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Post by fast4motion on Oct 24, 2023 17:43:22 GMT 12
Hi, I'm considering converting my Impala steering to rack and pinion. 1) Is it acceptable to mount the steering rack using a "cradle" similar to the attached picture? 2) If so, is it okay to weld the separate plates and gussets which make up the cradle? 3) Is it acceptable to bolt the cradle to the chassis rails/crossmember (with crush tubes where applicable) rather than welding? Cheers Attachments:
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Post by Chris on Oct 25, 2023 7:06:51 GMT 12
Hi, I'm considering converting my Impala steering to rack and pinion. 1) Is it acceptable to mount the steering rack using a "cradle" similar to the attached picture? 2) If so, is it okay to weld the separate plates and gussets which make up the cradle? 3) Is it acceptable to bolt the cradle to the chassis rails/crossmember (with crush tubes where applicable) rather than welding? Cheers Gidday Yes, you can use a cradle to mount a steering rack, yes it can be made up of several pieces welded together, (think of it like a chassis crossmember), yes it can be bolted to the chassis provided appropriate attachments are used, but it is preferable to weld it in. However, that rack looks like it would need some convincing to be acceptable, the drag link would need to be made of one piece to start with and it would probably require TAC approval as it does not follow time proven designs, the "handlebar" effect of the large offset drag link such as this would probably cause the rack to wear quickly. There are more suitable options out there. |
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Post by fast4motion on Oct 25, 2023 14:22:05 GMT 12
Gidday Yes, you can use a cradle to mount a steering rack, yes it can be made up of several pieces welded together, (think of it like a chassis crossmember), yes it can be bolted to the chassis provided appropriate attachments are used, but it is preferable to weld it in. However, that rack looks like it would need some convincing to be acceptable, the drag link would need to be made of one piece to start with and it would probably require TAC approval as it does not follow time proven designs, the "handlebar" effect of the large offset drag link such as this would probably cause the rack to wear quickly. There are more suitable options out there. Thanks for the quick reply. That photo was just an image I found on the internet when looking at mounting options, so was only considering the cradle design. I hadn't even paid much attention to the rack itself, as it's LHD and my car is RHD, however I don't understand what you mean by the drag link offset or handlebar effect in that image? Because my car is RHD, I'm hoping to find an existing OEM rack from a large car (hopefully Commodore or Falcon etc) which will fit my chassis and suspension, just with different tierod ends and column linkage. I'm thinking that provided the dimensions and angles and ratio are suitable, and it's from a car of similar weight, an OEM rack should be fine if correctly mounted? |
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Post by Chris on Oct 26, 2023 6:53:04 GMT 12
Gidday Yes, you can use a cradle to mount a steering rack, yes it can be made up of several pieces welded together, (think of it like a chassis crossmember), yes it can be bolted to the chassis provided appropriate attachments are used, but it is preferable to weld it in. However, that rack looks like it would need some convincing to be acceptable, the drag link would need to be made of one piece to start with and it would probably require TAC approval as it does not follow time proven designs, the "handlebar" effect of the large offset drag link such as this would probably cause the rack to wear quickly. There are more suitable options out there. Thanks for the quick reply. That photo was just an image I found on the internet when looking at mounting options, so was only considering the cradle design. I hadn't even paid much attention to the rack itself, as it's LHD and my car is RHD, however I don't understand what you mean by the drag link offset or handlebar effect in that image? Because my car is RHD, I'm hoping to find an existing OEM rack from a large car (hopefully Commodore or Falcon etc) which will fit my chassis and suspension, just with different tierod ends and column linkage. I'm thinking that provided the dimensions and angles and ratio are suitable, and it's from a car of similar weight, an OEM rack should be fine if correctly mounted? OK, good, don't use racks that look like that, probably more hassle than it is worth. It might pay to talk to a certifier or a steering specialist before choosing a steering rack, they would know a lot more about what kind of rack would be most suitable for your Impala, as there is a lot more to it than just fitting a rack, there needs to be serious consideration to the alignment of pivot points between the suspension and rack so you do not end up with significant and dangerous bump-steer issues. I do know that Retro Racks have had significant testing on their racks and I have heard they are quite good kits, but before you spend any money on buying one, have a word to a certifier to discuss suitability and to ensure that you are getting what you want out of the conversion. Cheers Chris |
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