TECH: Saab steering rack in a 50 chevy

[DIRTYT]

.....

[Hackerbilt]

Looks good...
Did you check it for excessive bumpsteer while the spring was out and you could lift up and down on the spindle?
(Those inner tierods are a hell of a lot further out than the original inners...)

[Hackerbilt]

Originally Posted by DIRTYT

the orig works off a bell crank and the inners are dead center. I drove the car last weekend and had it going 65 on the free way no problems zero bump steer. It works flawless.

Wellll....wouldn't be as noticeable on a smooth highway as on a choppy sideroad maybe, BUT the proof IS in the driving, and your driving it so I'm not gonna say your wrong!
I can't imagine you recommending it if you noticed any issues anyway.
Ford truck twin-I-beams have funky geometry and still drive fine due to the limited range of motion in the suspension and I suspect that helps here as well.

Looks like a very simple swap that can cure several ills those cars are known for...and makes the exhaust nightmare a non-issue too. If I were building a lowered early 50's Chevy without a subframe I'd certainly give that idea consideration.
Incredible that you didn't have to change the length of the inner tierods, the Saab outer tierods fit right up AND the bracket locations work out so well!!!
Just couldn't get a better layout for a swap into that chassis.

Excellent tech writeup too by the way!

[Rhino]

Originally Posted by DIRTYT

the orig works off a bell crank and the inners are dead center. I drove the car last weekend and had it going 65 on the free way no problems zero bump steer. It works flawless.

Very cool indeed!
This could help a lot of people!
Way to go.

Denny

[chevysapper]

Finaly a solution to my stering problems. Thank you.

[Hackerbilt]

Haha...yeah, I guess Michigan would have the same basic issues our highways have!
Your right! ONE mile on a frost rutted highway will tell the tale! LoL

[a54Studebaker]

I did a similar setup on my T-bird but I used a rack off a front wheel drive Buick Skylark because the center part of the rack moves and the outer part can be mounted securely to the frame, here is a link to see the tech article about it on the Y block site http://www.y-blocksforever.com/tech/html/rpinbird.html
notice the bracket that is mounted on the Fatman's kit on the 56 Fairlane(also shown here), This is something that I probably should have used/made to make sure my inner tie rod mounts were the same distance apart as they were on the original drag link - although I haven't noticed any bump steer with mine setup the way it is now. I have approximately 10,000 miles on the car since the install and tires are wearing great too.

Richard

[Hackerbilt]

Originally Posted by a54Studebaker

I did a similar setup on my T-bird but I used a rack off a front wheel drive Buick Skylark because the center part of the rack moves and the outer part can be mounted securely to the frame, here is a link to see the tech article about it on the Y block site http://www.y-blocksforever.com/tech/html/rpinbird.html
notice the bracket that is mounted on the Fatman's kit on the 56 Fairlane(also shown here), This is something that I probably should have used/made to make sure my inner tie rod mounts were the same distance apart as they were on the original drag link - although I haven't noticed any bump steer with mine setup the way it is now. I have approximately 10,000 miles on the car since the install and tires are wearing great too.

Richard

Thats a nice setup too...and closer to the stock pivot locations.
BTTT....

[franks52]

hey, do you have pics of this swap of the rack?

[franks52]

i have a 52 chevy hrdtp

[leaded]

Did a similar swap on my -50 Fleetline. I used an German built Calibra/Vectra rack, ( as the US. Cavalier..?) ,it has the connection of the steeringrods at the centermoving part, its even more similar to the original setup. Easy mount, even the steeringrods from the rack could be used. Only special was the need of fabricatng a connection between rods and rack, because of other angle of mount, so it could suit the angle as lower A-arm.
( similar as the part for sets from http://www.speeddirect.com/ )

Did a great change of driving habbit, and no bumpsteer.

[toddc]

Originally Posted by DIRTYT

.....

Where did the tech go?

[franks52]

hey leaded any pics or tec info you could pass on

[rustynewyorker]

Seems to me someone had copied the info and posted it as their own, so DirtyT removed it. But I could be wrong on that.

[DIRTYT]

no i removed cause after i did it every one said it wouldnt work and would have to much bump steer... its a damn shame it worked perfect. so fuck em i didnt have a tech to figure it out. its not that hard and if you cant figure it out you really have no buisness changing something so important as your own steering any way right...

i used a 89 saab 9-2 manual rack.

[cretin]

I've got a saab rack sitting in my garage. I've been lazy and haven't installed it. If and when I get around to it I'll post pics.

[rustynewyorker]

Ahh. I remembered there was some sort of argument but not the details. I don't know why it wouldn't work as long as you can mount the thing so it's in about the same position relative to the tie-rod ends as it was in the Saab it came out of.