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Mon Aug 08, 2011 3:11 pm

I'll make this sweet and to the point:

Should the rack be mounted to the beam, or the frame head?

To cut down on bump steer, the rack should be mounted so that the tie rods are horizontal when weight is on the suspension, and the rack should be mounted as close to the center of the wheel as possible, not too far forwards, not too far backwards. Is this true?

Im not really sure how to mount my steering shaft. Can someone post some pics of how they did theirs?

Here's the rack i got. Came out of a 1989 VW Rabbit. It needs the tie rods shortened, but thats not a problem.

Mon Aug 08, 2011 5:08 pm

What you are trying to use has been tried before and it not really successful.
The main problem is that tie rods are to short and no matter how you try and mount the rack, the amount of bump steer is always going to be more than you want for any off road vehicle.
The tried and true method for what works is having as long of tie rod as you can get.
Cry once and get a SACO rack and pinion where the tie rods mount in the center under the rack. SACO/German Auto has a steering rack now that has an offset pinion making it easier for install in a bug. Pinion comes out close to stock location of VW steering shaft.
If you don't have the money for a good rack, stay with the stock steering box. It is very hard to beat the cost factor for how good it works.

Mon Aug 08, 2011 7:29 pm

Here are some center load steering racks for less:

http://www.eliminator1racing.com/category.sc;jsess...egoryId=99

Mon Aug 08, 2011 8:24 pm

jsturtlebuggy wrote:
The main problem is that tie rods are to short and no matter how you try and mount the rack, the amount of bump steer is always going to be more than you want for any off road vehicle.

Yeah, figured that one out the hard way. :x

Well i guess im saving up for a TRW box instead.

Mon Aug 08, 2011 8:43 pm

Shortstuff,
Everyone of those rack in your link is made in China, and most are 1 to 1 ratio.
For safety I would never use one of those racks for anything driven on the street.
The possibility of it breaking is almost certain and with no recourse of money compensation.
When it comes to supension and steering and it being driven on the street it wise not to cheap out.

Mon Aug 08, 2011 9:08 pm

ShortStuff wrote: Here are some center load steering racks for less:

http://www.eliminator1racing.com/category.sc;jsess...egoryId=99
Yikes! :shock: stay away from those cheap knockoffs.

Mon Aug 08, 2011 9:13 pm

Post some links for the racks you prefer - I find it hard to find items not made in China. What steering ratios are required for VW spindles?

Mon Aug 08, 2011 9:18 pm

http://www.sacoperformance.com/products.php?cat=7

Tue Aug 09, 2011 8:16 am

1 1/2 to 1 ratio is fast turning ratio you would want to use for something off road. With the 1 1/2 to 1 ratio you get feed back through the steering wheel you can control and it quick enough for make fast direction changes.
Howe Power Steering also makes a good rack and pinion steering box called the Diablo. It is made for either manual or power steering with the control servo mounted on the rack instead being seperate.

Tue Aug 09, 2011 9:05 am

Howe equipment is out of my price range. Most of my driving is slow trail crawl with top speeds peaking bellow 50 mph, so the steering ratios never bothered me. The speeder/reducer gearbox is something a buddy of mine needs, so thanks for the information.

Tue Aug 09, 2011 12:38 pm

TSG
This may sound kinda weird but hear me out, take your rack and cut the stock tie rods off but leave about 2" on either side of the boots, make a bar that is some how bolted to the ends of the tie rod ends, it will have to go under the steering shaft. then get a taper reamer and bore two holes in the middle that match what ever tie rod ends you use, I use Moog ES 150 ends because they match the taper of the reamer I have. You can use spherical rod ends as well but I don't like them on the street. now you can use center mount tie rods or you can just get a rack for a 90 Pontiac Grand Am, I'm pretty sure it has center mount tie rods.

Casey

Wed Aug 10, 2011 3:30 pm

EQ, is this what your suggesting (i already thought of this, but im not sure if i want to do it)?

The red line is where the old tie rod gets cut
The Green line is a bar connecting the two arms together with a center mount for the new tie rods
The yellow lines are the new tie rods

Wed Aug 10, 2011 3:31 pm

That would be jankey as all hell, but i guess it would work. Im kind of considering just going for a TRW gearbox and keeping stuff stockish. I wnat to get heim joints set up too.

Wed Aug 10, 2011 4:36 pm

TSG
Thats pretty much what I was talking about, I only recomended this if you did not want to spend any more money on a rack. The GM rack I was talking about I gave the wrong year it was not for a 1990 but a 1984 model but it is a power steering rack, its a cool unit , it has both tie rods mounted in the middle but it might be a pain to run power steering hoses from rear to front.

Casey