manual rack & pinion conversion? October 18, 2012, 06:08:36 PM anyone ever converted their car to a manual rack & pinion using a factory or aftermarket unit from a mustang? would it be too narrow to work properly? Quote Selected
manual rack & pinion conversion? Reply #1 – October 19, 2012, 05:46:41 AM The racks are available and it has been dun. But in my view it would be the dumbest thing anyone can do. Just me could be wrong on this for others!! Quote Selected
manual rack & pinion conversion? Reply #2 – October 19, 2012, 10:31:12 AM If it's ever EVER going to be street driven, then I'd not put in a manual rack.If it's a track ONLY car, then why the hell not.When I hear guys say they want to put in a manual rack on their hot street car, I laugh. Posers. All of 'em.Now, the ones that run 9's....well, it's still kinda silly to drive one on the street with manual rack...the horsepower and weight loss are negligible...not worth the work, IMO.Some weight reduction in the front: tube K member and battery relocation. But again, on a 14 second street only car...it's a little silly Quote Selected
manual rack & pinion conversion? Reply #3 – October 19, 2012, 11:03:32 AM Unless its an all out drag car I'd hate to see you ditch the PS. You can do a Sport/TC rack and PS pump for cheaper than you think. Check autozone, advance auto, etc. Quote Selected
manual rack & pinion conversion? Reply #4 – October 21, 2012, 07:17:06 PM hmm, just kind of curious how all the accessories mount on a 351w is all... or how to run it for any swap Quote Selected
manual rack & pinion conversion? Reply #5 – October 21, 2012, 07:44:26 PM I just did it in my car. For reference I've got a 302 block with aluminum heads out front, with a/c, etc etc, and it's not bad. I bought a flaming river 20:1 manual rack because I wanted a something new I wouldn't have to shag with. I also eliminated the rag joint by welding a 26 spline u-joint onto my stock steering shaft, but if you take this route be sure to disassemble your u-joint before welding so that you don't toast the bearings. Now the one caveat: Flaming river advertises their racks to be 45 inches long from threaded end to threaded end. Well, this is not the god case. I first thought that maybe I had gotten a shortened rack in a regular rack box and proceeded to call them to get the correct rack sent to me immediately. They oh so carefully informed me that their racks can be up to 45 inches long, but are sometimes nearer 43.5 inches, really anywhere in between...At this point in time I had already welded the new ujoint up to the factor steering shaft and was at a point of no return. Luckily, the thread on our stock thunderbird tie rods is identical to the thread on the mustang manual racks (ie the thread on the flaming river rack), so I was able to lengthen the "long" tie rod ends I bought from flaming river by welding on the threaded bits off my old tie rods.Suffice to say there was a lot more work involved, and I'm now going to have to buy a set of tie rod ends and lengthen them as well in the future when these wear out. I checked and could not find any current production rod ends long enough and in the correct thread to fit my application. So there you've been warned concerning installation. Concerning driving and feel I shaging love the thing! I just wish I had known about the extra effort involved when doing it, luckily there was plenty of work left over making my rear control arms to pass the time until I figured everything out. Truly, though I'm most happy about never having to worry about leaks under my car, no puddles, no little drips anywhere. And for reference I'm 5'6", weigh 135 lbs dripping wet, and have moderate rheumatoid arthritis and don't have any issue driving the car around without power assist. I can get you my tire size if you'd like, I think it's somewhere around 245/50/r16, so not dainty. And my car weights 3500lbs with a full tank of gas.But if I had to do it all over again I would simply adapt a saginaw style pump and replace my power rack with an sn-95 style one and be done with it. Quote Selected
manual rack & pinion conversion? Reply #6 – October 21, 2012, 07:46:31 PM Oh and if you can get a factory rack go for it, there was one on rock auto for an 80 or 79 mustang that I wish I would have bought. Quote Selected
manual rack & pinion conversion? Reply #7 – October 21, 2012, 11:12:09 PM Just a tip of advice. Welding things like tie rods to lengthen them is a NO NO. I will venture to say unless you are a certified welder stay clear of that like the plague. We cant do that in the shop. That is something that can be very dangerous. Just saying. I have no leaks whatsoever in any of my power steering cars. And all of them are power. To convert to manual to cure a leak is something beyond my thinking would be a reason to do it. Welding on steering components is a risk that i would not take. Just a thought!! Quote Selected
