Bushings and sleeves for FFR power steering option

[Yama-Bro]

Hi guys,

I attempted to bolt up my FFR power steering rack today, but the bushings and sleeves didn't seem right. I'm starting to think I am missing the proper bushings.

Here are the parts I located to assemble the rack to the frame.
Left to right.
-The manual rack bolt that ships with the kit, the length seems a bit excessive, but it will work.
-The manual rack sleeve that ships with the kit, the bolt fits good inside this, but it's a loose, sloppy fit inside the rubber bushing that came with the power steering rack.
-The power rack sleeve that came with PS rack. This fits great inside rubber bushing, but the bolt is super loose inside this.
-The power rack rubber bushing that came with PS rack. This fits great in the rack and the sleeve that came with the rack, but then the bolt is loose and it is too long. See 2nd picture below.

I did some searching online and saw some rubber bushings that others were installing. Some builders had 4 bushing (2 per hole) they looked like my bushing, but shorter and a smaller hole. Was FFR supposed to send those? Do I have the wrong thing? I considered cutting this one off to the proper length, but I think if I did that the steering rack may not be isolated properly from the frame due to the lack of shoulder on both sides of the bushing.

Any advice?

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4585/38119974746_e57e5a1620_b.jpg

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4581/38176154091_cdec384dda_b.jpg

[Papa]

It looks like you are missing the correct bushings. My rack came with the rubber ones and a complete set of hard plastic ones. I had to push out the rubber ones and then install the hard ones. The hard ones are two halves per side and you slide the metal sleeve inside for the bolt to go through.

Mine were in box #18 - FFR# 12620 (4 each)

[Yama-Bro]

Ah ha! Thanks so much. After you posted that I flipped through my parts lists sheets. They weren't in box 18, like yours, but they are listed in box 20. My power steering rack came separate from the power steering hardware because it was back ordered at one point. Forgot all about that. I'll dig those out tomorrow and get the rack installed. I spent about an hour trying figure out how the parts in the pictures above were supposed to go together. LOL. Thanks again Papa!

[Papa]

No problem. When you get everything ready to install, start with the rack at an angle (passenger side up) and get the driver's side started then rotate the passenger side down and drop the rack into place. It WILL fit! You just need to work it to get it to go in. Be careful not to damage the soft lines that are installed on the rack.

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4297/36045303042_b58155aae7_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/WVcAN7)

Dave

[Yama-Bro]

Sounds good! Thanks for the advice. I'll take another swing at it tomorrow.

[TexasAviator]

I used these on my rack with the bolts from FFR. Had to drill them out a bit but used the top hole to allow the rack to sit as low as possible.

76411

https://lmr.com/item/MM-MMST6/Mustang-Maximum-Solid-Rack-Bushings-79-04

[BB767]

The FFR power steering rack that came with my (full) kit had bushings and sleeves already installed. I mounted it with these in it. Was I supposed to remove them and install the one's that were in the package? I certainly hope not, I just assumed those were for the manual steering rack (which I did not get).

[Papa]

The FFR power steering rack that came with my (full) kit had bushings and sleeves already installed. I mounted it with these in it. Was I supposed to remove them and install the one's that were in the package? I certainly hope not, I just assumed those were for the manual steering rack (which I did not get).

Without knowing what was in the rack you received it's just speculation, but if you installed the rack with the bushings on the right hand side shown in Yama-Bro's picture, then I would assume the rack will need to be removed and reinstalled with the bushings that were packaged separately. Did the rack feel "sloppy" when installed? The bolt is way smaller in diameter than the bushings that came installed in my rack; the ones that I removed to install the separately packaged bushings.

[wareaglescott]

Breeze makes a very nice mounting kit.
May be a worthwhile upgrade if you are interested.

http://www.breezeautomotive.com/details.php?prod_id=720

[WIS89]

Frank (and others)-

X 2 on Scott's suggestion. Makes the rack a bit adjustable, which aids in centering it properly!

Modest $$$ for a better solution.

Regards,

Steve

[Mark Reynolds]

Thanks Wareagle - beat me to it.

[Yama-Bro]

The FFR power steering rack that came with my (full) kit had bushings and sleeves already installed. I mounted it with these in it. Was I supposed to remove them and install the one's that were in the package? I certainly hope not, I just assumed those were for the manual steering rack (which I did not get).

BB767,
I snapped a picture of the bushings after I dug them out of the box. The top bushings and fasteners are the ones that you want to use. The bottom are the pieces that come with the power steering rack. Don't use them as they are a sloppy fit on the bolt and the grommet is the wrong length and won't properly isolate the rack from the frame.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4558/26423910969_b44fcae686_b.jpg



Breeze makes a very nice mounting kit.
May be a worthwhile upgrade if you are interested.

http://www.breezeautomotive.com/details.php?prod_id=720

Thanks for the suggestion guys. By the time I read this I had the other bushings installed. I'll keep this in mind as an upgrade down the road.

[BB767]

Well great. The only thing on the car that I have not put on and removed at least twice will now join the list! :p Thanks for the advice though, better now than after the engine is in!
By the way, it actually fit pretty snug both on the bolts and into the frame, that is why I did not question it initially. It went in quite hard and is mounted very securely in the brackets. The main change I can see is firmer support with the harder bushings.