stock K frame and rack and pinion steering

anyone made this conversion from the conventional steering box over to the rack system? what all is involved to do this and any pics would be great, not interested in a complete tubular K frame as every thing I have has been updated with tubular upper and lower control arms, aluminum radius rod's and have removed the torsion bars and installed coilover's so I have no need to replace all that, just want to install RP steering.

I've seen it done a few times but I don't think I've ever seen it done correctly. Maybe someone is building a kit to do it now, all I've ever seen is home brew setups that got really funky when backing up or going around corners.

We did a 68 dart back in the day, used the later k-frame where sway bar went through the k. Used a pinto rack. Got it as close to being straight with the arms to each spindle. The more angle there is the more problems with turning and backing. If you look at the stock pinto-mustang II, the rack is behind the spindle ends(tie-rod). I switched the lower BJ from side to side, might have done the upper also, been awile. Never had any adverse affect on the car backing or turning, car went 131 mph, straight, keep all the other stock stuff just looking for oil pan clearance, since engine was set way back. Saw a few cars with turning problems and wondered what they did wrong. They had the rack way out front and arms at a 22-30 degree angle back, tie rod will go past center and wheel goes to frame. Then the wheel has to be pulled back by hand. This changeover is not perfect but will work. I spent a lot of time doing my tube chassis car making the rack shorter, setting in the right place so I had no bump steer or ackerman problems. One other thing, the swivel joint on the rack has to line up with the lower CA pivot for both sides or you get bump steer problems. Good luck.

Swap the lower BJ side for side.......mount the rack inside the k-member, keeping it all in a straight line and the proper length rack, it will all work just fine

Seen this done. Had to grab the wheel and help pop it out of bind when it was over steered backing up. Guy went and had arms bent out to correct. He later bought a k-member

When I originally set up a Pinto rack and swapped balljoints, I had 1/4" thick washers added to one side of the balljoint mounting holes, then flat milled across both mounting holes. Keeps the tie rod end straight, doesn't bind backing up any more.

I ran my GTX like this for years, before I built first my first crossmember. After swapping the BJ side for side, some heat and a big crescent wrench got things in line where they needed to be. I had notched and boxed the factory K for pan clearance. I sunk the rack in from the bottom right in front of notch plate.........barely fit. I shortened and rethreaded the rack myself and used a clevis. Tie rods used a heim on both ends and steering arms were reamed and bushed to 7/16.

Isn't it crucial to get the rack pivot points to align with the lower control arm pivot points? Or at least close...
I seen one done a few years ago that bent the rack when he hit a bump...
That car also had terrible bump steer...

Yes........that's why the rack needs to be shortened most of the time

I to would like to go this route for my next street-strip car, that way I would not need to cut up my oil pan to clear an after market cross member.

Thank's guys,I thought I had seen it done before on some cars somewhere, pic's if possible would help me out the most, once I see it then I have a better idea in my mind what to do and what I need to watch for, I have no problem getting thing's fabbed up just need to make sure it's all in the right place.

You don't have to modify the oil pan with a small block.

Look on forabodiesonly.com or bigblockdart.look up Bob shingler he has done it car goes straight and no problems in reverse either. .he has pictures on 1 or both sites. .

Here is some pics of my old Challenger racecar with the rack in the middle of the stock k.
Was great in a straight line, no bump steer at all. Ackerman though, this thing would go through a set of front tires every other season. Perfect for a drag car because it wanted to go straight, couldn't oversteer the thing if you tried!

mine.

This is a common trick done down under. it uses a GM rack & if its done right there's no bump steer. Downside is, you need to make a custom oil pan but if you have some skills, thats not too hard, i made mine with basic hand tools. Forget the fact my car is RH drive, this can be replicated in a LH drive configuration. A bodies doing curcuit racing adapt to this style of steering & they have zero issues.

Here is a pic on a stock K frame (not cut out for oil pan clearance) as well. (I ran one on my old Aussie Charger, awesome setup...street only, handled and drove great)


Been done since the late 80's or early 90's or so I'd say in Oz.

Personally, no way I would do the rear steer rack. Whats the point. It's in the way just as much as stock stuff.

On Billy's pics, the reason the ackerman is off is the position of the steering arms. Fix it like gut's and the problem is gone

If you could use c-body LBJ the tie-rod arm is longer, rack can be moved forward more.

The rack does not HAVE to be in a straight line with the steering arms. It's fine if the tie rods angle back, as long as the steering arms are in the right spot. Keep the connection point right at the sidewall of the tire, about the front edge of the rim and all is good

My rack K member. It started out as a stock piece. Flame away...

thanks for all the replies guy's, keep it coming

Monte... I think it is common on the Aussie cars because they originally had the steering box mounted further back and on the frame rail then a US car, so the rack makes a bunch more room, especially on the "driver side" then having the box squished in there.

In my case, it was not a drag car, but a Hemi6 with six-pack but I wanted the much better ratio then the steering box originally had.

Rack setup saves weight over the box as well..

I like it...........