Rack and Pinion steering

[signbender]

Hi there folks is it posible to fit rack and pinion to a T bucket that has an I beam front end fitted, and if yes how do I do it? thanks for your help and if you have any photos that will be a big help. cheers Keith:lol:

 

[Wild Mango]

I'll ask for everyone else.

Why?

 

[Rick]

Unisteer has one for the 28-34 Straight axel and there was an artical here awhile back where a guy put one on a Bucket.It is a cross stear unit and it CAN be tucked away under the frame rails.Go to there web site.
unisteer.com.

 

[signbender]

Wild Mango asked why. Well I am building my rod in Australia and they have a lot of does and dont,s befor we can get a car on the road and the steering colume goes thruo the floor and does not leave a lot of room for a brake pedal so I might have to put in a new colum going throu the fire wall and I do not have room for a cross steer box so the only way to go is with a rack and pinion I might have to move the master cylinder from under the floor as well and put it under the dash but that is another problem to work on another day cheers Keith :lol:

 

[Chief-T]

Toolman on the NTBA site has a really neat setup on his bucket. You might post a message to him on their public BBS and get a reply.

 

[bobscogin]

Hi there folks is it posible to fit rack and pinion to a T bucket that has an I beam front end fitted, and if yes how do I do it? thanks for your help and if you have any photos that will be a big help. cheers Keith

Possible, yes. Advisable? Probably not. Mount it to the frame and you'll have bump steer problems. Mounting it to the axle will eliminate bump steer, but complicates the steering column hook up. This is not to say it hasn't been done, but the engineering and implementation of solutions required to solve the problems it creates makes other alternatives more attractive. As usual, just my opinion.

Bob

 

[rooster57]

Their are more Ts with through the fire wall than floor steering boxes it seems to me top of the frame bottom their is almost always room. Post a pic of your t so we can evaluate please.

 

[Francis Blake]

Speedway carries a rack and pinion that works as cross steering looks like a simple set up. Page 76 in their new catalog.

 

[GT63]

Here's two examples. The Orange car uses a pivot point under the radiator. The red car is Toolman's version.

 

[LKE]

I have done racks on straight axles several times. One of the big advantages is the ease of steering. Racks seem to have better leverage ratios. And so easier steering. Not to mention, if done well, it so cleans up the front of the car.

The theory that a frame mounted rack will have bump steer is BS. It can, but it doesnt have to. Remember our recent discussion here on front panhard bars ? and how they are needed with cross steer ? Same with a rack. Your cross steer is only pushing on one side. The rack is pushing on one, and pulling on the other. Rack placement is very critical too. You just cant put it anywhere. you may need to play with it's placement to keep toe change to a minimum.

I don't like the axle mounted rack idea. The steering has to either have a slip joint in it, to take up for the suspension movement. Which I do not like. I can see that either being sloppy with time, or binding up. Making things that slide easily, when under load, is not so easy. And usually not compact. Or you have to put a u joint in at the right spot. Basically it has to pivot in the same arc as the front suspension.

The rack on the side is an interesting idea. My father's latest car is done like that, and works excellent. His is under the car, to give that straight up steering, and goes out thru the frame. I will try and post a couple pictures....

 

[rooster57]

Very creative thier is always another way to do something thanks for posting the pics .

 

[KAA]

Ma n Pa T has one on there T from a Geo. I think it looks like a nice setup.

 

[40ford]

LKE, I have an old HRMx magazine that showed a set up like your last picture. The builder was from Australia or NZ and had built 5 or 6 with the R&P steering like that with Honda Civic R&P steering.
Ron A.

 

[Ma_n_Pa T]

Yes we have one in our, frame mounted, bumpsteer? BS, no more then you would get out of any other setup if its not set up right. Tight steering-no play, easy turning and don't look bad. If you want pictures send a PM with your e-mail, don't have them on a site just on our computer.

Building a second T and we will run one again!

Jerry

 

[rooster57]

Jerry your car looks great. That rack just disappears on your front end the way you have it mounted.

 

[signbender]

Thanks every one for all of your great help I now know which way to go if I have problems geting my car licenced. cheers Keith :biggrin: :run: :run:

 

[Hot Rod Todd]

Its pretty much the NZ standard to use an old rack, cut off the end you dont need (and cover the stump with a boot). The column connects to the steering bit of course, so you can get a little bit away from the up and down Model T style steering.

Our NZ Hot Rod Magazine Project T was done that way back in 1973, and the rest of us copied it. It turns the rack from a L to R turn setup to a push-pull one, so you have a steering arm that goes forward to a plate attached to the back of the stub axle. And a pair of arms and the steering rod from the left side to the right.

It works well and takes up less space than a steering box. And they were cheap and easily available.

Some flash folks used the kombi steering box as it was very adjustable, but they are a bit hard to find down here.

Cheers
Todd