i will be installing a pinto rack and pinon system on a 73 duster. will the dics brake spindles swap sides, or just the lower ball joints? thanks, ken.

If you want the steering arms in front of the lower control arms you'll have to swap the ball joints side to side but I don't know if/how that will change steering geometry ???

Both the spindles and the lower ball joints can be swapped side to side, together or independantly. If you swap the ball joints to put the rack in the front, you will not only eliminate the ackerman geometry but you will reverse it, which will make the car a real bear to deal with in a turn. Ackerman is the layout that allows the inner tire on a turn to be at a sharper angle than the outer tire. A good comparison of no ackerman in the front is like driving a car with a spool in the rear end. It can be done, but it is uncomfortable. This is not a modification I've ever seen receommended by anyone.

The safest bet is to leave it in the rear steering configuration. However, then you have oil pan interference and turn radius issues.

yes..and the ackerman principle is simply a line drawn from the ball joint through the steering arm must strike the rear axle in the center.
.this should produce the correct turning radius for each front wheel.

spindles will swap--if you are putting the rack in front you will have to cut a huge chunk of metal out of the K member --as far akerman goes no known front suspension system is without problems---engineers go with a setting that the average dolt wont get into trouble with---if you want a visual of what your new system should be just jack up your car--inspect the center link on your car then your rack, the joints of the tierod ends should bend down at the same spot---when you mount the rack it should mimick the same level as the center link-(a dakota 2wheel rack is actually more narrow than the pinto by one inch)---your tie rod ends run parallel to the lower control arm which on a torsion bar car is hard to see---you will have to go with a visual of what the old tie rod ends are set at----it is doable and the hardest part will be cutting away at the K member----bob

thanks for the replies. i did not mention that i installed a tubular k member and coilover shocks. i installed mustang upper control arms and fabed the lower. i wanted to use the factory spindles and disc brakes. this is a drag car only. i have it mocked up with swaping the lower ball joints, but i belive swaping the spindles will give more steering clearence. ken.

One other thing to watch for when using a Pinto rack, it is too wide. It puts the tie rod ends in a poor location and can cause pretty bad bump steer. You can get away with it if you lengthen/angle the steering arms and make the appropriate spacers to get the TRE's in a good location.

It is definitely not just a plug-n-play deal. It will take some thought.

There's a lot of misinformation out there on steering and front suspension technology. Here is an article on Ackerman by Circle Track Magazine, who usually have the best and latest information.

http://www.circletrack.com/chassistech/ctrp_0407_ackermann_steering_system/index.html