I was wondering if anyone has seen or has pix of a straight axle with a rack to steer your rod...I know not too vintage but I like the simple set-up of a R&P and think it would adapt well with a suicide perch...what do you guys think....joe
the only way it could work is if the rack were mounted to the axle, but you would affect akerman and increase unsprung weight for starters I saw one where the rack was actaully mounted to the frame, his passenger who had ridden from Portland to Tacoma refused the ride home. this was while the owner was attempting to put his stearing shaft back together, the action of the suspension was tearing it apart.
The rack would have to be attached to the axle OR it would BUMP STEER something terrible......Then it adds weight to the unsprung weight and you have to have some way of the joint moving with the axle.... You asked...... I don't think much of the idea..myself.....
A friend of mine is running one on his full fendered 34 PU. It drives well for sure but there are better ways to mount it than he did. He used a dropped tube axles and fabbed some mounts out of old chevy rods so the r&p bolted directly to the axle. He used a inner and outer shaft on the steering column so the innner shaft can slide into the outer one while the suspension is being compressed. The column slides in and out. Looks funny but it works ok for him. Chris
I have sold a few of the Uni-steer rack and pinions.Bolts onto a Vega box mount.A customer put one on his street rod 32 and LOVES it. It is a single sided rack.Keeps the car cross steer.
You have to mount it on the axle itself or you get horrendous bump steer. that means a good slip joint in the column also. Or, You could mount it fore-aft under the floor along the frame rail and just use one end of it, extended, as a drag link. This would probably locate your steering column fairly vertically like in 60's-70's FadT's.
there was an RPU built in the sixties on Vashon Island that used a very large one sided rack that ran forward to a bellcrank stear setup, the column was near vertical in front of the driver. Nailhead, fourspeed and early Olds rear.. guy named Greg Brown owned the chassis last, but he passed away several years ago, 'wonder where it is now...?
IMO The only way to run this properly would be the rack mounted behing the axle with a slider intermediate shaft. You would need an proper slider joint such as the splined slider i-shaft found on '05 Dodge Rams. The slider will eliminate the problem on 'stick-slip-grip' causing erratic steering and high-stress on the joints. One of the problems that I see with this set-up is a long steering system with many joints that cannot be phased. This will cause velocity variation in the steering feel and possible slope. That along with the added unsprung weight makes a cross-steer system seem a little better. My 2 cents
Have you thought of mounting the rack on the outside of your chassis rail, with a single sided action, it is the gun setup for t buckets and light weight speedsters. I have some pics and diagrams of suggested mounting applications if you need them. The column angle can be set as required if the rack is mounted fore or aft on the rails.
When i worked at HAT racing they built a class winner at sf rod+custom that had a flat head and a rack and pinion mounted to the axle.
the 32 coupe hot heads had at bowling green had a rack mounted on the frame ....sideways.....and i want to say it had a jackshaft or something to get it to the outside of the frame with a pitman arm and side draglink......way hard to discribe.....but actually worked pretty slick.......someone might have a shot of it on the drivers side.....brandon
For what it's worth, Speedway is selling a kit.... http://www.speedwaymotors.com/xq/aspx/dept_id.440/display_id.2033/qx/Product.htm
wow guys ...you guys are making my brain bleed...seemed like it could be simple but nothing that is different usually is...I like the idea of using it as a one way with a cross steer...I am gonna go check out Speedway as mentioned above...if it can work then they I am sure have figured it out,,..and sghould be idiot proof ,even for a FNG rod builder like myself...thanks for some good suggestions...joe
Took a ride in a fenderless 32 5-window with a rack on the axle. Seemed to ride and drive fine, but jeez it was ugly!
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