Any particular reason why you want to do this? I assume you are talking passenger car and not truck. Ths stock steering system does need help, I HIGHLY recommend the the bearing kit for your stock idler arm. This fixes a few of the issues with wear and makes the steering system work better. I also recommend the CPP500 steering gear. These improve the steering feel greatly and are very simple to install. http://www.classicperform.com/Store/1955_1970_Fullsize_Cars/CP50000.htm http://www.classicperform.com/Store/1955_1970_Fullsize_Cars/5557IBC.htm This is a much simpler solution and I would argue, cheaper to do in the long run.
the cpp box works great! the rack kits are just headaches on top of headaches. If you must have a rack the setup from Jim Meyer that includes repositioned lower control arms works well too but it uses different spindles and brakes too. El Polacko is right. Use the cpp box and extra caster in the upper control arms helps a bunch, especially if the car sits on a rake now.
I fitted a RP kit from Danchuk in my '57 150. There were a few head aches and in hindsight i would probably have gone with a power steering box instead. Besides the fact that the steering is now a little too light and devoid of feel there were a few major headaches to overcome and I'm still not happy with the angles that the supposedly bolt in kit makes the shafts run at. I'm running Chevelle Disks and the track rods had to be cut down to get the wheels to go anywhere near toe out. I had to find some shorty block hugger headers (settled with ceramic coated Sandersons) because the headers I had ended exactly where the rack goes and had to have a custom built front section of exhaust made up to clear the location of the pinion on the steering rack. I fitted an Ididit chrome column and that went in beautifully though i had to go back and get the billet bottom mount to secure it properly. It meant I didnt have to mess around having the steering column shaft altered before I could fit the kit. The bracket for the steering pump is slightly twisted which makes it a real bitch to keep the tension in the belt as it loosens of overtime. A torch and a hammer will sort that out when I get time but its another pain in arse when the kit was advertised as bolt in and, like is always the case, was anything but. The car steers great now but I wish I'd done a little bit more homework first, I probably wouldn't have gone RP and looked for a power steering box set up instead. hope this helps you make a decision F
I noticed that running wheels and brakes that give little offset (keep the front wheels tucked in pretty far) makes a big difference with steering effort. Think skinny tires/wheels. I've been running the stock setup on mine for years, I have had trouble with the idler and recommend the bearing kit. A stock sized steering wheel helps too. I have to admit that getting to the #5 plug on a big block with stock steering is a bitch.
Yep, BBC's in these is a bit of a bitch. If I can I offset the engine about 1.5-2" to the right side of the car. Helps a ton but also creates problems with the firewall, just have to pick your battle here.
Thanks for info. This is for a car and the original box is sloppy I can get a borgsen box to replace the original but thought if the rack set up was any good I would go that way
heh....why not just rebuild the steering gear, or find another original one in better shape? it's not rocket science
For some reason many hotrodders think the addition of a rack and pinion to any suspension is akin to waving a magic wand at poor steering. If it were so simple, it's not. It is possible to engineer a rack into a suspension system where it was not designed to go. Although most of the time you will have complications as in loss of Ackerman, change in steering radius (usually less) steering input angle complications, weight rating and sensitivity feedback through the torsion bar or fluid valving. The best we can do is get close most of the time by matching the components from a similar vehicle. Just FYI, some of the best handling and steering vehicles in the world have steering boxes, not racks.
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