manual rack & pinion conversion? Reply #8 – October 22, 2012, 12:23:56 AM The only molecular bonding I have ever done involves styrene plastic, but I would have to say en ningún momento is welding steering components ok.It's easy to fix a leaky rack, maybe not so cheap. Always replace the seals if you take the high pressure line off, too. They have those seals cheap at parts stores. Quote Selected
manual rack & pinion conversion? Reply #9 – October 22, 2012, 10:04:17 AM As of now the strongest part of the tie rod ends is the tig weld running through the middle. Personally it scares me more to drive a twenty some year old car tack welded together by a bunch of robots produced by a car company known for sparing no expense and using all the highest craftsmanship in the construction of their vehicles. Have you looked at your rear control arm bushings? They've got holes drilled in them from the factory! I couldn't figure out for the life of me why my polyurethane bushings were oval shaped until I removed the rear control arms to see that the addition of an aphelion was made to accommodate two additional holes poked in the rubber. I'd love to know why they'd engineer back and forth movement into the rear end, it's just dumb.Personally, I have more confidence in any of the parts I've fabricated or installed than the factory pieces present in the car, because I take the time and make the effort to produce quality work. Maybe it's partially too because I know quite a few engineers and I wouldn't let them anywhere near my car :roll eyes:. Besides, if someone shouldn't be welding together their tie rods, or doing any sort of technical modification on their car they're going to become aware of that fact as soon as they lift up their welding helmet and look at the burned out fleck of a weld they just made. If they continue to proceed undaunted by the absolute lack of ability and quality, I doubt advising them not to do so on some internet forum will be the turning point in their safety equation. What's scarier is that flaming river sells these racks undersized and there are hundreds of hopped up mustangs running around on the street with only 2 to 3 turns of thread engagement on their tie rod ends! That's food for thought isn't it? All the more reason to get 4 point harnesses and a cage installed in the not so distant future. Concerning switching to a manual rack to cure a leak, yeah I've had 2 racks in that car each brand new, and two power steering pumps (agr no less) and after putting on and pulling off that stupid press on pulley and having a car that drips more than a bag of fried chicken I said enough was enough. I could get a new pump, buy a new rack, make some new lines with 37 degree fittings, and replace my factory rag joint all to still have the possibility of having leaks or a whining pump again. Well, Homey didn't want to play that game so he just bought a manual rack with the only assumed downside being difficulty steering at a complete stop and no other negatives. That turned out not to be the case, but hey we all learned something didn't we? Quote Selected
manual rack & pinion conversion? Reply #10 – October 22, 2012, 12:04:24 PM I'd love to have the time and money to adapt an EPAS system from a new Mustang. Quote Selected
manual rack & pinion conversion? Reply #11 – October 22, 2012, 03:49:39 PM hmm, lots of good info here, i definitly wont be welding any steering parts, ill most likely throw in an OE rack when start pulling it apart, everyone says they like the feel of the steering over the mustangs, less touchy or something Quote Selected
manual rack & pinion conversion? Reply #12 – October 22, 2012, 04:27:04 PM A Tbird Sport, TC, or Cougar XR7 rack is the same as used in the 5.0 Stang. Get the matching pump, and you're golden.It's a little more precise,and gives a much better feel of the road and what the car is doing. Throw in a TC steering wheel and it's unbeatable. Quote Selected
manual rack & pinion conversion? Reply #13 – October 22, 2012, 04:33:03 PM Quote from: GrannysBird;400970Personally, I have more confidence in any of the parts I've fabricated or installed than the factory pieces present in the car.Good that you have the skills and the confidence to be able to say that...Quote from: GrannysBird;400970Well, Homey didn't want to play that game so he just bought a manual rack with the only assumed downside being difficulty steering at a complete stop and no other negatives. That turned out not to be the case, but hey we all learned something didn't we? I've used several junkyard racks from 5.0 Mustangs on both of my own Tbirds, as well as one on a friend's Mustang. No leaks, no fuss. Of course, everything was replaced, pump, lines, rack, and I DID use new seals in all three swaps.No worries. Quote Selected
manual rack & pinion conversion? Reply #14 – October 22, 2012, 08:08:02 PM Quote Originally Posted by GrannysBird View PostPersonally, I have more confidence in any of the parts I've fabricated or installed than the factory pieces present in the car.I respect that 100% and you are most likely a pro welder. But god forbid you have to explain it to an insurance COMPANY. Quote Selected
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