Rack and pinion intermediate shaft
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 871
Likes: 73
From: Memphis Tennessee
Rack and pinion intermediate shaft
Anyone get this to work with junk yard shaft/universal joints? It seems like the 48 spline coupling was not used on any late models. If not, where did you buy your parts? I know the column is 1" 48 spline, but I'm not sure what size the Grand am rack takes.
Thanks!
Thanks!
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 65,492
Likes: 230
From: Orange Park Florida
TEN years ago, before any kits were marketed, I did my own rack conversion, MY way....and so have two universal joints in the input shaft setup....I used junkyard parts, and took apart some universal joints to mix/match them to the job....there was one from a Lumina van as I recall, and another from a Grand Am.....and the intermediate shaft is unknown at this time....BUT surely there are thousands of cars out there that can be utilized for parts to fabricate up what you need....
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 871
Likes: 73
From: Memphis Tennessee
Just about every rack and pinion post I've ever read has a comment from you on your homemade rack with "flimsy" brackets. Quit teasing us and take some pictures! 
I did my mock up with a shaft of unkown origins. I used it for mock up to make sure that there was a clear shot past the headers to the rack input, but it's too short to drive with. The u-joint at the column was for a squared off column, so I used a die grinder to round it out. So I would not feel comfortable using that on the street. The only example I've seen of a junkyard shaft, the author ground the column shaft to fit a dd u-joint. Is this what you did?
And as far as using junkyard u-joints, they seem to be made of cast metal and pressed onto the shaft. Can you weld the cast metal to an intermediate shaft?
A trip to u-pull-it may be in my future. Last time I went I picked up a set of hood hinges off of a minivan in case I decide to steal your reverse hood hinge idea. I have a lt1, and your over-the-radiator air induction would be perfect for my car.
I did my mock up with a shaft of unkown origins. I used it for mock up to make sure that there was a clear shot past the headers to the rack input, but it's too short to drive with. The u-joint at the column was for a squared off column, so I used a die grinder to round it out. So I would not feel comfortable using that on the street. The only example I've seen of a junkyard shaft, the author ground the column shaft to fit a dd u-joint. Is this what you did?
And as far as using junkyard u-joints, they seem to be made of cast metal and pressed onto the shaft. Can you weld the cast metal to an intermediate shaft?
A trip to u-pull-it may be in my future. Last time I went I picked up a set of hood hinges off of a minivan in case I decide to steal your reverse hood hinge idea. I have a lt1, and your over-the-radiator air induction would be perfect for my car.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 955
Likes: 50
From: Jersey Shore
