Got a rack on my 70 mav with headers

Your suspension is still all stock? It looks like you just kind of stick this rack in the same location where the stock rear steer tie rods, center link, steering box and idler arm would go.

Before I went the Mustang II route, I tried to get an Escort rear steer rack to work but it had to go real tight between my Tubular Automotive headers on my Cleveland. It might of just made it but I would have melted both rubber boots.

 

OK, Now I am really confused.

Where are the rods that hook to the spindles?

Is that not the same thing as this?



Or are you still using all the old connecting rods and just replacing the power ram and steering box?

 

this is a center steer wrack. on the bottom side in the center their are two holes where stock tie rods would go to.
the next step is to make a bracket that attaches to this point and then has to correct pick up location for the stock tie rod ends.

 

I believe they bolt to the 2 holes in the center of the rack, which is actually the moving part of the rack - I think

 

When I did mine, I measured up a kit used on Mustangs, and just positioned the rack the same way. It was much easier than I thought it would be. I've also got my steering column figured out, just waiting for the retainer that's being made.

 

The center 2 holes in the rack get a bracket bolted there that holds the tir rods.
And the rack gets bolted to the original steering gear and idler arm bolt holes.

 

that pic looks like it should generate bump steer. the stock tie rods have more space between them than that.

 

Those tie rods are a mile longer from spindle to rack than the lower control arm is from mounting point to spindle. The arcs of the two wouldn't be even close to one another :16suspect

 

The Mustang kits I've seen have bumpsteer eliminators.


This is what I'm planning on using.

 

I used an identical kit made by Baer because I had to lower my MII rack to get the Cleveland down in the chassis as far as I could - this left my rack ends aiming up at the spindles and this kit leveled them out again.

 

I don't think I have ever seen a steering setup like that.

Learn something new every day!!!

 

I know you guys have your doubts about my setup, BUT believe me when I say that blue mav of mine was THE nicest driving(classic) car that I have driven in a long time. That thing was straight down the road, didnt wander or waiver at all. You could drive it with two fingers while looking at all the people who were looking at your car!!!! So, I dont have any doubts about using this same setup on my next maverick. It also seems to me that if the tie rods that I have are gonna cause bump steer, then there are a ton of cavaliers, sunbirds and grand ams that have bump steer, because they are using this same setup. And I know for a fact that their lower control arms are NOT the same length as the tie rods. I think if the tie rods are shorter than the lower control arms, then you will have big time bump steer.

 

I'm not doubting, I'm interested.

I'm just trying to gather as much info as I can in an attempt to decide which route to go. MII, borgenson replacement or something like this. I do like the simplicity of it, that is a big selling point:Handshake

 

I don't doubt you either - I'm just more used to building GM metric chassis stock cars where I worked to keep the arc of the tie rod and lower A frame as close to the same as I could - your rack has much longer arms