Guest Anonymous Posted October 7, 2000 Share Posted October 7, 2000 I'll throw this out to the Ford experts in the forum. What is the width of the Mustang II power rack and pinion unit? I mean the actual unit measurement and not including the tie-rods. Any idea? Thanks, Lone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLKMGK Posted October 8, 2000 Share Posted October 8, 2000 I'm not sure However if you check out Jeg's catalog they've got those racks for sale and may list the width. You'll also see some others - Vega I think - that might also work. Nice thing is that those are new racks and not junkyard repops. You swapping in the whole suspension or just the rack? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted October 9, 2000 Share Posted October 9, 2000 quote: Originally posted by BLKMGK: I'm not sure However if you check out Jeg's catalog they've got those racks for sale and may list the width. You'll also see some others - Vega I think - that might also work. Nice thing is that those are new racks and not junkyard repops. You swapping in the whole suspension or just the rack? Well I was just bench racing a bit with the idea of putting just the rack into the Z, if its narrow enough (should be) it would be nice to have power steering in my 72z when I'm able to get the Chevy 8 swapped in there. Just a notion at this point, but yeah I'll check it out on Jegs, I also know someone at a Rod shop in San Diego who could probably tell me, thats the ONLY front end they put on their roadsters (almost always the same, mustang II clone with the air ride bags to raise and lower at the touch of a switch). I'm open to other suggestions for power steering in a earlier Z as I'm not that well versed in what works and doesn't yet. Vega's used a steering box with a drag link and the whole bit, they were popular with rodders for a time, but the mustang II has since taken over. Thanks for the info, Lone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted October 9, 2000 Share Posted October 9, 2000 I too would like to know about the feasibility of the steering rack swap. It's something I've been kicking around for awhile. How would the ball joints mate up? Does the Datsun ball joint have the same thread as the Mustang Rack? Or would you use the Mustang parts to attach to the Datsun steering arm? Just wondering. Larry Cutter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted October 9, 2000 Share Posted October 9, 2000 quote: Originally posted by GrinZ: I too would like to know about the feasibility of the steering rack swap. It's something I've been kicking around for awhile. How would the ball joints mate up? Does the Datsun ball joint have the same thread as the Mustang Rack? Or would you use the Mustang parts to attach to the Datsun steering arm? Just wondering. Larry Cutter Well it would be all speculation at this point as I havn't seen the pieces or put a caliper to the sizes, but what I've seen done on other cars using the setup would be to use the Mustang tie rod ends, and probably have to have the Datsun steering arms drilled and re-tapered to fit the mustang tie rod ends, this is assuming they are larger. The way the rack mounts on the Z would appear to make it easy to mount. Not sure on the steering shaft if its more inboard or outboard than the Datsun. But that could be fixed with a universal joint and mounting the joint to the frame on the left to clear the engine. As I say its all speculation, but it sounded like a neat swap. Lone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted October 11, 2000 Share Posted October 11, 2000 Ok, after some digging I found a URL (off of Pete's site actually): http://www.zhome.com/rnt/FordPower/SteerRack.html This page tells of the power rack installation using a mid 80's Tbird rack (basically mustang II I think). It appears fairly straight forward without a ton of modification. See the page for Details. The author of the page and swap is Terry Oxandale and the info is much appreciated. Terry if you happen by here at all, thanks for the info. I had a suspicion that it would work, just hadn't seen it done. Good job. PS, his installation details mounting it on a Ford since that what he has in his Z, for Chevy or others it needs a modified power steering pump bracket to hold the ford pump. Regards, Lone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueovalz Posted November 11, 2000 Share Posted November 11, 2000 I used a T-bird power assisted rack (I believe it is the same as the mustang rack)from '84 I believe. Anyway it was too long, but this was good because each end had 4" of 9/16" treaded rod. I had to cut about an inch off each side, screw on a spherical rod end and put a 1/2" grade 8 bolt through the steering arm and the rod end. Long story made short, but this rack has almost the same steering ratio as the Z rack had. I think I remember slight differences in the length of these treaded ends, but they all seemed to long (T-bird vs Mustang). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randy 77zt Posted November 29, 2000 Share Posted November 29, 2000 the 5.0 mustangs have better steering ratio and rack is same body as tbird unit.i would stay away from old mustang11 racks though.the next time i change a rack on a 99 explorer at work i might keep the core to use for mock-up.the bolts come in from bottem instead of front like mustang rack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted November 29, 2000 Share Posted November 29, 2000 Randy, Do you know what size the threads are on the end of that 5.0 mustang steering rack? Thanks, Lone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randy 77zt Posted November 30, 2000 Share Posted November 30, 2000 no idea on thred size on ford racks-you could always get the tap&die set out and rethread the ends for zcar tie rod ends after you shorten the width a bit.the newer ford explorers have a rack with mounting bolts that run vertical-if you welde a piece of steel plate to bottem of crossmember you could bolt rack to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted November 30, 2000 Share Posted November 30, 2000 Randy, would the steering ratio of the Explore rack be a bit sloppy for sports car use? Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randy 77zt Posted December 1, 2000 Share Posted December 1, 2000 explorer racks are 2.5 turns lock to lock like mustang-evrything is standard now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueovalz Posted December 12, 2000 Share Posted December 12, 2000 The Ford rack is about 41" wide. This is with about 3" of the 9/16" threads on each end. Some racks on the T-birds have a longer treaded portion, but the inside edge of the threads to the inside edge of the threads on the end rods is 37". If you use 1" of threads for your rod ends on each side, then you have 39". Now you have only about 3" on each side left for the rod end.This makes the rack a little on the long end, but can work with the right kind of fabricated ends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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