I've not seen this mentioned here, and it may be old hat to some guys. But maybe it'll be useful to someone. MII rack tie rod ends , can be replaced with 78-81 Fairmont tie rod ends. The Fairmont pieces are longer and are a direct fit, this will give you a slightely longer rack if you need it, or just more thread engagement, if thats all you need. Without measuring I would say somewhere around an 1 1/2" can be gained.
Yup, and it will immediately install bump steer. If the stock inners do not reach the stock outers, then the crossmember is wider than stock. In that case the RACK needs to be widened via rack extenders, keeping the inner tie rod pivots where they belong. That pivot belongs on the imaginary line drawn between the upper and lower pivots, or as close as it can be. Extending the tie rod assemblies by 1-1/2" puts/leaves that pivot 1-1/2" away from where it is supposed to be.
The inner pivots don't move. Did this with my car just to have more threads engaged, no change in steering, at all
That's the point. If the inner pivots are not on, or really close to the aforementioned line, and you don't move them there, you will induce bump steer by simply extending the length of the tie rod assembly. So, my question for you is, where do the inner pivots currently fall, with the wheels pointed straight?
My inner pivots are right where they're supposed to be, give or take a hair. The longer ends allowed for full thread engagement at both ends, which made me happier. I drove it for years with the stock ends just fine.
Good. Just making sure you aren't headed straight for a ditch. I have a box full of Fairmont tie rod ends, taken off ill-steering cars, where rack extenders should have been used, in the first place.
I don't think you fully understand what Gimpy is trying to tell you. Yes, you get full engagement, which is nice, but,like he said if the outer pivot points of the rack don't fall on the centerline of the lower a-frame inner pivots with the tires pointed straight ahead you will get bump steer. A lot of guys get away with it not being right but that doesn't MAKE it right. Also in a perfect world the center to center distance of the tie rod pivots should be the same as the distance between the ball joint pivot center and the center of the inner pivot of the lower a-frame. Frank
I understood. But thanks, seriously. I spent a lot of time reading ElPolackos threads and posts on MII setups, and several PMs to him as well. I'm set up about as good as a guy in a home garage can be.
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