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I need info about Z racks for my 215 510...


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I'm looking for general feedback from folks who have sorted S30s, regarding the steering quality, quickness, feedback, and kick-back with the Z rack and pinion set-ups. I haven't driven a z since my bone-stock, worn-out 260, back in the 1980s, and I don't recall much about it. I do understand that the 240 racks were quicker than the later units.

 

I have a project 215V8 510 and it looks like I'll be using the S30 rack to clear everything.

 

I'd just like to know if the unit gives good steering feel or if I should look to another unit, instead.

 

I really appreciate any info you folks can lend.

 

 

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It's a manual rack-and-pinion setup, pretty much as direct as it gets. Everything else is hard to comment on because feel comes from the suspension setup and quickness depends on the length of your steering knuckles. The stock setup is pretty quick, but not lightning-quick like some modern power-assisted setups (which allow for a quicker steering ratio).

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Actually, that's backwards... The later 280 racks were quicker than the earlier ones.

And unless you're flipping stuff around quite a bit, putting an S30 rack in a 510 which has rear steer, as opposed to S30 front steer knuckles will have you going right when to want to go left.

 

ZX rack is rear-steer like the 510 though....and is available with a power assist as well!

 

So I guess due to the "steer right-go left" thing, my vote is for another rack...

 

But you didn't say what you were doing n the K-Member and welding in front horns isn't that big a deal when you're doing setback engine mounts, etc...

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Thanks, folks. Any input on the quality of the steering, feel, on-center dead spots?  I'm probably stuck with some rack in this project, so I could go with whatever rack is known to be great, so I'm trying to find out if the Z racks are well regarded.

 

The way the car sits now, the oil pan and exhaust occupy nearly all the space aft of the crossmember. The crossmember has been notched for the steering shaft, and the rack is mounted in front. It has Z steering knuckles reversed, extending forward. The main problem is that the rack is too far forward, and the Ackerman was lost.

 

I wish I could go back to the steering box, but putting a hole through the oil pan and getting the exhaust to clear seems like a lot more trouble than making a new crossmember with a more rearward rack location.

 

John, Could you explain that procedure a little more or show us a pic. I'm not quite following what you're describing.

Edited by ByStickel
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Actually, that's backwards... The later 280 racks were quicker than the earlier ones.

And unless you're flipping stuff around quite a bit, putting an S30 rack in a 510 which has rear steer, as opposed to S30 front steer knuckles will have you going right when to want to go left.

280 is slower. http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/99017-240z-rack-into-280z/

 

As to the Ackerman issue, I moved my rack rearward to try and increase it. Had an argument on the value of Ackerman with Leon here and ended up diagramming it out, and found that my work to move the stock rack back had resulted in something like 1 degree more Ackerman at full lock. I found that the Z has a little Ackerman but not very much, and it wasn't worth it to try and keep it during the process of mounting my ps rack. I ended up moving the rack inline with the tie rods, and I'm going to run a bigger static toe out setting in front instead.

 

I imagine you'll need to move the TC rods to the rear to go front steer, or figure out an A arm setup.

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Thanks.  Looks like I need to seriously consider the S30 subframe...

 

The T/C issue can be solved by having the tie rods 'split' the T/Cs, involving some custom fab.

 

I put an s30 into a '69 510. Firewall back, swapped engine trans, front subframe and suspension, brakes, rear brake drums, rear diff. Moved the TC mounts to the rear, it was sort of a pain, but it's got to be cleaner than "splitting" links. But that's a nice rack, I've used it on several projects. Light years ahead of the stock steering gear box

 

Seem to remember the crossmember bolted right up, but the struts where shorter so with no money I just dropped the top mount an 1-1/4" or so. Nowadays you would probably just leave that to make it lower.

 

Bump steer is far more important than Ackerman

Edited by Chris Duncan
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Thanks, Chris.  I didn't know about the entire Z member fitting until a day ago. My car's exhaust is already close to the lateral arm's bolt, so if I go that route, I'll be forced to make custom headers sooner, rather than later... and make a custom crossover... with custom sound baffling... leading to custom mufflers that fit under the passenger seat bump up... snowball.

 

Thanks to all. I'll post up some pictures in the 'other' section, soon.

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