what's interesting about it? the normal tie rod ends are 5/8 fine lh & rh thread also so they will thread into a 5/8 sleeve, then use a 5/8 rod end on the other side and you have the same...saves you on the tie rods which you already have.

 

 

TT - Not everyone has seen all the different parts and options. You got to remember, this stuff is new to a few people.

Using the center link with tie rod ends in not my cup of tea. I thought is would help the guys that didn't want to install a bumpsteer kit and use a piece of plate steel in the middle. You could configure this set up a billion different ways. I prefer the race car look with heim joint and lots of alum. parts.

 

Remember if you use rod ends do NOT use 5/8th bolts. Use 16mm bolts. A 5/8th bolt is actaully as low a .614 , 5/8th is .625 and a 16 mm bolt is .626. All it takes is a little polishing of the 16 mm bolt and it becomes a press fit into the rod end giving you no slack. Use a 5/8th bolt and you have all sorts of slack.

 

Thanks Norval. That is great info. Hopefully I will get my center section in next week and I can start welding in spacers and fittings.

Has anyone tried the Flaming River rack yet?

 

Okay this is my second attempt, I spent 20 minutes on a reply and my router dropped out and I had to reboot

427v8 and others, the length of the center link ended up being 13 3/8 inches long. The tie rods were 16 7/8 inches long. This is not going to be the same, no two vettes are alike. I recommend that you follow this chart. Have the center link oversized in place, then use a straight edge across the pivet points of the A arms to locate the holes for the inner tie rod end (or rod end). One of my A arms was shimmed a 1/4" which creates a different center line.


Here is the steering linkage, it is the most expensive part of the conversion coming in a $270.00. They are borgeson joints and are really heavy duty.



There is a lot of tie rod components available to upgrade the conversion, but I chose to retain the original tie rods for cost savings. Further more if anything was to ever happen on the road I can walk into any auto parts store and walk out with replacements.

So all total my cost for this conversion was $450.00, all of the steel was scraps from the corner of my garage. This conversion is only as difficult as one could make it. Between my version and the 2 that 427v8 has written, and steeroids it is very obvious that there is a lot of ways to do this and get the same result.

Chris

 

Very nice,now I am getting encouraged to do this project on the cheap.
a lot of good information is being brought to light.

Anyone needing small parts made I have a lathe ,bridgeport manual mill,& and soon a surface grinder(need to pick up in Michigan in July)

again very nice work evalu8r

 

was just trying to save you a few bucks

 

I really like the way your Heim Joint worked out in the middle. That seems to make adjustment a lot easier than the Steeroids setup. Good job on the whole conversion.

One thing I did notice was in your last picture, your lower bearing retainer is coming loose. You might want to refasten that retainer in its holder.

 

I saw that also, after I took the picture. No worries, I still have to wire brush and paint this area. I fix it then.

Chris

 

Why is your steering shaft so far in? Mine sticks out about 5 inches.

 

It makes the steering Ujoints have a better angle, less binding.

You just need to push it in, it's ment to do that.

Mine is like that too.

 

Crap, Now I hope my headers fit. Back out to the garage. Thanks

EDIT - Just pushed it in and it's going to be close to the header #3 pipe.

 

I'm not sure about big block clearance. All of my parts don't stick out nearly as much and the old gearbox did. I looked at steeroids installation pics and theirs seems to have much more of a steeper angle and also looks like the headers are very close. I collapsed my steering shaft, installed top 2 u-joints, installed the u-joint on the rack which by the way needed to be massaged a little with a grinder. Then I measured and cut the center shaft section. Once I secured the bearing end it rotated soooo smooth no other adjustments.

Chris

 

How much are you guys collapsing your columns?

 

All the way to the splines.

Chris

 

It seems like there is a lot of interest in this conversion. I plan to do this conversion as I think the stock system is seriously inferior and sloppy, too many moving parts. Between the Steering box, Pitman Arm, Idler arm and the stud in the control valve that moves from side to side there is really a lot of room for movement of the steering wheel before the tires move and that is with a fresh front end. So for us who want our cars to be perfect this seems like the way to go. I do have some more questions though. Is my stock 81 pump too much for this the Grand Am rack and if so how do I modify this? How do I plum it? and is there anything else I might need to know that have not been covered in the post? $450.00 for the conversion is much more affordable then the $1,300 kit in MAD.

 

Maybe I missed something in the technical aspect of this, but why can't the rack be mounted so that the center section lines up at the inner tie rods exactly where the drag link lines them up now?

In other words either using a pair of lazors to focus on the spot, or drop strings, the rack could be mounted and center section set, cut, welded, and mounted to put the inner tie rods in the exact same spot.

 

Two reasons;
1. bumpsteer
2. physical interference

1. the stock Corvette tie rods are too short for zero bump steer. Lengthining the tie rods reduces the bumpsteer giving the car better handleing characteristics. The mounting points on the rack are too close together to use directly as then the tie rods would be too long.
Using the center bracket makes the tie rod length just right and allows the rack to be placed where it needs to be without concern for where the tie rods connect.

2. centering the rack means the left hand side of the rack would be sticking way out into the left wheel well and would interfere with the tire.

 

It seems to me most of the cost is in the u joints. Does anyone know a cheap place to buy them or a junkyard part that will fit?