TA22 + rack and pinion

[jb_22]

Quick trial fitment of the rack to crossmember today was satisfying, everything lined up accurately.



LHS rack end position:


RHS rack end position:


will update after the weekend with more progress.

[Sam_Q]

jb_22: good progress, shortened rack yes?

[stidnam]

Looks good but have you tested the fitment with an engine in the bay? You may find some fowling issues....

[jb_22]

I'm putting my eggs in the basket of fouling... I have a sledge hammer and angle grinder to counterattack May also fab up an engine mount spacer on the driver's side.

SamQ: yes, the rack is 70mm shorter.. Just by the shape of the TA22 crossmember it would be a royal pain in the behind fitting an unshortened rack, let alone the bumpsteer issues.

Progress is planned for the weekend - bought a compressor, sandblaster and die grinder today to get the engine bay tidied up and repainted. Waiting on a new set of rack bushes before all the steering can be hooked up. Will keep this thread updated

[jb_22]

Yes, so there is fouling issues...

Cleaned up the crossmember and assorted pieces and painted it all with "RustSeal". It's a KBS moisture-curing urethane coating and you can't kill it with an axe! Literally!

Crossmember:


Assembled:


Annnd.. the fouling issue with the bellhousing brace:


Solution to come... Stay tuned!

[stahlz_ae86]

Ke70 xmbr with the ends cut off to make it fit in the narrower ta22. Weld 50x50x3 angles to the ends where its been cut with hole drilled into them to bolt to the underside of the chassis rails. Plate in the open ends of the xmbr and gusset the angles. Don't touch the rack, leave it standard ke70. Use ta22 lower control arms to increase neg camber a little. It's not a hard thing to do, took me half a day and I'd never done it before. This is a proven method and by far the easiest/quickest way to put a ke70 xmbr and rack into a ta22.

Just been looking through this thread, I'm halfway through this conversion for my Cousins 22's and using pretty much the same method. Just had to work out the positioning and I'll have the jig finished after work tomorrow I hope Made sure I kept the LCA plane the same as original in regards to height and front to back positioning. It seems too simple to be true to the point where I feel I'm sure to hit a hurdle soon :S

Stock KE70 lower control arms with this setup is already going to be introducing negative camber, can't see the need for the TA22 LCA's. I've just gotta make sure column link, caster braces and swaybar etc all work.

[menco]

Just curious if anyone is running Sam_q's conversion and if they are still being sold? Interested to know if it made much of an improvement to the steering or were there any issues.

[orangea22]

I have one of SamQ's kits;
Its on the project car, but the project is only half complete so it has not been tested yet.
The chartered engineer (for road rego purposes) has seen it in person and is happy with it thus far.

[Ashh]

Any news on the fouling issue updates? Did spacing the engine work?

I'm looking to do this: thinking of going the route of stock ta22 cross member with ke70 mounts welded on and a shortened ke70 rack.

[SHEPPO3930]

I'm looking to do this: thinking of going the route of stock ta22 cross member with ke70 mounts welded on and a shortened ke70 rack.

Don't bother.

Do it properly. Shorten the ke70 xmbr, use ke70 LCA's and enjoy front end geometry that works.

[Ashh]

What's the major difference between using a ta22 Xmember and LCAs and a shortened KE70 xmember and LCAs?

Keeping in mind the rack will be shortened in both instances to the length between the LCA pivot points?

[SHEPPO3930]

Whilst u could shorten a rack and hope u get it in the right spot, you'll most likely end up with similar issues to others who've gone down that path and suffered bump steer, etc. Or you could shorten a KE70 crossmember and transfer all the geometry into the ta22. People who've done this have had little to no issues.

[Sam_Q]

What's the major difference between using a ta22 Xmember and LCAs and a shortened KE70 xmember and LCAs?

Keeping in mind the rack will be shortened in both instances to the length between the LCA pivot points?

There is no need to shorten the rack when using the KE70 crossmember, if 32mm is removed out of each lower control arm between the pivot and the castor rod mounting then the geometry in regard to bump steer will be indentical and everything will bolt up in regard to the caster rod studs and the anti-roll bar link. Or some of the extra length could be left for extra camber. Even though the crossmember needs to be remounted there is a degree of tollerence there. Providing that the mounts are same left to right then any small forward/aft movement is automatically compensated by the caster adjustment. As for the height, providing it clears the sump mounting the crossmember high will actually help the roll center with any car that's lower than standard.

With the other option it's as Sheppo says, it's a very difficult job which is likely to go wrong. As I said before I would be surprised if anyone could get it right without a full jig that holds the rack where it's meant to be and then the mounts welded in place.

[TA22 GT]

So is there a kit available to get this to work using a standard TA22 cross member? This thread is so old now, I'm hoping this has been refined and someone just selling them in kit form, or maybe that's wishful thinking?

[Sam_Q]

So is there a kit available to get this to work using a standard TA22 cross member? This thread is so old now, I'm hoping this has been refined and someone just selling them in kit form, or maybe that's wishful thinking?

Not possible, would require cutting and welding as well as rack mods