Just wrapping up my C3 Grand Am rack install.

1. 1997 GA rack with tie rods, hoses, brackets ($75)
2. A spare passenger GA tie rod ($5)
3. Universal joint for steering shaft (new Impala) FREE
4. Angle iron, misc bolts, welding supplies, etc....

I followed others here on the Forum and started by taking a piece of 4" 1/4" thick angle iron and clamped it to the driver frame rail where the gear box went then clamped the rack to it for measuring, etc. After I found the sweet spot I built the bracket stronger, marked the holes, drilled, welded, and set it in place. I then measured, squared and built the passenger mount. I notched under the driver motor mount stand as the rack is sitting at about 1:00 and it needed the room for the lower U joing locking bolt to clear.

The U joint is from a late model Impala/monte carlo and bolted straight to the rack, then I had to grind each side of the stock steering shaft for it to slide over and clamp in place. The center of it slides in and out.

Using a piece of 2" angle, I mounted it to the center of the rack after pressing it from 90 degress to approx 30 degrees. I found out the passenger tie rod on the GA can be used on either side (the driver side tie rod on a GA is not shaped right to work). I raised the center up and spread the mount out so the tie rod would be long enough.

1.5 turns in each direction, and all looks well.

I disconected the spring and sway bar and ran the spindle up and down (all the way to the frame bumpstop) and verified there is no clearance issues. I will go back with a dial indicator on both sides, but bump steer appears okay.

Here is the link (there is a quick time video download of it going side to side.

http://mcspeed.homestead.com/Rackinstall.html

 

I wish you would have told me about the Impala thing a week ago.

 

That's cool, I wish I new about the steering joints that's was my biggest expense. Nice work.

Chris

 

As usual, nice work Chris. You will really be happy with the outcome. It makes our cars really resposive to steering input. For the price I have in mine, you could have several racks up and running. Excellent job.

 

OHHH....so you did wind up with those GA tie rods, better check that angle at steering positions, you have the advantage of those tubular LC arms, making the angles differant, on stock arms they will hit those GA rods....I tried that exact solution, I see you put your inner rods up higher though that will not change hitting stock arms, I was advised it will help in not bumping stears,.....(old joke on this topic)....

I suspect the angles of the inner tie rod joints are more than the stock GA arm can handle....which is why I used extended collars on stock tie rods ends for my install....
wonder if in fact you have your rack further forward than I do, lessening the angles on those inner tie rod joints...??

as usual, good work, slick install, hope it works well with enging in place...

GENE

 

 

I know what you are talking about. Attempting to mount the GA arms to the rack in the stock position put a bind on the joint. The relocation plate moves them up and flush (the angle is correct) so there is no bind.

My rack is pretty far forward. It looks like the tie rods would hit the lower A-arm bolts..but, there is plenty of space. I disconnected the spring and ran the A arm all the way to the bump stop while turning the wheel. There is plenty of room.

 

Way to go

 

Great job!

You're going to need to install a support for the lower steering shaft.

 

Do you mean a bearing housing to go around the intermediate input shaft?

 

Yeah, most people are just using a spherical bearing bolted attacehed to the frame similar to Steeroids' arrangement. It will tighten up the play.

This is the Steeroids kit on my old car, but you can see what I am talking about.

 

Monty,
He beat us all, he is only using two joints so there is no need to support.

Chris

 

I see that his upper joint is not a double u-joint like what is used in the Steeroids system, but it still seems to me that a support for the lower shaft would be beneficial, but I could certainly be wrong.

 

I am sure it wouldn't hurt to have it in there. If you watch the video at the bottom of my page you can see it going left to right. I realize there is no pressure against it on jacks, but it does have a very fluid movment. The actual u-joint in the upper unit is very small and flexible allowing the tile you see. I installed a Steeroid on a friends car a number of years ago and remember fighting the joints and having them bind. For some reason this set isn't giving me that feeling.

Time will tell once I get weight on it. The spherical bearing support would be an easy fix if that happens.

 

NIce job chris

 

GOD DAMN IT!!!....QUIT making me spend more MONEY....

NOW Im' jealous of your controll arms....jeez...what's an old phardt to do anymore, these young whipper snappers with all these better ideas....




GENE

 

I only need two joints also, one at the tip and one at the input....


take it ast thow wilt, Shakespeare.....


GENE

 

Very nicely done Chris

Did the steering knuckle slip over the stock shaft coming out of the firewall?

 

This looks like hot ticket; from reading the discussion above I can't really tell if it would work with stock lower control arms?

Anybody know?

 

I can't speak to Chris' rack postion but he did comment about cutting a crescent out of the drivers engine mounting...on the lower back side, as did I.....I did try the GA arms on my mock up 5 years ago or so, and found out it would NOT clear my stock lower arms...I managed to maneuver things around so as not mod the arms ....

then Pete79L82 suggested I raise the inner rod locations to lessen bump stear....so I did, as I really really really do NOT want to bump any more stears....


GENE