Steering rack bushings trouble.

Topic: Steering rack bushings trouble. (Read 2605 times) previous topic - next topic

Steering rack bushings trouble.

March 20, 2018, 09:01:49 PM

Hello, I recently sold my 85 notch, and purchased a 88 5.0 aod Thunderbird. Was told it was a V6 car with a 5.0 from a mustang, but the VIN shows a factory 5.0 auto. Anyways, while driving, the steering shifts from side to side while going down the road. Further inspection has revelled a possible issue. The whole rack moves left and right due to the rack bushings being .68" ID, while the long bolts that hold the rack on to the k member are .53". Also there isn't and welded rods to slide the rack on to. Sorry if this is a dumb question, I've searched and couldn't find anything. Thanks for your time, and expertise.

Steering rack bushings trouble.

Reply #1 – March 20, 2018, 09:44:19 PM

Get a set of the 12mm bolts and use this kit:

http://www.maximummotorsports.com/Steering-Rack-Bushings-Solid-1985-04-Mustang-with-stock-k-member-P466.aspx

Did this on my Coupe before I put a tubular K-member in it and it was like night and day difference.

Steering rack bushings trouble.

Reply #2 – March 20, 2018, 10:24:16 PM

That looks like a great option. Thank you

Steering rack bushings trouble.

Reply #3 – March 21, 2018, 12:06:39 PM

Whoever changed that rack and just left the under-sized bolts on there, should be kicked in the junk.

Steering rack bushings trouble.

Reply #4 – March 21, 2018, 02:57:33 PM

Steering rack bushings trouble.

Reply #5 – March 21, 2018, 07:36:47 PM

Okay so it must be a mustang kmember I suppose. Maybe that's why my front wheels have some unexplained camber issues :)

Steering rack bushings trouble.

Reply #6 – March 21, 2018, 08:45:53 PM

Do the mount bosses look like those of a Mustang, or do they have a horizontal bolt running front to rear?

Stock '88 Tbird should have the horizontal bolt. All is not lost if it IS a Stang k member though, just need the right control arms if that is the case...

Post up a pic of the the camber, if you would..

Steering rack bushings trouble.

Reply #7 – March 22, 2018, 12:12:43 PM

So this is all for a Mustang but I would think they would work in a Bird or Cougar k-member as well but this needs to be verified. The original part number on the sleeves is E5DZ-3K620-A and you can get new sleeves here:

http://www.npdlink.com/store/products/bracket_steering_gear_mounting_original-164745-0.html

On the same website above search the following to get the correct bolts, washers, and nuts:
620483-S - nut
803734-S - washer
803736-S - bolt

So now you have the sleeves and hardware to mount the rack. You don't necessarily need the sleeves sticking out of the k-member if you use a solid bushing to install the rack like the Maximum Motorsport units. The reason Ford used the sleeves was so that the washer and nut has a positive stop. Other wise the nut would back off or you would just simply crush the factory rubber bushing. With the aluminum solid bushings you cut the factory sleeves flush with the front of the k-member and then the new MM solid bushings provide the positive stop and everything is happy.

In your case I would suggest ordering the new bolts, washers, and nuts and then get the kit from MM and be done with it. This is based on whoever had the car before cutting the sleeves flush with the front of the k-member. The other possibility is there are no sleeves installed whatsoever so if that is the case you will also need to order new sleeves, install them, and then cut them flush with the front of the k-member to positively locate the 12mm bolts.

Bushing kit here:
http://www.maximummotorsports.com/Steering-Rack-Bushings-Solid-1985-04-Mustang-with-stock-k-member-P466.aspx

Installation instructions here:
http://www.maximummotorsports.com/assets/install/pdf/steering/MMST-7.pdf

Or you can just order the sleeves, nuts, washers, and bolts and use urethane bushings and be done with it. I will say that I had this setup on my '93 Coupe and when I switched over to MM's solid bushing setup it was a lot different in the positive response and feed back I got through the steering wheel.

I seem to recall my stock K-member on my '83 not having the sleeves but I put a tubular k-member in it so I never went this route. I also want to say that the stock Bird/Cougar bolts were much larger in diameter than the 12mm ones that you need to use for the MM kit.

Steering rack bushings trouble.

Reply #8 – March 22, 2018, 01:30:56 PM

I *think* on my 88 the rack bolts are 12mm. It's been about 10 years since I changed the rack so I could be wrong.

Steering rack bushings trouble.

Reply #9 – March 23, 2018, 01:37:31 AM

Steering rack bushings trouble.

Reply #10 – March 23, 2018, 01:42:42 AM

Sorry for the poor quality, hopefully it helps. I know I really appreciate the wealth of knowledge so far. I was thinking I would have to machine a brass spacer to take up the slack left by the larger diameter, but at least I know I have options. I had planned on going tube kmember by the end of the year but maybe I'll just do it now. Thanks again everyone.

Steering rack bushings trouble.

Reply #11 – March 23, 2018, 06:47:07 AM

Does that insert sleeve go through to the back of the K-member, or is it just as long as the bushing?

ThunderbirdSport302 was also referring to the motor mounts, when he mentioned the horizontal bolt. That would also help determine if you have the Mustang or TBird Kmember.

Looking at your pic, those look like the earlier-style steering rack mounts, that used a big diameter bolt, but the bushing sleeve only went through the rack. And the that sleeve was d with serrations on each end. The later ones, like what your 88 TBird should have, used a smaller diameter bolt (12mm) and a insert sleeve that was mounted into the K-member and stuck out the front. (The stuff that Aerocoupe posted).

Either you have a car with a swapped K-member, and have the wrong bolts for whatever reason, of the rack was replaced with one that had the earlier-style bushings, and they removed the long tubes and just used the thinner bolts.

You can either find some big earlier bolts, or remove that stuff from the rack and get all of the later style stuff from the links Aerocoupe posted.