Power Steering rack problem. Help?

[IV_Joe]

Happy Friday All,
I need some help with a power steering rack installation problem. Like many of you I just got my power steering rack from FFR earlier this week. For reference I have a complete MK4 kit and the rack provided by FFR. I also bought the offset bushings from Breeze. SO… I was saving the install for this weekend, but I couldn’t help myself and thought I’d just sort of mock it up leaving everything loose just to get a rough idea of how it all went together. The driver’s side went fine. I had to remove some of the powder coating from the chassis holes so the bolts would go through but other than that no issues. With the DS bolt installed with no nut on it I swung the Passenger side down to install that bolt. It would go through the front chassis hole and into the bushing then dead stop. After looking at it from both sides and messing with it for a while I took the rack back out. From what I can tell it looks like my passenger side mounting holes in the chassis tabs are out of alignment by a good bit. I get it’s not going to be a perfect inline condition, but the bolt won’t even go through by itself with the rack and bushings on the bench. First time trying to include a picture so hopefully it is below. It’s a same size (1/2-13) shorter bolt for demonstration purposes with some washers pushed square against the front chassis tab. Earlier in the build I used the threaded rod on a few of the suspension tabs to “spread the tabs” as is commonly done. I didn’t really move anything doing that more than maybe .125 at the most and that mostly in the rear suspension. There was nothing unusual about the front passenger side suspension installation meaning I didn’t bend anything there. But I don’t see how any amount of bending front to back will help this. It looks to me like the front mounting hole centerline is somewhere between .3125-.3750 higher than the rear.
That being said I’m kind of on the fence of what to do about it. I don’t want to just make the holes bigger and add slop to the whole assembly. I can’t bend anything that will help. What I’m really considering is to sort of “oval out” those two holes. Like remove .150-.175 from the bottom of the front hole and the same from the top of the rear one. Essentially making them vertical slots. That way the bolt should at least go through straight-ish. But what will that do to the Horizontal-ness of the rack itself? Is that important? Should I modify the holes based on how level the rack is? Obviously, I don’t want to tighten it down in any kind of bind. Any thoughts, experience, and tribal knowledge would be greatly appreciated before I start doing things I can’t undo.

164829

[rich grsc]

Looks like the rear tab was welded incorrectly. Contact Factory Five, don't do anything till they have been informed, get their advice on correcting it.

[egchewy79]

Mine was off a bit, but clearly not THAT off. Like Rich suggested, contact FFR. that rear tab might need to to cut off and rewelded in a more favorable position. For my situation, I was able to slot each hole a bit to get it close and then "persuade" the bolt in using a BFH.

[J R Jones]

Joe, Where is the error? What gets corrected? I agree, you should try to keep the rack level.
If you have a contractor laser level, set it at the front of the car and direct the horizontal beam/plane aft. Measure up from the beam to the frame rails, right and left, and jack/shim the frame to level.
Measure up from the beam to the rack mount tab hole centers; hopefully three will be the same and one will require correction.
I would file the hole to the correct height and MIG weld a washer over the slot.
Luck to you.
jim

[Railroad]

Steering rack instructions warn that putting a twist on the rack housing voids warranty. I can see torquing the tube might create problems. ,,,probably end up slotting all 4 holes to keep the rack true.
good luck,

[johnnybgoode]

Agree with contacting FFR to see what they say but just as another off-the-wall idea.

You could replace the bolt with the next size smaller grade 8 (go metric or vice-versa) and add a bronze sleeve to one of Marks offset bushings to take up the slack. The slightly smaller bolt diameter may fit and/or only require a slight ovaling of the holes and the grade 8 should make up for any strength loss in the smaller bolt diameter.

Here is a kit that comes with different size sleeves and off-set bushings that's the same idea. Scott
https://www.johnnylawmotors.com/mi/ZBSeDGYJ/mustang-ii-ifs-steering-rack-pinion-offset-bushings-kit-15-1-2-to-16-hot-rod-1

[IV_Joe]

It seemed like the consensus from you guys was to contact FFR about the problem. I e-mailed my sales contact there this weekend with a general description of the problem and a bunch of pictures. Hopefully they will point me in the right direction here. I've seen a few instances of guys with power steering racks failing soon after completion. Wonder if this is related? Guys at FFR have been super helpful up to this point. I have confidence we/they will come up with something we all can live with. I'll update this thread once there is a resolution just in case someone has a similar issue in the future.

[Bob Cowan]

The only way to "fix" this would be to cut off the rear tab, and weld a new one in it's place.

I would slot the forward hole, and leave the rear hole alone. Use a solid aluminum bushing. There's no way the rack will twist or move. And, by moving the rack down a smidgen, you'll improve Ackerman, and might improve bump steer.

[CaptB]

Note to FFR, when fabricating the chasis have a list of must align holes and have something mocked up to have a final check for alignment.

Just my .02 cents, which is worth exactly .02 cents.