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Rack and pinion exploration. Building a bolt in conversion


Icehouse

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This looks like an awesome product. After reading this thread and your website a few times, I have some questions.

 

1) The steering column that is needed from the junk yard is just the lower steering shaft and u joint correct? If there is a AW11 manual rack and U joint already sourced, what specifically would be required from a manual steering 80's Corolla donor car?

 

2) It looks like you are making a bushing/bearing set up for the bottom of the 510 steering column tube to center/stabilize the shaft during the rotation of steering inputs. Is that correct? I do not see it being referred to on the website or in much detail (other than some pictures) here in this thread.  I think I see it on Franks car being held in place with a shaft collar. Will it be offered with the cross member on the website?

 

3) Does the 510 lower steering column tube length need to be trimmed to have proper u joint angles on the steering shaft?

 

4) The website specifies which inner tie rods to purchase based on weather you are using shortened lower control arms or not. What is the benefit of shorter arms? Is that decision based on 510 vs 280ZX struts due to spindle angle and camber?

 

Thanks in advance!

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This looks like an awesome product. After reading this thread and your website a few times, I have some questions.

 

1) The steering column that is needed from the junk yard is just the lower steering shaft and u joint correct? If there is a AW11 manual rack and U joint already sourced, what specifically would be required from a manual steering 80's Corolla donor car?

 

2) It looks like you are making a bushing/bearing set up for the bottom of the 510 steering column tube to center/stabilize the shaft during the rotation of steering inputs. Is that correct? I do not see it being referred to on the website or in much detail (other than some pictures) here in this thread.  I think I see it on Franks car being held in place with a shaft collar. Will it be offered with the cross member on the website?

 

3) Does the 510 lower steering column tube length need to be trimmed to have proper u joint angles on the steering shaft?

 

4) The website specifies which inner tie rods to purchase based on weather you are using shortened lower control arms or not. What is the benefit of shorter arms? Is that decision based on 510 vs 280ZX struts due to spindle angle and camber?

 

Thanks in advance!

 

 

1.  To make the system work you need two U-joints and an intermediate shaft.  One U-joint for the column and one for the rack.  The column U-joint I just welded on, I used the joint from the MR2's column.  I cut off the shaft and drilled the U-joint so the 510 column shaft would fit into the joint.   Then it's just long enough to reach the U-joint on the rack.  It has a D shape and I think it's made to collapse.  I just welded it to the right length.  We have a video started.   I just need to finish it.  Hopefully that made sense.  

 

Sam used the upper U-joint and intermediate shaft from a 82 Corolla, the one that looks like it's RWD, because the way the motor is facing,  then when you look it's actually front wheel drive.  haha weird car.  

 

2.   Yep we are making a bushing for the steering shaft.  We haven't made any yet because we need to sit down and decide what exactly we want to do.  The 510 steering shaft is kind of all over the place in size.  I made a prototype bushing for franks car, actually two (1 slightly smaller than the other).  One was to tight so I used the other.  Well the to tight of one fit a different shaft just fine.  So I think it's just going to have to be sanded by some people.  More to come later.  

 

3.  Nope it's fine.  There is very little out of phase effect.  We tried adjusting steering column output and rack angle until it work the best.  That's why you have to adjust the turbo drain on turbo car's.  At first we just angled the steering rack but it made the u-joint phasing really bad.  

 

We pushed the LCA pivots out about 1/4" which on a 510 is enough to notice with tire fitment.  If you want to retain the same amount of tire/fender clearance it would be best to adjust the LCA's in 1/4" to get back to stock length.  On my Coupe I'm going to go even a little narrower.  Fit wider rims that way :)  

 

Strut angle is the same on all old Nissan struts 12 degrees, unless they've bashed a curb really hard then they may be different.  

 

The tie rod vs. LCA length vs. caster is what determines bump steer.  So its better to shorten the LCA a little and have the pivot points in the correct spot.   Really the key is to have lots of caster with the rack setup and have the rear also aligned.  That will make for a nice driving 510.  It will still follow ruts it just the ruts won't try and kill you they will just be annoying.  The power rack really gets ride of the ruts pulling on your car if that's what you are after.  I want to try electric assist and see what that does to the rutty road.  

 

 

 

 

Hope that helps! 

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  • 2 weeks later...

