.

What the solids do is just move the rack closer to the K-member for the increased Ackerman effect.

If you have them, use them.