steering arms

[PotvinGuy]

Zandoz, look at my mounting pic. We made simple bands to wrap around the rack. If you have any feet or other obstacles on your rack, just cut them off.

 

[Zandoz]

Not sure what rack you are using, some have bosses cast in, some have bands around them. I have seen them mounted just under the frame, behind the axle, on studs in the frame. There isn't much loss of clearance because they are still above the oil pan, etc... Unless you run into a parking block, or the like. Sometimes I find I have to just get out in the shop and hold the parts where they go and start going through the motions and see what makes sence. Pretty tuff to envision without looking at and touching them for me, but that's how I learned. Good luck!

The R&P I'm using is one that's not supposed to exist...a quick ratio manual unit supposedly intended for a Shelby Omni. Officially all the Shelby's used power racks, but here it is...brand new in the box. Like all Omni style R&Ps, it uses both of the styles you mention...bosses cast on to the pinion housing, and a band style bracket on the right side.

The problem is that I have a 4x6 space to fit the unit in, with those bosses at around a 11 and 5 o'clock angle...plus the bracketry necessary to mount those bosses to the rear side of the crossmember <shrug>

 

[fletcherson]

The R&P I'm using is one that's not supposed to exist...a quick ratio manual unit supposedly intended for a Shelby Omni. Officially all the Shelby's used power racks, but here it is...brand new in the box. Like all Omni style R&Ps, it uses both of the styles you mention...bosses cast on to the pinion housing, and a band style bracket on the right side.

The problem is that I have a 4x6 space to fit the unit in, with those bosses at around a 11 and 5 o'clock angle...plus the bracketry necessary to mount those bosses to the rear side of the crossmember <shrug>

You may have to modify the rack and come up with an alternative mount. Other than the angle of the tie rods, if it had to hang down a bit to allow mounting, what would it hurt? It seems like the pinion position and the tie rod angle will dictate location and you will have to work from there to make it workout.

 

[Zandoz]

Zandoz, look at my mounting pic. We made simple bands to wrap around the rack. If you have any feet or other obstacles on your rack, just cut them off.

I thought of trying that, but the problem is that the way the pinion housing is made, the left clamp would have to be shifted almost to the center of the unit. I'm not comfortable with almost half the unit being unsupported, and all of the support being on what appears to be a very thin wall aluminum tube.

Here is a pic of a Flaming River Omni R&P...Visually it is the same as mine, but mine is only about 2/3s the weight of the Flaming River unit. Since my unit is not supposed to exist according to Dodge, I suspect that it may be a unit intended for racing <shrug>

 

[Zandoz]

You may have to modify the rack and come up with an alternative mount. Other than the angle of the tie rods, if it had to hang down a bit to allow mounting, what would it hurt? It seems like the pinion position and the tie rod angle will dictate location and you will have to work from there to make it workout.

I'm open to mounting alternatives, but I have no vertical wiggle room. The bellows on both ends must fit through sleeved holes in the frame rails, and there is no space to move them up and down.

One of the alternatives I've been playing with lately would mount the bosses to brackets off the side of the front spring perch, instead of mounting to the crossmember. So far it seems to be the leader, but I'm not happy with that alternative yet.

What would totally eliminate this issue, if it were structurally sound, would be to use oval shaped holes through the frame. That way I could make the oval holes long enough to allow the R&P to be mounted anywhere in the available space. But as far as I know, a 3.25" high oval hole in a 4" frame rail would not be structurally sound.

 

[fletcherson]

I'm open to mounting alternatives, but I have no vertical wiggle room. The bellows on both ends must fit through sleeved holes in the frame rails, and there is no space to move them up and down.

One of the alternatives I've been playing with lately would mount the bosses to brackets off the side of the front spring perch, instead of mounting to the crossmember. But so far I'm not happy with that alternative.

What would totally eliminate this issue, if it were structurally sound, would be to use oval shaped holes through the frame. That way I could make the oval holes long enough to allow the R&P to be mounted anywhere in the available space. But as far as I know, a 3.25" high oval hole in a 4" frame rail would not be structurally sound.

Could you reinforce it, box it, or laminate it at that point?

 

[fletcherson]

I thought of trying that, but the problem is that the way the pinion housing is made, the left clamp would have to be shifted almost to the center of the unit. I'm not comfortable with almost half the unit being unsupported, and all of the support being on what appears to be a very thin wall aluminum tube.

Here is a pic of a Flaming River Omni R&P...Visually it is the same as mine, but mine is only about 2/3s the weight of the Flaming River unit. Since my unit is not supposed to exist according to Dodge, I suspect that it may be a unit intended for racing <shrug>
View attachment 11812

Looking at the mount, it could be significantly reduced and you could fasten through it from the top, as opposed to the front, 90* from where intended. That would reduce the footprint of the mount.

 

[fletcherson]

Looking at the mount, it could be significantly reduced and you could fasten through it from the top, as opposed to the front, 90* from where intended. That would reduce the footprint of the mount.

Also, could you shorten or modify the bellows to require less space through the frame?

 

[Zandoz]

Could you reinforce it, box it, or laminate it at that point?

The only way that comes to mind would be if I could come up with a tube sliced lengthwise that would be clamped around the tube, and have better positioned bosses welded to it.

 

[Zandoz]

Looking at the mount, it could be significantly reduced and you could fasten through it from the top, as opposed to the front, 90* from where intended. That would reduce the footprint of the mount.

Right now, I'm not picturing what you are saying, but I'l keep pondering it.

 

[Zandoz]

Also, could you shorten or modify the bellows to require less space through the frame?

Nope...the tie rod pivot points will fall inside the frame rails.

 

[fletcherson]

Right now, I'm not picturing what you are saying, but I'l keep pondering it.

I may not have explained my thought well. If you cut the L part off and left only the flat boss, you could drill it and bolt it in a different direction, it would be 90* different from the current mount hole and would eliminate the space required for the mount so the rack could be closer to the cross member.

 

[Zandoz]

I may not have explained my thought well. If you cut the L part off and left only the flat boss, you could drill it and bolt it in a different direction, it would be 90* different from the current mount hole and would eliminate the space required for the mount so the rack could be closer to the cross member.

Are you talking about the new holes being parallel to the rack, or at a 90° degree angle to the rack?

I have not considered modifying the unit previously. I'm going to have to get the unit out of storage, for hands on consideration of modifications

 

[Zandoz]

Once again I need to apologise for hijacking a thread

It is definitely not intentional. I think I need to start a "Zandoz's project issues, questions and dilemmas" thread.