We have a new version of the crossmember that now allows it to be right, left, power or manual by just swapping custom bushing we make.  We have a few in stock and are making more.  As of now just S13 and S14 motor mounts in stock.  We have a batch of S15's on the way and L series.  

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That's great news! Waiting for the S15 motor mounts to be available to place the order.

 

 

We are working on those now. 

 

 

Note: we mount the motor on the high side so the auto hood latch needs to be removed.   We like are cars super low so keeping the pan away from the ground is important to us.  

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Note: we mount the motor on the high side so the auto hood latch needs to be removed.   We like are cars super low so keeping the pan away from the ground is important to us.  

 

Bummer, I literally had to cut away a portion of my fiber glass hood support to get my cold air intake to clear. I might just stick with the Mckinney mounts I have. 

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Is there a difference on S13, S14 and S15'see sr20det's motor mounts.. I thought all sr20dets are equal.. as far as internals are different, different turbo size from factory, and 6 speed manual tranny.. the s15 sr20dets motor mounts are located in different location from the s13 and s14.. which isn't swappable?

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We are working on those now. 

 

 

Note: we mount the motor on the high side so the auto hood latch needs to be removed.   We like are cars super low so keeping the pan away from the ground is important to us.

  

Thanks for this info. I guess I'm not going to need to wait for the motor mounts then. I get paid Thursday so I'll place the order then.

 

Is there a difference on S13, S14 and S15'see sr20det's motor mounts.. I thought all sr20dets are equal.. as far as internals are different, different turbo size from factory, and 6 speed manual tranny.. the s15 sr20dets motor mounts are located in different location from the s13 and s14.. which isn't swappable?

 

What he said...^^^

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So are youa required to use hood pins?

 

He means the removal of the hood prop, not the hood latch.

 

Stock hood latch stays in place and functions.  No hood pins.

 

Stock hood prop (located at the rain tray area) is removed or bent out of the way, because the engine is sitting higher in the engine bay, and the valve cover hits the hood prop latch.

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Oh hey that makes sense. I just completely misunderstood. I have a z22 swap, same issue. I'm relocating mine to the other side of the engine bay above the exhaust manifold.

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I've been keeping up with this thread and I have a question that I didn't notice has been asked or answered.

When you say any Corolla, this means FWD also? 

 

Nope only the RWD rack works.  I wish the FWD would!!  

 

 

 

Auto hood latch?

 

I misspoke I mean AUTO HOOD PROP haha me dumb.  

 

 

Is there a difference on S13, S14 and S15'see sr20det's motor mounts.. I thought all sr20dets are equal.. as far as internals are different, different turbo size from factory, and 6 speed manual tranny.. the s15 sr20dets motor mounts are located in different location from the s13 and s14.. which isn't swappable?

 

 

Yeah the motor mounts are all different.  Who knows why.  

 

 

 

 

Stock cable latch, it's kinda automatic.

 

I meant auto hood prop.  

 

 

 

So are youa required to use hood pins?

 

No.  Just remove the auto hood prop and the rail that runs on the bottom of the hood.  

 

 

 

Thanks for this info. I guess I'm not going to need to wait for the motor mounts then. I get paid Thursday so I'll place the order then.

 

 

What he said...^^^

 

Check your PM

 

He means the removal of the hood prop, not the hood latch.

 

Stock hood latch stays in place and functions.  No hood pins.

 

Stock hood prop (located at the rain tray area) is removed or bent out of the way, because the engine is sitting higher in the engine bay, and the valve cover hits the hood prop latch.

 

 

All right except it hits the intake manifold on the S14 and S15 motors not the valve cover  :)  We built custom mounts to lower the S15 motor in Franks car but it makes hooking up the oil a bitch so we raised it.  

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Thanks Icehouse.

Well, I guess there goes that idea.

I have been all through this thread and the crossmember website. I can't seem to find the answer... This can be made to work with the stock 510 column? I just need the Corolla u-joint and shaft?

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Thanks Icehouse.

Well, I guess there goes that idea.

I have been all through this thread and the crossmember website. I can't seem to find the answer... This can be made to work with the stock 510 column? I just need the Corolla u-joint and shaft?

 

 

Yeah you can use the column from the 510 but still have to cut and weld the toyota U-joints on and add a bearing to old the steering shaft in place.  We are working on some parts for that.  The easy solution wasn't as good as we thought it might be.  Now we are trying a bushing, bearing, and 2 shaft collar on the stock steering shaft to hold it in place.  info to come shortly.  

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