Has anyone made a conversion to a mustang type rack&pinion steering on a 60's model stude or avanti. Can it be done with new upper and lower control arms and a power rack. If so, which power unit would you use and would the car then be a "great driver". My rebuilt power valve just started leaking again with .5 miles on it. Thanks for the ideas........[?]
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Hi, mtdoraford,
Beg you, plead with you, use the search function in the upper right hand corner rather than starting up this war again. We've fought over this til there is more blood on the ground than was at Gettysburg.
thnx, jack vines
PackardV8PackardV8 -
MTD -
Do a "search", you'll find hours of reading on the subject.
MikeComment
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If somebody could find a really narrow R&P unit that measured from inner tie rod to inner tie rod the same distance as it is from one lower aframe bushing to the other, you'd have a match. Otherwise bump steer is going to be an unsolvable problem. I could see starting a new thread since there are countless R&P units out there that haven't been tried yet.Comment
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Hi, Buddy,
OH MY GOD, HERE WE GO AGAIN! Get the women and children off the street!
Look in the shop manual at the bottom view of the Stude frame and running gear. Draw two lines through the longitudinal center line of the lower inner A-arm shafts. Where these lines intersect with the existing tie rod ends is where the inner ends of a conventional rack would have to be to avoid bump steer. There are no conventional racks yet found that short. It would also put the steering column shaft inside the oil pan. This is why the semi-successful conversions have used center-steer racks.
I'm willing to be proven wrong on this one. However, I've tried dozens of racks in the wrecking yard. I've spent hours measuring bump steer with a Longacre gauge. Every existing rack with the steering arms on the ends of the rack I have found are too long and thus has unacceptable bump steer when used with the Stude suspension.
The formerly Phantom conversion remains an unknown. Until someone puts one on a gauge and proves it has no bump steer, the jury is out. The silence from the Stude community on how well it works remains deafening.
Bottom line, the only quick and easy R&P conversion proven to work in conjunction with the OEM Stude suspension, [u]without</u> causing major bump steer is with the center steer rack from the mid-90s GM small cars. I worry it is too light for high speed performance use with big tires, but it seems fine for casual street use.
Mike Van Veghten has the idea. Get rid of all of the Stude stuff and bolt in a complete C4 Corvette sub-frame.
thnx, jack vines
PackardV8PackardV8Comment
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Thanks Jack, I try!
Buddy -
You can have a R&P made as wide or short as you like...it's "still" a bad idea!
I had one narrowed by Flaming River for my (as Jack noted) 60 Lark wagon....exactly to my specifications....
Oh yea...did I forget to note...my Lark is held off the ground by C4 Corvette stuff!
It ain't rocket science...but putting a R&P on a stock Stude suspension...even rocket science can't help make it "right". Many have tried..."some" have claimed it works...but geometry doesn't lie! Stude front suspension geometry and a R&P just don't work.
MikeComment
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Gotta agree here, and definitly don't want to start the bloodshed, In order to get rack/pinion to work your looking at a subframe, Art Morrison, Vette, Fatman Fabrication, etc. And be ready to buy all the additional parts necessary Spindles, upper and lower control arms, springs/airshocks, brakes, welded engine mounts, Steering And other things. Sorry I don't have a good picture of what I did before I put the motor in.
No simple fix, sure wish there was.
Chop Stu
61 Lark
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I agree, that's why I put a mitsubishi box on my Hawk in conjunction with the center steer bellcrank. And I don't get how phantom can still push their setup with a clear conscience. They should incorporate shorter bottom aframes if they want to push r&p. Then it would work.Comment
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Does that mean you have independent rear suspension? Now I'm jealous[quote:Originally posted by Mike Van Veghten
Oh yea...did I forget to note...my Lark is held off the ground by C4 Corvette stuff!
Mike
]. I went the solid axle, with air ride shockwave(x4)route.
Chop Stu
61 Lark
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